Mother and son charged in death of grandmother in Virginia nursing home

NORFOLK, Va. – An Indiana woman held down her 81-year-old mother while her son strangled his grandmother with the strap of his bag at a Virginia senior living facility, investigators allege in court documents.

The documents state that Cleo Loizides was found unconscious in her room at Commonwealth Senior Living at Leigh Hall in Norfolk and was pronounced dead when emergency responders arrived, news outlets report. Marks on her neck suggested strangulation, the documents say.

Police said Tuesday that Loizides’ death, initially considered unexplained, was now being investigated as a homicide and that her daughter and grandson had been arrested on charges of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

According to the defendants’ criminal complaints, police said they received confessions from Heather Cummings, 53, of Hobart, Indiana, and Clifton Cummings, 24, of Norfolk. However, an alleged motive was not mentioned in the documents.

“Just let go, that’s the best thing,” Heather Cummings allegedly told her mother while holding her hands, according to lawsuits filed in Norfolk court.

In court on Friday, Assistant State’s Attorney Victoria Kapper said Loizides was last seen alive around 5 p.m. on June 30, when employees spotted her walking through the hallways and eating something. An employee making his rounds that night around 11:55 p.m. noticed she was pale and cold to the touch and called doctors.

A judge denied Heather Cummings bail and granted a request by Clifton Cummings’ public defender JD Garrett to order an evaluation of his client’s sanity and mental health.

Assistant Public Defender Oksana LaBounty said Heather Cummings, who was brought to court in a wheelchair, has been diagnosed with various health problems. She came to Norfolk two weeks ago to help her mother and has been staying with her son at a Norfolk home owned by Loizides, she said.

Both lawyers declined to comment on behalf of their clients in emails to The Associated Press. Their preliminary hearings were scheduled for Sept. 23.

An obituary for Loizides posted online by a local funeral home said she “began a glamorous career as a model” in the 1960s and later worked in banking. It also said she met her husband at the Little Theatre of Norfolk, where she was a volunteer.

In a statement, Commonwealth Senior Living officials said they were cooperating with the investigation and directed their questions directly to police.

“This has been a difficult time for our employees in the community and we are providing them with emotional support in the workplace as we continue to deal with this terrible tragedy,” Commonwealth said.