A Spanaway caregiver is facing criminal charges in connection with the death of a man in his care. Larry John Lee, 50, pleaded not guilty in Pierce County Superior Court to a charge of murder in the second degree. He is being held in the county jail in lieu of $1 million bail. Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist said the alleged victim, Philip Carter, 59, "was autistic and developmentally disabled. He deserved proper care, and instead was the victim of criminal mistreatment.GÇ¥ Prosecutors gave this account of events that led to the charge against Lee: On May 15, an ambulance took Carter to the hospital after Lee found him unresponsive. Carter was treated at the hospital for several large, deep pressure wounds but died several hours later. Hospital officials told police it was the worst case of neglect some of them have seen. They said Carter had developed a serious infection from the wounds, which Lee had noticed a week earlier and packed with paper towels. -á Carter lived at Lee's residence for the last few years. Lee's ex-wife was a nurse and they ran a licensed homecare business. When she left, Lee failed to obtain a new license, but he continued to care for Carter. Lee received $850 per month to provide care services for Carter. A trial for Lee has been scheduled for July 29. -á
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