MARION COUNTY, Fla. -- A professional guardian who was under criminal investigation for the death of a man under her care has been arrested in Marion County Monday night.
The guardian, Rebecca Fierle, is being charged with aggravated abuse of an elderly person and neglect of an elderly person.
Fierle captured headlines across the state after she was accused of issuing a do not resuscitate order for a person she cared for without the court's permission.
The Price of Protection
Investigations showed Steven Stryker, a 74-year-old man who was under Fierle's care, did not want a do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) and stated several times that he wanted to live. Despite the elderly man's request, as well as wishes of the man's family, Fierle ordered his doctors to "not perform any life prolonging medical procedures," according to a release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
FDLE issued a warrant for Fierle's arrest and on Monday, she was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
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Investigators said Fierle also demanded that the elderly man's feeding tube be capped, which happened on May 9, 2019. Days later, Stryker choked to death while at the hospital.
FDLE says investigation will continue and the case remains active.
