Former caregiver arrested in connection with June death of disabled Vancouver woman

A former caregiver was arrested today on allegations of manslaughter after investigators say she caused the death of a Vancouver woman six months ago by withholding medical treatment.

Karin Depee, 61, was arrested after police found her on a bus heading from Hillsboro to Forest Grove this afternoon, said Sgt. Scott Creager of the Vancouver Police Department.

She faces charges of manslaughter and criminal mistreatment in connection with the June 23 death of Rachelle Law, a disabled woman who met Depee through the Special Olympics.

The arrest capped a six-month investigation by Vancouver authorities that began when hospital officials called police when Law was put in intensive care, Creager said.

She died a few days later. A lack of treatment for her diabetes was a significant factor in her death, Creager said.

"She ended up just continuing to deteriorate," he said.

The Columbian reported Law's cause of death was pneumonia and Clark County Medical Examiner Dennis Wickham determined it was a homicide "based on the deliberate act of not providing medical treatment."

Depee, who now lives in Washington County, was interviewed at Hillsboro police headquarters. She was later booked in the Washington County Jail pending extradition.

-- Kate Mather

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