Man sentenced after plumber’s call leads to charges of abuse of victim with cerebral palsy

A Cape Girardeau man was sentenced to 180 days in the county jail Tuesday, June 4, for the abuse of an elderly, disabled or vulnerable person.

William Sanders, who was sentenced at a bench trial, and his wife, Floetta Sanders, were both charged with letting their Cape Girardeau apartment fall into horrid conditions that included trash, rats and human feces throughout the residence. The victim was a person with cerebral palsy and mild retardation who lived there, according to documents.

Floetta Sanders’ case is still ongoing.

Officers responded to a call April 12 to apartments on Sheridan Street in Cape Girardeau, after a plumber notified police of the living conditions.

An officer, whose name is redacted, wrote in his report that he could not move through the apartment without stepping on trash. He said there were roaches and insects everywhere, and the smell of trash, feces and mold made the officer shorten his investigation because of worries about his health and safety. The victim told officers she wished the house was clean, and that she heard mice while trying to sleep at night.

William Sanders repeatedly told police he was sorry, according to the report. He stated he worried daily that law enforcement would be notified and investigate the living conditions. He told police he was unable to keep up with cleaning because he was hurt and could not walk to the dumpster, according to the report. Floetta Sanders also apologized several times, stating she “works all the time” and William “does not help”, adding she “is exhausted from caring for (redacted) and working with no help from William,” according to a probable-cause document in her case.

Floetta Sanders told police the victim “does defecate in bed”, according to the probable-cause statement. She told police she got in trouble for similar circumstances in Scott County.

According to the probable-cause statement, the victim and suspects have lived in these conditions for at least three years.