LUDLOW, Ky. - First, shock from one Northern Kentucky community as it learned about the startling death of a disabled teenager.
Now comes action.
Over the past few days Pat Schlicksup admits there's been a lot to take in.
"You just can't explain it. I was devastated," Schlicksup told WCPO on Thursday.
Schlicksup didn’t know 18-year-old Joseph Bishop, but he worked with Joseph’s mother. Schlicksup said Jamie Bishop called him Sunday and said her son had died
"She said she had to take him off life support and she was real broken up about it," Schlicksup sai
A few days later Schlicksup and the rest of the community learned that Jamie and her parents, Raymond and Sharon Martin, had been charged with second-degree manslaughter in connection with Joseph's death.
A criminal complaint says the trio failed to provide adequate care and medical treatment for the teen, who was born with muscular dystrophy. Court documents say Joseph's mother and grandparents left him bedridden in their home for months.
"It was a tragedy then, it's even more so of a tragedy in light of what all has happened," Schlicksup said.
Schlisksup wanted to do something about it, so he created a GoFundMe page to help raise donations for Joseph's funeral.
"At this point, just help a young man to his final resting place," Schlicksup said.
Now all the money from the GoFundMe page is being pushed directly to the Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home to help cover Joey's burial.
The funeral home director planned to pay a visit to jail to speak with Joseph's mother about funeral details. Services were still pending Thursday, according to the funeral home website.
Highland Cemetery in Ft. Mitchell has donated the plot.
WCPO went to medical experts at UC Health to learn what treatments might have saved Joseph's life.
"We have several treatments that reduce the rate of regression, but we don't have any cure, so a lot of times it's problem solving," said John Quinlan of the Department of Neurology.
Muscular dystrophy is a disorder that breaks down muscle and weakens a patient. Over time doctors say this worsens their mobility and ability to perform everyday functions.
"It's a really heavy care burden in terms of it’s real rough on the patient and it's rough on the family as far as all the care they need," Quinlan added.
Now, with Joseph’s family behind bars, Schlicksup says he wants to do right by Joseph.
“Quite a few missed opportunities there, obviously,” Schlicksup said. “It’s the last one.”
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