VIDALIA — A third family member faces charges in an ongoing investigation of an elderly cruelty case in Vidalia.

Rachel C. Hudson, 56, of 426 Roundtree Road, was arrested on May 28 on a charge of principal cruelty to the infirm and she is released on a bond of $5,000.

Hudson had power of attorney over her elderly parents when she allegedly paid her son and daughter in law, Rodney L. French, 34, and Ashley French, 31, to live with and provide personal care for the elderly couple at a residence on 283 Lynn Haven Drive, said Sgt. John Cowan, an investigator for Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrested Rodney French on March 20 on charges of cruelty to the infirm, false imprisonment, possession of drug paraphernalia and a probation violation and he remained detained at the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s office with a bond of $100,750 as of Thursday evening.

Cowan said Ashley French was later arrested in Natchez on June 7 and charged with two counts of false imprisonment and cruelty to the infirm and remained detained with a bond set at $100,000 as of Thursday evening.

Patti Sanders, who is the granddaughter of two victims in an alleged elderly cruelty case in Vidalia, said her grandparents are now being cared for by herself and her family while the victims’ daughter, grandson and granddaughter-in-law face criminal charges.

Sanders said she suspected mistreatment of her grandparents when she made an unannounced visit to the residence they lived in on May 18 and found the house in “deplorable condition.”

Sanders said the house belonged to her father and Rodney and Ashley French were immediately told to leave.

“I can’t describe how horrible it was,” Sanders said. “There were foul odors, the house was dirty and they were dirty.”

Sanders said rotting food, dirty laundry, feces and urine littered the house and the doors of the house had numerous locks and latches on them and appeared as though they were used to keep her grandparents’ locked inside.

“There were latches on my grandparents’ bedroom door, on the hallway door and the outside door exiting the home,” Sanders said. “From the numerous marks left by what appeared to be a walking cane on the wall and door inside my grandparents’ bedroom, it was evident that they were locked inside for extended periods of time and wanted out. … Heavy blankets covered windows so they couldn’t tell if it was day or night. … It was heartbreaking.”

This Saturday is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Sanders said, reminding others to visit their elderly relatives and stay mindful of how they are being treated.

“If you suspect something is wrong, you might find out you were right,” Sanders said. “It breaks my heart to think that anyone could treat another person this way.”