She weighed 68 pounds when she died. Her husband is in jail

After an autopsy and numerous medical tests, a 74-year-old man was arrested in connection with his wife’s death earlier this year.

Around 8:17 p.m. on Jan. 6, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was called to a home in the 700 block of 51st Street South in Tampa. Karen Allen, 74, was dead, her husband Harold Allen told officials, according to a release.

Deputies noticed Karen appeared to be “extremely underweight and emaciated,” with wounds above her right eye, right side of her neck and around her lips, according to the sheriff’s office.

A warrant was issued Monday for Harold Allen, who was later arrested at home, charging him with homicide-negligent manslaughter and neglect of an elderly disabled adult.

Harold Allen told deputies he and his wife lived in the home alone and she had been bed-ridden for about three weeks but she had not seen a doctor in about five years, according to the sheriff’s office.

Harold said he was his wife’s sole caregiver and was responsible for providing food to her. He told officials she last ate the day before, however the medical examiner found no contents in her stomach that would indicate she recently ate, according to the sheriff’s office.

An autopsy conducted the next day showed Karen weighed 68 pounds, according to the sheriff’s office. The cause of death was determined to be “pulmonary thromboembolism due to thrombosis of deep veins of the legs with contributing cause of immobilization and dehydration.”

He told officials he regularly sees the doctor, deputies noticed “plenty of food” in the home, and there were no financial concerns.

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 9:11 AM with the headline "She weighed 68 pounds when she died. Her husband is in jail."