A Fall River man is facing charges that he beat his 78-year-old mother to death and abused his mentally disabled sisters in a disturbing case that “shook hardened homicide investigators,’’ officials said Tuesday.
Authorities made the announcement after a Bristol County grand jury indicted Antonio M. Branco, 56, on Friday on murder and other charges in connection with the death in April of his mother, Maria Branco.
He also allegedly assaulted and neglected his two sisters, aged 49 and 56, who have “significant mental disabilities,’’ District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III’s office said in a statement.
Branco has been held since his arrest on April 9 and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in Bristol Superior Court. His lawyer could not be reached for comment.
Family members of the Brancos could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
According to the district attorney, Maria Branco was admitted to Saint Anne’s Hospital in Fall River on April 9, and doctors noticed wounds to her “back, shoulders, buttocks, knees and ankles. The victim’s legs were also severely contracted and no longer able to bend at the knee.’’
Police launched an investigation and went to the Branco residence on Holden Street, where they discovered that Antonio Branco’s two sisters were locked in the home, Quinn’s office said.
“The older sister appeared to have been beaten, with black, bloodied, swollen eyes,’’ Quinn’s office said. “The younger sister also had injuries, particularly to her hand. Both sisters were also transported to the hospital.’’
The older sister later told investigators that her brother had caused her injuries, and that he frequently hit her, according to authorities.
Maria Branco, the mother, died of her injuries on April 13.
“The allegations in the indictment are extremely disturbing,’’ Quinn said in the statement. “I will continue to focus on instances of elder abuse in Bristol County. Elders have helped to make this country great and should be treated with respect and dignity. I look forward to proving these allegations in court.’’
Fall River Police Chief Daniel Racine also decried the alleged abuse in the same statement.
“This is a particularly disturbing case, a senseless, horrible death: a death that never should have happened. A death that shook hardened homicide investigators,’’ Racine said. “We should cherish our elders, not do this. I commend the district attorney for his tenacity in prosecuting this case.’’
Martha Waldron, a spokeswoman for the state’s Executive Office of Elder Affairs, said she could not say whether the agency had any involvement with the family, citing confidentiality laws.
But statistics provided by the office suggest reports of elder abuse have surged statewide in recent years. According to the Elder Affairs website, there were 24,978 elder abuse reports in 2015 and 7,117 newly confirmed allegations.
“These numbers represent an increase of 37 percent of the total number of elder abuse reports and a 57 percent increase in confirmed allegations compared to’’ fiscal 2011, the website states.
Waldron said members of the public can call the state’s elder abuse hot line at 800-922-2275 to report cases of maltreatment.
All told, Antonio Branco faces charges of murder, assault and battery upon a person with a disability, and two counts of neglect of a person with a disability, Quinn’s office said.
John R. Ellement of the Globe Staff contributed to this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.
