Andrew Tsoodle
(PCSD file photo)
By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 57-year-old Cushing man has been jailed on $50,000 bail pending a June 3 court appearance on a Payne County charge of neglecting the care of his 83-year-old mother, who was found dead at her residence in the 900 block of N. Cleveland Ave. in Cushing on Feb. 4, 2023, court records show.
Due to his criminal record of three prior alcohol-related felony convictions, Andrew Elba Tsoodle could be imprisoned for four years to life and subject to the Elderly and Incapacitated Victims’ Protection Act if convicted of caretaker neglect.
Tsoodle has been accused of engaging in verbal abuse, failing to cooperate with investigations initiated by Adult Protective Services and the Sac and Fox Nation into his mother’s welfare, isolating her from other family members, leaving her unattended for unreasonable amounts of time and failing to insure that she had adequate medical attention between June 1, 2021, and Feb. 4, 2023, but specifically on the latter date when she was determined to be deceased with recent injuries and in an emaciated, decomposing state.
On Feb. 4, 2023, at 5:47 pm, Cushing Deputy Police Chief Nick Myers had requested assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation regarding the unattended death of Corrine L. Tsoodle, who weighed 84 pounds and had missing hair from her scalp, court records show.
Her son, Andrew Tsoodle, who lived with her, said he had spoken to his mother about an hour before he found her dead, but when Emergency Medical Services personnel arrived on scene, they believed she had been deceased for several days, OSBI agent George Belding alleged in an affidavit filed on May 7, 2024.
“On Feb. 4, 2023, Andrew was initially interviewed regarding the death of Corrine. Andrew admitted to being Corrine’s caregiver. According to Andrew, Corrine had fallen twice inside the bathtub while taking a bath on the evening of Feb. 3, 2023. Andrew tried to convince Corrine to go to the hospital for medical care and to get a tetanus shot, but she refused.
“The following day, Andrew described Corrine as looking different; her face appeared to droop to one side. Andrew left the house to run some errands in Stillwater; when he returned, he found Corrine unresponsive,” the affidavit alleged.
On July 10, 2023, OSBI received a copy of the state Medical Examiner’s report regarding her condition, which included blunt force injuries such as multiple contusions on her face, neck, torso and extremities, and malnutrition, the affidavit alleged. The cause of the blunt force injuries “was unclear and may be explained by a recent fall; however other causes such as assault could not be ruled out,” the affidavit alleged.
On Aug. 8, 2023, a relative, who was re-interviewed concerning the deceased woman’s health, said “Andrew was very controlling of Corrine. Social services from Sac and Fox Nation were contacted at least once; however, Andrew prevented them from entering the house to check on Corrine. Social services were forced to obtain a court order requiring them to enter the residence to check on the well-being of Corrine,” who would not let them inside, but said at the front door she was okay, the affidavit alleged.
The relative did not know what prescribed medication the defendant’s mother was taking; “however, Andrew did use methamphetamines and marijuana and consumed a lot of alcohol,” the affidavit alleged. “There were previous reports from neighbors of Corrine concerning a foul odor coming from the residence,” the affidavit alleged.
On Aug. 15, 2023, another relative, who was re-interviewed concerning the woman’s health, said he believed “Andrew was angry at Corrine and became rough with her, causing the injuries to her face. Andrew was most likely under the influence of methamphetamines during the incident. In the past, when Andrew was under the influence of methamphetamines, he would argue with himself and act weird,” the affidavit alleged.
On Aug. 28, 2023, a neighbor, who was interviewed, said that “the urine smell from Corrine’s house was noticeable in the summer of 2022; (the neighbor) believed Andrew might have been consuming something as he would act weird, possibly illicit drugs. In 2017, Corrie had used (the neighbor’s) phone several times to call the police complaining about Andrew acting crazy,” the affidavit alleged.
On Aug. 30, 2023, a relative of that neighbor, who was interviewed, said that on Feb. 4, 2023, in the late afternoon, “Andrew knocked on the door; when the door was opened, Andrew was crying and dropped to the floor. Andrew was upset, and it looked authentic; he indicated that his mother, Corrine, was ‘gone.’ Andrew admitted that he had left for a short period, and when he returned home, he found Corrine dead on her bed. According to Andrew, the night before, Feb. 3, 2023, Corrine had slipped and fell in the bathtub.,” the affidavit alleged.
On Sept. 5, 2023, another relative of the deceased woman, who was re-interviewed, said that “Corrine had rheumatoid arthritis, which made walking difficult for her. Corrine was at a healthy weight, driving herself around and talking with no cognitive decline. On numerous occasions, Corrine would contact (the relative’s husband) and come to his house to escape Andrew. Andrew verbally abused Corrine, always yelling at her and trying to control all aspects of her life. According to Corrine, Andrew would remove the doorknobs in the house and disconnect wires in the vehicle to prevent Corrine from leaving. Corrine admitted that Andrew sometimes put his hands on her to make her listen to him. Andrew controlled Corrine’s finances and was paranoid that everyone was trying to steal her money. (That relative) believed Andrew was violent and would drink a lot of alcohol. Andrew also used methamphetamines,” the affidavit alleged.
“A review of Adult Protective Services report disclosed that on June 25, 2021, Corrine contacted the Sac and Fox Nation office, via phone, concerning the land she had gifted to (another relative). Andrew could be heard yelling at Corrine what to say in the background. Andrew kept yelling until Corrine repeated what he said. Andrew then grabbed the phone and started yelling at Sac and Fox Nation staff. The staff indicated this was not the first time they had heard about Andrew’s verbal abuse towards Corrine. In December 2020, Corrine contacted Sac and Fox Nation and left a message that she couldn’t handle it anymore and wanted to escape Andrew. Sac and Fox Nation had multiple concerns for Corrine; however, she declined to cooperate, so no action was taken against Andrew,” the affidavit alleged.
“On Oct. 18, 2023, Andrew was re-interviewed concerning the events prior, during and after Corrine’s body was found on Feb. 4, 2023. Andrew insisted that Corrine was alive and responsive when he left for Stillwater earlier that day. Andrew reiterated that he cared for Corrine and did not believe he neglected Corrine as a caregiver; however, he thinks he could have done a better job if he had help from family members. Andrew admitted to keeping family members away from Corrine and the house to protect her and her money.
“Andrew did not ask for assistance from family members as they wouldn’t help or home healthcare services to assist Corrine with bathing. Andrew indicated that when Corrine received an injury like a bruise, she would heal naturally without any medication to assist with the healing. Andrew admitted that he didn’t always take her to the hospital as she would insist that she didn’t want to go.
“Andrew could not explain why Corrine was so emaciated on the evening of Feb. 4, 2023, when he claimed she was healthy, eating three meals daily and was active. Andrew could not explain the initial observations of EMTs that Corrine was in decomposition when they arrived at the house. Andrew insisted that Corrine was alive and well a few hours earlier. Andrew never mentioned the laceration on Corrine’s face on the morning of Feb. 4, 2023, when she injured herself inside the bathtub. Andrew could not explain the inconsistencies in statements he had made to the neighbors, police and family members regarding what occurred on Feb. 3 and 4, 2023. Andrew indicated that other people were lying or not telling the truth,” the affidavit alleged.
According to Payne County court records and the state Department of Corrections, Tsoodle was placed on 10 years’ probation for actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence on Dec. 8, 2010, when his probation of two earlier separate charges of drunk driving in 2007 was revoked to two concurrent five-year prison terms of which he served about three and one-half years.
