PA Woman Who Kept Disabled Sister Locked In Cage Gets Prison Term

Pittsburgh PA

03 September, 2021

8:20 AM

Description

WASHINGTON, PA — A Washington County woman will spend as much as 23 months in prison after pleading guilty to keeping her handicapped sister locked in a wooden cage and providing her with inadequate medical care. Leona Biser pleaded guilty to neglect of a care-dependent person and abuse of a care-dependent person, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced. When her prison term is completed, Biser will be on probation for two years. "What Leona Biser did to her sister is unforgivable, but (her) plea is a step towards justice," Shapiro said in a release. "My office fights to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Anyone found neglecting or abusing another human being in Pennsylvania will be charged and prosecuted for those crimes." Biser's sister, Loretta Lancaster, was discovered by Attorney General's Office agents in November 2019 locked in a small, dirty wooden cage in the living room of her family home. Biser admitted to the agents that she had been Lancaster's primary caretaker since the death of their mother in 2018. Since being removed from Biser's custody, Lancaster's condition has improved significantly: she has regained some mobility, recovered from medical conditions that were caused by living in a cage, and has begun working with a speech therapist. Be the first to know what's happening in your community and region. With a free Patch subscription, you'll always be up to date on local and state news: https://patch.com/subscribe.