BUTTE — A Butte couple faces felony elder abuse charges for reportedly forcinga developmentally disabled 65-year-old woman to panhandle.
The woman was first arrested for panhandling in June. When she appeared in court on Dec. 6 she testified that her daughter and son-in-law forced her to panhandle at a freeway on-ramp near Rocker as they sat in a nearby car.
The Montana Standard reports the woman also said that 29-year-old Anna George and 47-year-old Steve Cothren took her Social Security checks and charged her rent to live with them.
George and Cothren were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of elder abuse. They posted bail on Wednesday. There were no phone listings for George or Cothren in Butte.
Court proceedings against the two are pending.