MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge W.T. Edward shocked the courtroom by disregarding Prosecutor Ray Grogan’s recommendation of a 12-month prison term and instead doubling the sentence in a heartbreaking case of neglect that led to the death of a Marion woman.
The victim, a resident of Tyler Street in Marion, suffered from extreme malnutrition and neglect from December 1, 2022, to April 4, 2023, under the care of her two children and another individual.
Joel Andrick, the victim’s son, was identified as one of the perpetrators in this tragic incident. Along with Reginald Burlile, the live-in boyfriend of her daughter, Andrick faced charges of Reckless Homicide, a third-degree felony carrying a maximum sentence of 36 months in prison. Despite a joint recommendation from the prosecution for a 12-month prison term for Andrick, Judge Edwards decided to sentence him to two years in prison, deviating from the proposed recommendation.
The victim’s family, including Andrick’s relatives, had requested the court to refrain from imposing any additional jail time on him. However, the judge’s decision to extend the sentence underscores the severity of the neglect and the tragic consequences that ensued.
Andrick, as the last of the three co-defendants in this case, will now serve a two-year prison term for his role in the neglect that led to the death of his mother.