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Man charged in disabled girlfriend's death
A Florida man is accused of letting his disabled girlfriend die while in deplorable conditions. Roughly a year after her death, the woman's boyfriend, who was also her legal caretaker, was arrested.
COCOA, Fla. - A Brevard County man was arrested last week in the death of his disabled partner following a lengthy investigation, according to the Cocoa Police Department.
Robert Bradford, 63, was booked into jail on June 11, 2023, on a charge of aggravated manslaughter, jail records show.
On Jan. 5, 2022, police officers responded to a home on Boardwalk Lane in Cocoa after receiving an anonymous call regarding a welfare check. Inside the home, they found Bradford's 59-year-old girlfriend, Robin Grogan, lying naked under a couch cushion on the living room floor. Grogan was visibly underweight and malnourished, an affidavit stated.
Robert Bradford (Photo via Brevard County Sheriffs Office)
Authorities said the home was "cluttered with trash all over the floor" and had "flies all over." There were empty beer cans piled in the living room and kitchen and police found several empty medication bottles.
Grogan was taken to a local hospital where she died 12 days later. An autopsy reported several medical conditions as the cause of her death: "complications of encephalopathy, protein-calorie malnutrition and sepsis with pneumonia and necrotizing fasciitis," according to the affidavit. The conditions were caused by "gross negligence," the medical examiner said.
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Detectives continued to investigate the circumstances of her death throughout 2022. They learned Grogan received Social Security disability payments and Bradford – her caregiver – was the sole payee. Though the money was deposited into a joint account, officers believed Bradford made multiple cash withdrawals and deposited approximately $15,500 into his personal account.
Police said the money was used for living expenses, food, beer, and marijuana. Bradford did not know how much of the money was used for Grogan's medical care and treatment. He also did not know when she last received medical attention.
In the months leading to her death, the victim's sister told investigators she made multiple reports to the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) regarding her wellbeing, "but felt nothing was being done to help the victim."
Officers found at least two reports from DCF, claiming maltreatment environmental hazards. One report also mentioned Bradford being arrested for aggravated battery against the victim in 2019 for reportedly biting her. The charge was thrown out, however, likely because the victim reportedly refused to cooperate with the State Attorney's Office, her sister told investigators.
Bradford is currently being held in the Brevard County Jail on a $100,500 bond.
His charge of aggravated manslaughter carries a sentence of 30 years to life in prison if found guilty.