Legal Question in Criminal Law in Maryland

Straight to the point...

My family is concerned that my grandmother, who is manic depressive/severe bi-polar, is going to hurt my Grandfather or already has. We are not sure what we can do to prevent this or help my grandfather.

Background... In 1987 or 88 my grandmother went through a manic episode and attacked and beat my grandfather. My mother, their daughter, had to call the police. Once the police showed up my psychotic grandmother had no regard for the police and tried to cut his throat with a butcher knife in front of them and missed and cut his face instead. For years we have suspected her of beating or hurting him but he will never confess or press charges. He did not even press charges or agree to send her to anger management courses as the court ordered at the time.

She was an abusive mother and beat all three of her children with extreme force. She would slam their heads into concrete and lock them in closets and beat them with what ever she could find. Once she beat them she would tell them that if they told their father she would kill him.

Current... For about 3 months now my grandmother has been in a manic state and has alienated all of her family by starting arguments, threatening to kill us or manipulating the family against each other. I am her grandson (26) and was living with my grandparents for a few months while my new house was renovated. During this time she was constantly reminding us of how bad my grandfather was doing, who is now in his 70s. This was completely untrue and she simply wanted everyone to believe that. Yes he is older but she is making up stories about his inability to eat, use the restroom and walk. All of which I watched him do on his own for 2 months.

Around the time that I moved out my grandmother had hit the peak of her manic episode and was trying to turn me against my mother and the rest of my family by making up horrible stories and lies. While she was trying to manipulate me she was threatening my Mother, Uncle and Grandfather. She threatened to shoot both my uncle and mother with a rifle and that she was going to push my grandfather down the stairs and as she said, "who would ever know but me".

My families concern is that she is keeping us away from her and my grandfather and has been constantly commenting on his health issues and that he keeps "falling" all the time. After her comment of pushing him down the steps we are concerned she is laying the ground work for a cover story.

The issue is that my grandfather is getting older and cannot defend himself. He has been abused by her his entire life and will not stand up for himself. She has physically harmed him many times and now he seems to "fall down" more and more. He has had lacerations on his head, arms, legs and torso. He has had bruises all over and luckily no broken bones. She is denying him the medical attention that he needs and does not allow him to drive or leave the house without her control. She was medicating him with prescription medication to "get him to sleep more" and was giving him laxatives without his knowledge. During her manic episode she has spent all of their money and is trying to sell the house out from under him. She has taken out loans that she cannot repay and has bought a car at 70+ years old.

I guess the question is given all that I have stated above what can we do to help a 72 year old man who is being abused, denied medical attention and won't press charges or call the police? We believe that he is so mentally and emotionally scarred that he will not help himself. In addition how can we get her committed so that she can receive the proper medication and/or treatment to keep her from hurting others or herself?

thanks,

Mike from Baltimore

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