Police body camera footage has revealed disturbing conditions inside a Del City home where an elderly woman was found dead earlier this year. The video shows the environment officers encountered when they responded to the scene and the moments they spoke with the woman’s son, who had been acting as her caretaker. Authorities later arrested the son and charged him in connection with his mother’s death.
Body Camera Footage Shows Inside the Home
Police recently released about two minutes of body camera footage from the investigation. The full video reportedly lasts more than an hour and captures the moments after officers arrived at the house.
The footage shows officers entering the home after the woman’s son called authorities when he found his mother unresponsive. As officers moved through the house, they documented the condition of the rooms and spoke with the son about what had happened.
Investigators say the home appeared extremely unsanitary, with trash and evidence of rodents throughout parts of the house.
Son Identified as Caretaker
The woman’s son, 52-year-old Duane Valentine, told officers he had been caring for his mother, Deborah Valentine, for nearly nine years.
While speaking with police, Duane explained that his mother had been sick for several days and had mostly been sleeping.
He told officers he had checked on her a few times daily but allowed her to rest on Sunday.
“I did check on her a couple of times a day, and she was breathing, and she was fine, but I let her sleep Sunday and went to check on her today and got no response from her,” Duane told officers.
According to his statement, the last time he spoke directly with his mother was three to four days before she was found dead.
Police Describe Severe Living Conditions
When officers entered the bedroom where Deborah Valentine was located, they reported extremely poor living conditions.
According to police reports and the footage:
- Around two feet of trash covered parts of the room
- Rodents were present inside the home
- The woman’s body appeared to have been there for several days
One officer told another that the woman appeared to have sunk into the bed and that a mouse was found feeding on her face when police entered the room.
Investigators believed Deborah Valentine had likely been dead for several days before officers arrived.
Condition of the Home
As officers continued searching the property, they documented the condition of other areas of the home.
Rooms throughout the house appeared cluttered and dirty, including the kitchen and other living spaces.
The state of the home raised serious concerns for investigators about the care Deborah Valentine was receiving before her death.
Family Arrives at the Scene
After police arrived at the home, other family members also came to the scene.
During the interaction, relatives asked Duane why he had not contacted them sooner about his mother’s condition.
Duane responded by saying he did not realise she had died.
“I didn’t know bud. I didn’t, I didn’t think she was gone,” he told family members.
Police Question Duane Valentine
Officers eventually took Duane Valentine to the police station for further questioning about the situation.
During the conversation with investigators, Duane asked if he would need to contact a lawyer.
“So I’m going to have to call a lawyer?” he asked an officer.
Duane repeatedly told police that he did not harm his mother.
“Come right now, let’s talk about this because I didn’t kill my mother, alright. My mother was stubborn, didn’t like to be left messed with when she sleeps,” he told investigators.
Charges Filed Against the Son
Following the investigation, Duane Valentine was arrested and charged with:
- Second-degree murder
- Abuse by a caretaker
Authorities believe the conditions inside the home and the circumstances surrounding Deborah Valentine’s death warrant criminal charges.
Duane Valentine is currently out on bond while the case continues.
As part of his release conditions, he is required to wear a GPS monitoring device.
Additional Investigation Underway
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is also assisting with the case.
Investigators confirmed they are reviewing the situation for possible financial abuse connected to the case. At this time, officials have not released additional details about that part of the investigation.
Authorities say the investigation remains ongoing as they gather more evidence and continue reviewing the circumstances surrounding Deborah Valentine’s death.
