OAKLAND — A caregiver convicted Wednesday of neglecting a vulnerable adult left a 58-year-old victim in a hospital bed in a tent outside a Crellin home with no means to flee from danger or severe weather, Garrett County State’s Attorney Christian Mash said.
Lisa Kay Kitzmiller, 57, was found guilty of second-degree neglect and possession of a controlled dangerous substance — methamphetamine. Sentencing will follow a pre-sentencing investigation.
Kitzmiller was arrested in July 2025, after the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office received information that an adult living at the residence was being neglected.
“The victim, who has a permanent physical disability and is bedridden, had been left in unsafe conditions with no means to flee from danger or severe weather,” Mash said via release. “The victim further had no access to basic utilities or medical care. In addition, the victim was not receiving her pain medication.”
Mash said Kitzmiller was one of two caregivers, and other people had moved into the home.
“This is really about a vulnerable human being whose dignity was ignored,” Mash said. “In our system of justice, those who assume the duty to care for others must honor that obligation with compassion and respect for life. This scenario obviously falls far short of basic standards of care, and we will seek accountability and victim input at the sentencing hearing.”