ST. LOUIS — A Wildwood woman is facing federal charges after prosecutors say she exploited her elderly parents and took control of their finances while living in their home. The home was found overrun with cats and uninhabitable conditions.
Elizabeth M. Fischer was charged this week with fraud and identity theft after allegedly using her late mother’s accounts and misusing funds meant for her father’s care. Authorities say Fischer isolated her parents from the rest of the family, blocked access to their home, and lived in squalor with roughly 180 cats.
Family members told FOX 2 they had been sounding alarms since 2023, raising concerns about their sister’s influence and the deteriorating state of the home. When their mother died in August 2024, they sought emergency court intervention to protect their father. A judge appointed a temporary guardian and ordered a mental evaluation of the father.
Inside the 5,700-square-foot house, investigators found filth, cat feces in sinks and tubs, shredded furniture, and overwhelming odors. The home, once worth an estimated $1.3 million, was deemed unlivable. Prosecutors allege Fischer sold family jewelry for cash and used both parents’ bank accounts for personal expenses. She remains in federal custody.
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