94-year-old Florida woman handcuffed and jailed for refusing to leave care home

A 94-year-old woman was handcuffed and thrown in jail after she refused to leave her care home in Lake County, Florida. She claims the home was no longer accepting her rent, but she was arrested nonetheless.

Juanita Fitzgerald says the National Church Residences' Franklin House retirement community had decided to "put her out" after blaming her for mould found in her apartment.

Florida TV station WKMG reports that according to police, Ms Fitzgerald was given notice of her eviction on Monday (11 December), but refused to leave.

She was arrested the next day and reportedly told officers: "Unless you carry me out of here, I'm not going anywhere."

The police attempted to help her out of the apartment but she slid from her wheelchair to the floor in protest and resisted the attempts of officers who then tried to pick her up.

She was eventually taken to a patrol car and sat in the backseat in handcuffs.

A spokesperson for Lake County Sheriff's Office said an officer had tried to reach out to Fitzgerald's family and other housing communities where she might be able to relocate, but she refused.

It was also said that she refused to stay with a nurse who worked at the facility.

Ms Fitzgerald was interviewed in jail, tearfully fighting her case. Speaking of an employee at the community: "She wouldn't take it, that woman blamed me for the mould. I paid my September rent and when she decided she was going to put me out, she wouldn't accept any rent after that."

Her birthday is today (15 December) but she was spared spending it behind bars after a judge handed her over to a new carer on Thursday.

A spokesperson for National Church Residences said that the pension had refused to pay her rent because she believed she would die soon. She says she also complained about mould but none was found following testing.

Fitzgerald still faces charges of trespassing, however, and will appear in court on 27 December.