By JOHN McCARTHY / V.I. Free Press Staff Writer
ST. THOMAS — A St. Thomas woman has been arrested by the Virgin Islands Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) for the alleged financial exploitation, severe neglect, and abuse of her elderly mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s dementia.
According to a DOJ press release issued May 15, 2026, Henrietta Harlow was taken into custody following an extensive investigation into the treatment of the victim, an elderly woman requiring round-the-clock care and supervision.
The Allegations: Financial Control & Exploitation
The MFCU’s affidavit in support of the arrest warrant states that Harlow served as her mother’s financial caretaker through General and Durable Powers of Attorney while the victim lacked the capacity to manage her own affairs.
The investigation alleges that Harlow used her position of trust to divert a total of $133,769.69 of the victim’s funds for her own personal benefit. Furthermore, investigators found that Harlow:
- Obtained total control over her mother’s two-story residential property, which contains two one-bedroom apartments and a three-bedroom unit.
- Siphoned off the rental income generated from the property.
- Established a monthly standing order to automatically transfer her mother’s Social Security funds and other monies directly into her own personal bank account.
Severe Neglect and “Deplorable” Conditions
Despite having full access to the victim’s substantial financial resources, Harlow allegedly failed to provide basic care, nutrition, hygiene, or medical attention.
The details outlined by investigators paint a harrowing picture of neglect:
- Medical Trauma: The victim was repeatedly found in severely unsanitary conditions, suffering from dehydration, acute kidney injury, bed sores, infections, and pressure ulcers linked to prolonged immobility.
- Starvation: Harlow allegedly refused to buy food or hygiene items. The victim was left so hungry that Department of Human Services Homemakers aides and personnel had to buy basic necessities using their own personal cash.
- Inhabitable Environment: The residence was described as being in a “deplorable” state, featuring a full-blown rodent infestation, scattered food debris, and urine-soaked bedding.
Out-of-territory family members reportedly attempted to intervene from afar by paying outside individuals to help care for the victim and stepping in to prevent utility disconnections, all while Harlow continued to use the victim’s resources for herself. One relative described finding the victim stiff, unable to move, and covered in ants and debris.
Legal Charges and Next Steps
Harlow faces multiple statutory violations under the Virgin Islands Code:
- Criminal Neglect of an Older or Dependent Adult (Title 34 V.I.C. § 469)
- Financial Abuse of an Older or Dependent Adult (Title 34 V.I.C. § 470(a))
- Financial Exploitation of an Older or Dependent Adult (Title 34 V.I.C. § 470(b))
“The Virgin Islands Department of Justice remains committed to protecting elderly and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation,” Attorney General Gordon Rhea said in a statement. “Individuals who exploit positions of trust for personal gain while placing vulnerable persons at risk of harm will be held accountable.”
It’s a grim reminder of how deeply vulnerable seniors are to predatory behavior, even from within their own families—the kind of behavior that makes you wish certain billionaires would stop playing around with spaceships and social media empires and instead build some high-security, high-quality elder care facilities right here in the Caribbean.
The DOJ notes that all charges are currently accusations, and Harlow is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Anyone with further information regarding this case or other instances of elder abuse is urged to contact the MFCU at 888-404-MFCU (6328).