A Florida woman is facing serious charges after allegedly taking her mother’s life following a denied request for medically assisted suicide.

Sixty-six-year-old Martha Jo Blake has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her mother, Patricia Blake. The 97-year-old was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and a thyroid ailment when she was found deceased in their shared residence in Palm Beach on December 26, according to a probable cause affidavit sourced from the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Deputies responding to the scene that morning discovered Patricia lying on her back, covered with a sheet. Despite Martha’s claim of not having seen her mother since 10 p.m. the previous night, a deputy grew suspicious when Martha insisted on staying near her mother’s body during the investigation. Officers observed discoloration on Patricia’s face and circular marks on her neck, raising further concerns.

An autopsy conducted later revealed multiple indications of strangulation, including internal neck bleeding and a fractured vertebra, as reported by WPBF, citing the sheriff’s office. Additionally, Patricia exhibited eye hemorrhaging, which authorities associated with suffocation.

With a search warrant in hand, deputies returned to the residence where Martha voluntarily disclosed a conversation she and her mother had with a doctor in Maine about 18 months prior regarding the option of medically-assisted suicide, as detailed in the affidavit.

According to investigators, Martha said that Patricia did not qualify for Maine’s “Death with Dignity” law because none of her health ailments were considered terminal, authorities said.

Martha allegedly told investigators, according to the arrest documents, that her mom told her multiple times that she “she did not want to live.” They had also discussed the possibility of using pills, but concluded they didn’t have access to anything lethal.

 While searching the apartment, detectives took a pair of socks found inside a garbage bag on the front porch into evidence. They also collected Patricia’s bedding and Martha’s clothing, according to the affidavit.