WARREN, Mich. – A 41-year-old woman from Michigan is now facing a lifetime behind bars for allegedly torturing her boyfriend’s elderly mother. Laura Catherine Tisdelle is accused of tying the 80-year-old woman to a bed and subjecting her to severe beatings. The disturbing incident occurred while Tisdelle’s boyfriend was on vacation with his children.
Tisdelle appeared before Judge Kimberly Wiegand on Wednesday, charged with torture, first-degree abuse of a vulnerable adult, unlawful imprisonment, and third-degree domestic violence. If convicted of torture, Tisdelle could face a maximum sentence of life in a state correctional facility. The remaining charges could result in an additional 35 years of imprisonment. According to Wiegand, “The defendant’s boyfriend left his mother in her care, and when he came home from his trip, the defendant was intoxicated, and he found his mother non-responsive.”
It was revealed through a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office that Tisdelle’s boyfriend returned home on June 21, 2023, after a five-day trip and discovered his mother “with her hands tied together, restrained to the bed, severely beaten and laying in her own urine and feces.” Tisdelle allegedly used yellow twine to bind the elderly woman’s hands.
After being rushed to the hospital, the victim was admitted to the intensive care unit in critical condition. Prosecutors stated that Tisdelle was the sole person responsible for caring for the elderly woman during her boyfriend’s absence.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido expressed his determination to hold Tisdelle accountable for her alleged actions. He described the incident as a “grim testament to the darkest corners of our society” and emphasized the importance of ensuring that the victim’s voice is heard.
Tisdelle, who has previously faced charges of domestic violence in 2015 and 2019, appeared in court in June and has been in detention since her arrest. In addition to the charges, Judge Wiegand ordered her to undergo substance abuse and mental health evaluations.
Tisdelle’s case has been transferred to the circuit court for trial, and her first appearance is scheduled for January 8. The community awaits justice for the defenseless elderly woman who faced unimaginable cruelty in her own home.