Police try to rescue an elderly woman chained by her family so she wouldn't go out drinking

The family of Maria Luisa Castellanos, an elderly lady from Veracruz, Mexico, chained her to a post so that she could not escape and drink alcohol.

An anonymous call alerted the police in Nopalapan, the town where Castellanos lives. Once officers arrived at the scene, they found the lady lying on the ground tied with a chain on her right foot.

The National System for Integral Family Development (DIF is Spanish), started an investigation to determine whether or not Castellanos suffered any physical or mental injury.

THE REASON FOR SUCH A DRASTIC OPTION

However, members of her family claimed that they did such a drastic thing because Castellanos would always sneak out of her house to drink alcohol. Her problem is so severe that she usually ends up sleeping on the streets drunk and with bruises on her body.

In a statement, the DIF revealed that the lady didn’t show signs of mistreatment. They also interviewed Castellanos, and she claimed to be okay and wanted to stay with her family members. Apart from that, they learned from her neighbors, children, and grandchildren that Castellanos was alcoholic.

CASTELLANO’S POINT OF VIEW

During an interview the lady was in, she described the way she ears money (selling food to her neighbors) and how she expends it (groceries and alcohol).

"I would like to get away from alcohol. Not suddenly but little by little, because if I do it all of a sudden, I'm going to die. That's why I drink my beers sometimes,” admitted Castellanos.

Members of her family accepted that chaining her was a mistake, but also remarked that Castellanos had a serious drinking problem. They have faith that God will make her change her ways before the damage is irreversible.

YORK SPRATLING’S MISTREATMENT IN A NURSING HOME

Even though several people might consider that the best thing to do in such situation would be to place Castellanos in a nursing home, what happened at the Consulate Health Care of Jacksonville make those people think twice about it.

York Spratling, a US Army veteran, entered the previously mentioned nursing home in December 2016. Less than three months later, the army vet was admitted into the emergency room because of an infection. Soon afterward Spratling passed away due to inadequate care at the nursing home.