A 42-year-old Black Diamond resident, Christopher Wise, has been charged with two counts of domestic violence manslaughter in the 2009 death of his 88-year-old mother, Ruby Wise.
The King County Prosecutor charged Christopher Wise with first degree manslaughter, domestic violence and second degree manslaughter, domestic violence.
Wise pleaded not guilty Friday in superior court. His attorney asked for the April 12 trail to be continued to a later date. The judge denied the motion.
The certificate of probable cause from the prosecutor’s office stated the night of June 16, 2009 at 12:23 a.m., Wise called 911 to report the death of his mother in the 27400 block of the Green River Gorge Road.
King County Sheriff’s deputies and emergency medical personnel found the woman in a very thin condition with her facial bones, shoulders and rib bones visible.
The deputies also noted bruising and multiple open bed sores. Her left shoulder bone was exposed through one bed sore.
The probable cause document stated the deputies observed she appeared “emaciated with no real apparent muscle or fatty mass. She was wearing a soiled adult diaper.”
In the document Wise stated he was his mother’s “sole caretaker and that he had been taking care of Ruby for the past 10 years.”
Wise went on to state he noticed her health was declining for two weeks, “and that he knew she was dying. Chris stated that his mother wanted to die at home.”
The son told investigators his mother had not seen a doctor in two years.
Wise told detectives he has a computer engineering degree from the University of San Diego.
The autopsy report noted Ruby Wise had “eight significant extremely deep pressure ulcers on her body. Some of the ulcers were so deep that some of Ruby’s bones were exposed to the air and could visibly be seen.”
The autopsy report determined her cause of death was “attributed to the pressure ulcers on her body from the rotting skin and other complications from these injuries.”
Christopher Wise was initially arrested June 17, 2009 and charged with first degree manslaughter.
The prosecutor amended the information document Friday, April 2, adding second degree manslaughter as an alternative.
