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ZEBULON - On May 19, 2023 deputies from the Pike County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a person that was unresponsive at 681 Whitfield Walk. Deputies located a male, 40 years of age, in the basement of the residence that was deceased, and was identified as Dennis Robertson.

Mr. Robertson was a handicapped person that required special care for his condition and was unable to take care of himself on a daily basis. The interior of the residence was noted by investigators to be extremely filthy and unkempt throughout the residence.

It was determined that Mr. Robertson was primarily kept in the basement of the residence by his caregivers, Michael Hammond and Lauri Parker.

The preliminary investigation further revealed that the victim had spent a large amount of his time inside of one room within the basement in which the door had been modified to lock from the outside, thereby containing Mr. Robertson within this particular room. It was apparent to investigators that both Hammond and Parker had neglected their duty to care for Mr. Robertson in a manner required by law.

Both Michael Hammond, 46 years of age, and Lauri Parker, 59 years of age, have been arrested and charged with Neglect of a Disabled Adult. The investigation currently continues into the death of Mr. Hammond. Investigators are awaiting a full medical examiner's autopsy report to assist in determining if additional charges will be filed against both suspects.

While more specific details of the case cannot be revealed at this time as not to jeopardize the integrity of the case, it should be noted that investigators working this case have deemed it to be one of the worst cases of neglect that they have seen and that the living conditions that Mr. Robertson were subjected to described as horrific.

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