Caretaker, 74, gets life in prison after man freezes to death

A Clayton County woman has been found guilty of allowing a man she was caring for to freeze to death, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Dale El Smith, 74, was sentenced to life plus 20 years in the death of Arthur Pelham, Channel 2 said. A 66-year-old who was bipolar and schizophrenic, Pelham died in January 2014. He had spent 10 hours outdoors in freezing weather wearing light clothing while Smith watched TV inside, authorities said.

Pelham was found lying face down in the yard of a Whaleys Lake home near Jonesboro. A neighbor found Pelham, who was taken to a hospital but did not survive. Pelham had been waiting outside for a van to take him to an adult daycare facility, but the van didn’t come because of the bad weather.