PASADENA, Md. — A man has been arrested in connection to the death of his father, Elmer Norris.
According to police, on November 22, 2019 at around 10:48 a.m., the Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded to the 8500 block of Creek Road in Pasadena in response to a 911 call from Danny Howard Norris in regards to a medical emergency regarding his ninety-one year old father, Elmer, of whom he cared for.
Upon arrival, paramedics found the father on a mattress in a bedroom. The paramedics noted that Elmer Norris was found on a sunken mattress lying in his own bodily fluids.
Additionally, small insects and flies were observed in Elmer Norris’s bedroom along with a strong odor of excrement.
Officials say paramedics had to physically cut Elmer from the mattress because he was stuck to the top layer of the fabric by dried excrement.
A kitchen knife and plastic bottle caps were found underneath Elmer Norris’s body.
Elmer Norris was transported to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center but succumbed to injuries and was pronounced deceased at 1:51 p.m. Medical professionals contacted police after Elmer Norris arrived at the hospital due to suspicions of elder abuse and neglect.
After Anne Arundel County Homicide Detectives responded to BWMC, a nurse observed insect activity on Elmer Norris’s body when he arrived at the hospital. Additionally, utensils and bottle caps were found pressed into Elmer Norris’s skin which caused significant sores/ulcers.
Nurses had to clean excrement from Elmer Norris’s body and also had to shave his beard in order to clean his face.
Detectives conducted a number of interviews, one being Elmers’ caretaker and son, 55-year-old Danny Norris.
Detectives learned Danny lived with his father and nobody else resided there with them.
Danny Norris told detectives that Elmer Norris was bedridden for approximately the last month of his life and was not able to use the restroom by himself and was aware that his father was covered in feces and urine.
He also acknowledged and recognized the unsanitary conditions his father was living in but claimed there wasn’t much he could do to help him.
Danny Norris claimed to have hired a home health care nurse to clean and care for Elmer Norris.
Homicide detectives ran down all possible leads in locating the home health care professional but there was no factual evidence Danny Norris had hired one to care for his father.
After a search of the home, detectives observed and documented the conditions. They found that Elmer's sunken mattress was found to be covered in excrement and urine. Small insects covered surfaces in the bedroom and trash was found strewn about the floor.
After interviewing family members, detectives learned the family expressed concern over the care and that Danny Norris intentionally prohibited them from helping to clean, feed, visit and otherwise care for Elmer Norris.
Multiple family members told detectives Danny Norris often changed the locks to his home and refused to answer the phone when family members called to check on Elmer's well-being.
After obtaining hospital and rehabilitation medical records as well as reports from the Department of Social Services related to Elmer Norris and Danny Norris, detectives found that Elmer Norris was a vulnerable adult who was unable to care for himself or provide for his own basic needs such as using the toilet, washing himself, cooking, or feeding himself.
The records show Danny Norris was always listed as the individual responsible for providing care to Elmer Norris.
In March, the OCME ruled Elmer Norris’s manner of death as being homicide and the cause was described as pneumonia with ulcers as a consequence of neglect.
On Friday, March 20, an arrest warrant was obtained for Danny Norris.
He has been charged with the following in regards to the homicide of his father: Second Degree Murder, Manslaughter, Vulnerable Adult Abuse Physical Injury, Vulnerable Adult Abuse House/Family Member, Vulnerable Adult Abuse Custodian and Reckless Endangerment.
At approximately 3:45 p.m., Danny Norris was taken into custody without incident in the 8500 block of Creek Road.
Anne Arundel County Police is urging anyone with information on this incident or the suspect to contact the Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. One can also remain anonymous by calling the Anne Arundel County Tip Line 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers.
