On Monday, Julia Meusel was taken into custody and charged with one count of elderly adult abuse, a felony, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Nashville NBC affiliate WSMV-TV.
This was after officers from the Metro Nashville Police Department responded to a call requesting a welfare check on a residence in the 1600 block of Carson Meadows Lane. The caller had reported seeing a sign in the window of the home that read “HELP 911”.
The mother, who Meusel was the primary caregiver for, confirmed to the officers that she had placed the sign in the window because her daughter had locked her in her bedroom for about the week prior and had also been physically violent and abusive. The mother claimed that Meusel had twisted her arms, slapped her, and thrown a tray at her. The officers noted that the victim had visible bruises on her arms and legs.
Neighbor Bryan Figler expressed his surprise at the situation, as he had not known that an elderly person was living in the house. He also commended the elderly woman for coming up with a way to free herself from the abuse. Meusel was released on Tuesday after posting bond of $6,000. She is currently scheduled to appear in court before Judge Ana L. Escobar on July 11.
Meusel had previously been charged with domestic assault resulting in bodily injury in 2006 and 2022, but both of those cases were dismissed. The MNPD and Nashville District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to messages seeking additional details.