Woman told elderly mom 'this is for the best' as she held her wrists while son allegedly strangled her with Dollar Tree handbag strap

A pistillate who traveled with her lad to a senior surviving installation successful Virginia truthful she could termination her ain mother has been sentenced to 40 years successful prison.

Heather Cummings, 53, was sentenced connected Friday aft pleading blameworthy to the second-degree execution of her mother, 81-year-old Cleo Loizides. Heather Cummings admitted to her relation successful her mother's decease connected June 30, 2024, and present her lad volition basal proceedings for the portion helium allegedly played. According to prosecutors, Heather Cummings held down her mother's wrists portion her son, 24-year-old Clifton Cummings, allegedly strangled Loizides with a handbag strap.

Prosecutors said Heather Cummings told her parent during the fatal act, "This is for the best. You cognize what you did to my dad."

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According to tribunal documents obtained by section CBS affiliate WTKR astatine the clip of Loizides' death, Heather Cummings — who was surviving successful Indiana astatine the clip — confessed to being partially liable for her mother's decease aft she and her lad were charged with second-degree execution and conspiracy to perpetrate execution connected July 9, 2024.

On June 30, 2024, Loizides was recovered unresponsive successful her country astatine Commonwealth Senior Living. She was pronounced dormant the pursuing day. After an autopsy, the aesculapian examiner ruled her decease a homicide.

According to tribunal documents, Clifton Cummings reportedly confessed to constabulary that helium was the 1 who strangled his grandma to decease with a handbag strap that was purchased astatine a Dollar Tree store successful Virginia. Heather Cummings confessed to holding down her mother's wrists during the alleged strangulation and saying to her mother, "Just fto go, it's for the best."

Prosecutors said successful tribunal that Heather Cummings besides told her, "You cognize what you did to my dad." According to courtroom reporting by section ABC affiliate WAVY, Heather Cummings spoke to the tribunal during her sentencing proceeding and accused her precocious parent of being liable for her father's death. She besides told the tribunal that adjacent though she suffered carnal maltreatment astatine the hands of her mother, she inactive loved her and missed her.

According to prosecutors, Heather Cummings showed nary remorse pursuing her mother's sidesplitting and discussed however she planned to unrecorded a peaceful beingness aft the proceedings and marque a publication astir her father's photography.

Heather Cummings pleaded blameworthy to second-degree execution and was sentenced to 40 years successful prison. Clifton Cummings is scheduled for a seat proceedings connected Aug. 4.