Rolling Out is proud to report that an investigation initiated by this reporter has saved a 74-year-old elderly woman from being lost in the Atlanta City Jail system. Senior citizen and grandmother Ella Belcher was arrested after police were called to her home last week because of a domestic disturbance. Relatives living with Belcher were allegedly taking her vehicle without permission and living a lifestyle unsuitable for her household. Belcher suffers from various medical conditions and takes medications that can affect her behavior. When police arrived, Belcher was antagonistic and allegedly making verbal threats toward the people causing her misery. The police arrested the elder and took her to jail.
Belcher has been sitting in jail for almost a week. Concerned out of state family members did not know who to call because Belcher’s live-in family members were not answering messages. A desperate plea for help by community activist was heard by this reporter on WAOK ‘s “The Sidney Woods Show.” Contact was made with Belcher’s daughter, Khalilah Muhammad, who lives out of state, and more information was given to piece together all the facts.
It was determined that Belcher was still in the Atlanta City Jail and that the Atlanta public defender’s office was unable to find a family member to contact for intervention. According to interim director of the Atlanta public defender’s office, Rosalie Joy, “Our office was aware that we had an elderly defendant with medical and mental impairment issues and she needed intervention. But we were about to give up because the local family member was not returning calls. If it had not been for rolling out contacting our offices, we would have reached a dead end.”
At this time, rolling out is happy to report that Ms. Belcher’s family has made contact with the public defender’s office. The intervention and treatment process can start, and Belcher will not wind up in the county jail.
