93-year-old woman died after her 75-year-old husband she rellied for help on didn’t call 911 when she hurt herself in the bathroom as he “knew she was not in a good way;” husband sentenced

Minnesota – In a chilling case of neglect in Minnesota, a 75-year-old man, identified as S. Loven, has been sentenced to over three years in prison after leaving his 93-year-old wife, identified as I. Anderson, to die—never once calling 911 despite knowing she was gravely injured. Loven pleaded guilty in May to one count of criminal neglect resulting in great bodily harm, and on Thursday, he was sentenced to 41 months behind bars.

The charge replaced an earlier second-degree manslaughter count, which accused Loven of acting with culpable negligence and creating an unreasonable risk. His plea deal acknowledged that he had every reason to understand the harm his inaction would cause—and yet he did nothing to prevent it. The incident unfolded in early May 2023 at the couple’s home. Police were called on May 8 after a pastor, who regularly visited the household, notified authorities that something was wrong. But by the time officers arrived, it was too late. Inside the bathroom, they found the Anderson’s lifeless body. Her death was later classified as a homicide.

The autopsy confirmed that Anderson had suffered blunt-force trauma leading to a gastrointestinal hemorrhage brought on by prolonged immobility. Among her injuries were a fractured shoulder, head trauma, contusions to her right eye and arm, and a scalp laceration that reached her skull. Loven told officers he couldn’t remember when she died, claiming he had been drinking heavily ever since her passing. He eventually admitted that his wife had been injured days earlier—on May 4. According to the police report, Anderson had cried out “Help me!” after falling in the bathroom. At one point, she begged him to take her to the hospital. According to reports, he rejected her plea, as he “knew she was not in a good way.”

Though a working landline was present in the home, Loven never used it to call 911. Instead, he told police he believed his wife was dying and chose to leave her in the tub. At one point, he allegedly told her to “keep moving” and that she “needed to get out of the bathtub.” But when she asked for help getting to the hospital, he said he didn’t want to take her, didn’t want to wait in the emergency room, and claimed he physically couldn’t lift her because she was overweight.

In his statements to police, Loven offered conflicting accounts. In one version, he said he found her on the bathroom floor and attempted to lift her into the tub because he thought it would be more comfortable. In another, he said she was already in the tub when she called out to him. He admitted he tried to treat her injuries himself—he is a nurse—but ultimately drank alcohol for days while her condition worsened and she died. What prompted the discovery wasn’t Loven himself, but rather a pastor who had visited the house. Loven told him about his wife’s death, and the pastor, assuming emergency services had already been contacted, relayed the information to Anderson’s daughter days later. Only then was the alarm raised.

Anderson, who suffered from dementia, poor vision, and hearing loss, had relied on Loven as her caretaker. He made sure she took her medications and ate daily. But when she needed him most—injured, helpless, and calling out for aid—he chose to do nothing. Prosecutors argued that Loven’s actions, or lack thereof, directly led to her death. The judge agreed. Now, after months of investigation and a court process that exposed the haunting details of Anderson’s final days, Loven will serve 41 months in state prison. It was a preventable death. One phone call could have changed everything. But that call never came.