Monterey County District Attorney Dean Flippo announced Sept. 27 that Patricia Conklin, age 47 of Pacific Grove, was sentenced to eight years in prison with the execution of that sentence suspended on the condition that she successfully complete the conditions of probation for four years. The case involved elder abuse of her mother.

The convictions stem from two separate incidents. The first involved an argument at their home in Pacific Grove where Conklin pushed her mother who fell and was injured. Conklin called 9-1-1 and said her mother slipped, but her mother could be heard yelling that she had been thrown down. The victim told the officers and paramedics that she was pushed as well. She was transported to CHOMP where she was diagnosed with an intertrochanteric fracture, a fracture of the top of the femur bone just below the ball portion at the hip.

The injury required surgery to insert metal implants into the center of the bone to prevent further damage and allow healing. The jury found true the special allegation that Conklin had personally inflicted great bodily injury on a person over 70 years of age.
The second and third counts related to endangerment of her mother on March 9, 2013. On that day Conklin went to a skilled nursing facility where her mother was recovering from the surgery. Conklin went to the facility and demanded the release of her mother while accusing the staff of wanting her mother’s money. She also made threatening statements to the staff. She then took her mother home even though she had failed to prepare for her mother’s return. The home had numerous tripping hazards, no assistive devices to help her mother and no qualified nursing care. Conklin even told police the toilets were not working.

What made all of this even more egregious was that Conklin knew that earlier that week a court had appointed a conservator for her mother and she had no authority to remove her mother from the nursing facility.

Judge Pamela L. Butler presided over the trial and announced the sentence after listening to a lengthy statement by Conklin in which she failed to take responsibility for her actions. Judge Butler said that any violations of the terms of her probation would land Conklin in prison for the eight years she suspended.