A hospital caseworker contacted Portsmouth police after a nursing home resident reportedly expressed thoughts about harming her former son-in-law.
The caseworker told officers the woman had homicidal thoughts involving the man, who lives in Flemingsburg, Kentucky.
The woman currently lives in a nursing home, making it seem unlikely that she could simply travel to another state and carry out the threat. However, healthcare workers and police cannot ignore a report involving a specific threat against an identifiable person.
Even when the person making the statement has limited mobility, no transportation, or lives under supervision, the threat still has to be documented so authorities can evaluate the risk and make sure everyone involved is aware of the concern.
An officer spoke with the woman and delivered perhaps the most straightforward warning possible: She was advised not to murder her former son-in-law.
According to the report, the woman acknowledged the warning and said she understood.
No arrest was made, and the report did not indicate that the woman had taken any steps toward carrying out the threat.