SLCo DA Files Two Aggravated Abuse of a Vulnerable Adult Charges

Today, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced charges filed against Kimberly Ann Wallwork and Kelly Ryan Ringwood related to the death of their relative N.W.

On December 27, 2023, Taylorsville police responded to a call where two women, Ms. Wallwork and Ms. Ringwood, reported that their relative N.W. had passed away. When an officer arrived, he saw N.W. on the ground, pale and covered in blankets. Fire medical personnel performed CPR on N.W. but pronounced him dead, saying he had been dead for a few hours. 

In the deceased’s bedroom, an officer found absorbent pads on the bed and floor, disposable urinals on the floor, and a journal that had an entry from that night before where Ms. Wallwork had written down doses of heroin that she had given N.W.  Ms. Wallwork told police, “I just wanted to help him and make him comfortable.” She also told police that N.W. had developed a drug problem and used heroin. Ms. Wallwork said that he typically gave himself the drug, but the night before, he couldn’t and asked that she and Ms. Ringwood give it to him. Ms. Ringwood said she watched Ms. Wallwork give N.W. the heroin and wrote it down in a book. Ms. Ringwood told police that she had been living with and taking care of N.W. for four to five years, but he had recently developed an infection and within the last three days, his health took a turn. Before the infection, he could drive himself around and get himself to the bathroom, but since the infection, he couldn’t get to the bathroom himself, so he started using urinals in his bedroom.  Ms. Ringwood said that they had tried to get N.W. to go to the hospital, but they were only able to convince him to take a shower. After the shower, the women said because he is a solid man, they couldn’t get him back in his bed, so they laid him on the ground. 

Detectives searched the apartment and found the kitchen cluttered with dirty dishes on the counters and sinks, soiled absorbent pads on the floor, and full trash bags on the floor. In the bathroom, there was a shower chair in the bathtub, a used towel, used absorbent pads, and feces on the walls and tub. 

A doctor at the Utah State Medical Examiner’s office conducted an autopsy on the N.W. and noted he had two bed sores on his buttocks and the back of his thigh, which might have occurred within 2-3 days of him lying on a carpet defecating and urinating on himself and left without care. The doctor also found a large area around the victim’s right ankle that was missing skin and appeared to be infected.  Police were also able to determine that the deceased had lost 33 pounds in 3 months. 

Ms. Wallwork and Ms. Ringwood were each charged with one count of second-degree felony aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult. 

“The vulnerable people in our lives depend on us to help them live and thrive. If you are a caregiver struggling to keep up with the demands of the person you are caring for, please reach out to others or seek out community resources for help,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “All persons accused of wrongdoing are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.”