Georgia Caregiver Gets Life for Murder - Updated

(Cobb County, Georgia) In September 2008, a Cobb County jury convicted 43-year-old Madonna Whitus of the murder of 63-year-old Kathie Durant.

Whitus was found guilty on charges that included malice and felony murder, abuse and neglect of a disabled adult, exploitation of a disabled adult, two counts of identity fraud and concealing the death of another.

As a result, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Dorothy Robinson sentenced Whitus to life plus 20 years in prison. She will be eligible for parole when she is 83 years old.

NOTE: I apologize for the tardy followup on this case. It simply was missed while reviewing the status of cases. I probably would have missed it entirely were it not for the fact that Madonna Whitus left a comment.

Whitus indicates that all reporting has been in error and she is appealing her case. I've confirmed her information via the Georgia Department of Corrections website.


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Caregiver Jailed for Murder of Disabled Woman
[Previous 12/11/07 post]
(Smyrna, Georgia) A 42-year-old live-in caregiver, Madonna A. Whitus, has been charged with the murder of 63-year-old Kathie G. Durant, the woman Whitus was supposed to be caring for.

Investigators surmise that Durant fell out of bed on December 2nd, suffered a compound arm fracture and was left lying on the bedroom floor until December 8th when she died.

According to Smyrna Police Det. L. Defense, Whitus met Durant at church and had been her caregiver for two years.

Police went to Durant's Paces Ferry North Drive home on Saturday after being contacted by her priest, Defense said.

They found Durant dead on her bedroom floor. She had a compound fracture of the right arm, police said.

Police "quickly realized the crime scene appeared suspicious," Defense said Monday in a news release.

"It has been determined between Dec. 2 and Dec. 8, Whitus failed to provide proper care and/or render aid to Ms. Durant," Defense said.

The medical examiner's office did not immediately fix a time of death, so police were unable to say how long Durant had been dead when she was found, Defense said.

In addition to murder, Whitus has been charged with violation of protection of disabled adults and financial transaction card fraud for using the victim's credit card. Whitus also allegedly sold Durant's jewelry to a pawnshop and raided her bank accounts.

Whitus was booked into custody at the Smyrna jail and later taken to the Cobb County Jail. She is being held without bond.