Mentally disabled COS man dies from choking, caretaker arrested

A Colorado Springs man was arrested on Tuesday for the death of an intellectually and developmentally delayed 25-year-old that occurred back in December.

John Ledbetter, 43, is charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide of an At-Risk Person.

On December 21, 2015, Ledbetter allegedly left a mentally disabled 25-year-old man, who was supposed to be under constant supervision during meal time, alone to eat in his home off the 7800 block of Superior Hill Place. The man then choked on his food and died.

Detective Chuck Szatkowski took over the case in March of 2016, and he discovered that Ledbetter had in fact acted against the victim’s care plan. This led to the issue of an arrest warrant. Crimes against Elders detectives contacted Ledbetter at his home and arrested him on July 12, 2016.