Trigger Warning: This article mentions details about a death.
Florida has seen numerous high-profile crime cases in 2025, including incidents involving child abuse and elder abuse. As the year draws to a close, a woman has been charged with first-degree premeditated murder after allegedly killing her elderly mother, telling investigators the act followed an unsuccessful attempt to pursue medically assisted suicide.
Authorities say 97-year-old Patricia Blake, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease and a thyroid condition, was found dead in her Palm Beach home. Her daughter, 66-year-old Martha Jo Blake, told the cops that she was fine until Christmas Day. Yet, an autopsy later determined that Patricia’s injuries were consistent with homicide, with findings suggesting she had been suffocated.
According to The New York Post, police found signs that force was applied to her face and neck. After reviewing body camera footage and gathering additional evidence, deputies obtained a search warrant and questioned Martha Jo Blake again.
Martha Jo Blake, 66, is accused of strangling her 97-year-old mother to death, a probable cause affidavit said. She told a detective the two had previously considered forms of suicide. https://t.co/bZZgKXoQpJ
— South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) December 29, 2025
Martha admitted that she tried to have a brief conversation about “death with dignity” for more than a year with Patricia after a physician denied their request for medically assisted suicide.
According to the outlet, the doctor who has been based in Maine refused to approve a medically assisted suicide because state law requires a terminal diagnosis with a prognosis of six months or less.
Parkinson’s (PD) is not considered a terminal disease that directly causes death. In medical terms, a terminal illness is a severe, incurable condition that medical experts believe will lead to death.
Serious organ failures, certain types of cancers or strokes can be classified as terminal diseases. The 97-year-old woman was suffering from Parkinson’s, which is a movement disorder related to the nervous system.
According to The Mayo Clinic, symptoms of the disease might begin with mild to severe tremors (shaking) followed by slowed and rigid movements, which may eventually increase, making everyday tasks like eating or taking a shower difficult. It may affect a person’s writing, speaking, and make simple things like hand movements and blinking more difficult than usual.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive brain disorder affecting usually after age 60, affecting more men than women, causing tremors, stiffness, slow movement (bradykinesia), and balance issues, due to the death of dopamine-producing neurons, leading to symptoms like sleep… pic.twitter.com/k7T9gAZs4t
— Arjun bhatt (@Arjun_homecare) December 24, 2025
During the investigation, deputies recovered items believed to be connected to the death in their Florida home. Martha Jo Blake was arrested and charged with first-degree premeditated murder, a charge that carries a potential sentence of life in prison or the death penalty under Florida law.
Meanwhile, assisted suicide, commonly referred to by proponents as medical aid in dying (MAID), has been a controversial subject that has different rules across states in the United States.
It allows a terminally ill, mentally competent adult to obtain and self-administer prescribed medication to end their life. It is legally distinct from euthanasia, in which another person directly causes death; euthanasia remains illegal throughout the country.
VICTORY! American Medical Association Rejects Proposal to Support Assisted Suicide https://t.co/Q8K1imXLgW pic.twitter.com/vsW83yCtyY
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) November 14, 2023
As of 2025, medical aid in dying is authorized in a limited number of U.S. jurisdictions through state laws or court rulings. Some experts claim the process can provide peace and relief to long-term ailing patients while also providing autonomy, followed by dignity for the family members. Yet, critics claim that MAID can fuel misdiagnosis, unequal access to care, affect disability rights, and the ethical role of doctors.
Disclaimer: Details about medically assisted suicide have been taken from secondary sources. Inquisitr does not take responsibility for them.
