Iowa City woman accused of neglecting older woman, leading to woman’s death

IOWA CITY - An Iowa City woman is accused of neglect, leading to an older woman's death.

The Johnson County Sheriff's Office said it began investigating the death of a 72-year-old woman on Feb. 14 at 21 Apollo Place in southeast Iowa City.

Tara M. Edwards, 54, had been the woman's primary caregiver, the office said in a news release.

Authorities said Edwards - who said she was previously licensed as a nurse - neglected the woman by failing to fill her prescriptions, take her to medical appointments or provide her with necessary nutritional supplements.

At the time of the woman's death, she was emaciated, malnourished and had suffered significant weight loss, authorities said.

The Johnson County Medical Examiner's Office determined her cause of death to be homicide.

Edwards was arrested Wednesday morning and faces one count of intentional dependent adult abuse causing serious injury, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

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