SHAMOKIN -- A woman is locked up in Northumberland County, charged in connection with her mother's death.
Police arrested Mary Ellen Collins of Shamokin Tuesday in Northumberland County.
Collins is in jail on $100,000 bail, charged with involuntary manslaughter and neglect for the death of Ellen Jackson, 66, in February.
Police said Jackson was left alone and uncovered on the floor of a home on Spurzheim Street in Shamokin for seven hours. She died of hypothermia.
Collins admitted to police she was her mother's caregiver. She said she did the best she could caring for her mother.
"I hope she's spends the rest of her life in prison. It can't bring my mom back, but you know, we're getting justice," said Darrell Jackson, Collins' brother and Jackson's son.
According to investigators, Collins lived in the home with her fiance, her 7-year-old handicapped daughter and her mother, who had diabetes, heart and blood pressure problems, and was legally blind.
Police said the house was in deplorable condition, with "dog feces" and "trash" everywhere with only a few space heaters.
Officers said the "furnace did not contain any oil" and there were "several pipes broken."
Jackson's son Kennith said he was at the place the day before his mother died.
"I wouldn't even let a dead dying dog live in that house," he said.
Newswatch 16 spoke with people who live in Shamokin who heard about the case.
"I know if it was my mother, my mother would not have been staying there with no heat. I don't care if I had to drag her out of there, kicking and screaming, she would have been coming with me," said Cathy Caprece.
According to court papers, Collins told police it was too hard taking care of her handicapped daughter and her mother.
She said she needed more help.
"I was a phone call away. I would have put fuel in here you know? I'm not a millionaire. I never claimed to be one. If they needed fuel, I would have put it in," said Darrell Jackson.
Family members said they also want Collins' former fiance to be charged with their mother's death.
They said he handled the money and did not fill the fuel tanks and that he knew Collins was not up to caring for her mother and her daughter.
Police said that man was not living at the home at the time of Ellen Jackson's death.
