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Caretaker fails in plot to kill patient, dog and herself

SHELBY COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) – A caretaker was arrested for attempting to kill a mentally handicapped woman, a dog and herself.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department said Angela York attempted to kill Paula Holtsclaw, Holtsclaw dog and herself on June 22 by crashing her vehicle. Police said she was driving eastbound on I-74 when she veered left, crossed the median and the westbound lanes, sped off the road and up a hill to County Road 400 North.

Holtsclaw sustained serious injuries that include a broken leg, bleeding on the brain, and facial injuries. She also suffered additional seizures in the hospital over the past weekend and is no longer able to sit up or communicate. Prior to the accident, she had been able to sit up and carry on a conversation. The dog also sustained injuries in the crash.

Police said York had told them she was trying to kill herself.

York was a paid caregiver for Holtsclaw since the passing of her sister on May 9.  York had moved into the home to take care of her. Holtsclaw’s nephew Daniel also lived in the home. He told police York left him a note that told him to not worry about her funeral arrangements since they were already arranged. She also wrote in the note that Daniel and his cousin could split the $150,000 life insurance policy.

Police said Daniel told them she called him after the crash and said she wasn’t sure how they both didn’t die. She said she had done research prior to the crash and both of their necks should have snapped.

After the crash, police said when she was placed into a police vehicle by herself where dash cam footage showed her asking herself repeatedly, “Why didn’t it work?”

York was taken to the hospital to be checked out and was then taken to Community North after her suicidal remarks.

Police said she had been planning the crash for two weeks and had researched car crashes on the internet. She said she had researched other ways to die, such as stabbing, but said they were “too gruesome.” She told police she had brought both of their personal ID’s so police could identify their bodies after the crash. She also said she brought the dog so it could be with its mother, Holtsclaw’s sister who passed away on May 9.