Fla. Woman Claimed She Discussed 'Death with Dignity' with Her Ailing 97-Year-Old Mom — But Autopsy Led to Arrest By Nicole Acosta

A Florida woman was arrested after authorities alleged she killed her ailing mother following conversations about “death with dignity,” which typically refers to legal physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

Martha Jo Blake, 66, was booked on a first-degree murder charge at the Palm Beach County Detention Center on Saturday, Dec. 27, court records show. She is being held without bail and it is unclear if she has entered a plea.

The woman is accused of killing her 97-year-old mother, Patricia Blake, who was found dead in her West Palm Beach home after deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence on Friday, Dec. 26 around 8 a.m. for a “death investigation,” the affidavit states.

According to the affidavit, Martha was at the home when authorities arrived and allegedly told them she last saw her mother alive the previous night. She added that her mother suffered from Parkinson’s disease and a thyroid disorder, police said in the affidavit.

Patricia’s primary care physician was based out of state, so her death was referred to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy. The examiner found a “combination of injuries that were not consistent with a natural death” and subsequently ruled the death a homicide, per the affidavit.

Investigators obtained a search warrant for the home after the autopsy documented traumatic injuries that “can be associated with strangulation,” police said in the affidavit.

While speaking with investigators at the residence, Martha said she had been her mother’s caregiver for the past five years. She allegedly told police that the two discussed “death with dignity” about a year and a half earlier with her mother’s primary care doctor in Maine, per the affidavit.

“Martha explained that this is a form of assisted suicide,” the affidavit states. “However, Patricia’s physician told them she did not qualify due to not having a terminal illness.”

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Legislation allowing physician-assisted suicide has not been passed in Florida.

Martha also allegedly said that her mother repeatedly told her that she did not want to live. “At one point, they discussed suicide by taking pills, but decided that they did not have anything that was lethal that she could take,” Martha allegedly told police, per the affidavit.

During the search, investigators collected white calf-length socks found in a garbage bag as evidence, along with clothes that, police claim, “Martha stated she was wearing when she strangled Patricia,” the affidavit states.

It is not in fact clear whether a confession was made, as much of the affidavit is redacted.

Martha’s defense attorney declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE on Tuesday, Dec. 30.