Marietta Woman Charged with Neglect After Elderly Man Found Dead

A 62-year-old Marietta woman, Rachel Ward, has been charged with Neglect of an Elderly Person following the discovery of a deceased adult male at a residence on Stoneridge Drive on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

Cobb County Police Department officers responded to a report of an unresponsive male at approximately 4:33 AM. Upon arrival, they found the victim deceased and suspected foul play. Detectives with the Major Crimes Unit were called to the scene and, through their investigation, charged Ward.

Ward has been booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center and is being held without bond. The victim has been identified in an arrest warrant as Earl Sylvester Douglas. According to the warrant, Ward had been his caregiver since 2011 and is accused of failing to provide adequate medical aid, nutrition, and shelter, leading to his deteriorating health and significant weight loss. She is also accused of keeping him in a house without air conditioning and failing to clean his room, bed, or himself when soiled.

The investigation is ongoing.