MONTEBELLO >> A judge sentenced a Montebello woman to 15 years in state prison Friday for the abuse and murder of her disabled 60-year-old sister in 2011, authorities said.
Amy Sam Ho, 62, was convicted in Los Angeles County Superior Court in July of second-degree murder and dependent adult abuse resulting in death in connection with the death of Cora Sam of Montebello on Oct. 10, 2011, Los Angeles County district Attorney’s officials said in a written statement.
Ho was her sister’s full-time caregiver when she brought Sam to a Montebello hospital, seemingly already dead, according to prosecutors and Los Angeles County coroner’s officials.
“She appeared lifeless and in a state of rigor mortis,” according to the statement. “After medical staff tended to her, the victim was declared dead.”
“Upon examination after her death, Cora Sam had several large sores and only weighed 66 pounds. She died of sepsis because of the infected sores,” the statement said. “During the investigation, detectives learned that Amy Sam Ho stopped taking her sister to the doctor for approximately one year and failed to seek medical treatment when the sores became progressively worse.”
An autopsy found that Sam died from sepsis, with additional contributing factors of pneumonia, infected bed sores, cerebral malformation and malnutrition, coroner’s records show. The death was ruled a homicide.