Granddaughter speaks out after Chandler woman dies amid alleged neglect
Family speaks out after Chandler son allegedly neglected mom, leaving her in deplorable conditions
Relatives are mourning the death of an 84-year-old Chandler woman following severe neglect by her son. FOX 10's Jacob Luthi hears from the granddaughter, who says her family trusted her uncle to care for her grandmother properly.
CHANDLER, Ariz. - The family of an elderly woman is speaking out after police say she died in the care of her own son, who investigators allege left her living in deplorable conditions in the weeks before her death.
What we know:
Allen Page, 64, was arrested on Aug. 27 on charges of second-degree murder and vulnerable adult abuse in connection with the death of his mother, 84-year-old Mary Elenz, last year.
Allen Page (mugshot) was arrested by Chandler cops on murder, elder abuse and weapons charges. (Maricopa County, Chandler Police Department)
Granddaughter Speaks Out:
Heather Bonafe, who lives in North Carolina with her husband and children, says Elenz was her grandmother.
"It’s terrible to think about," Bonafe said. "I haven’t slept. I don’t sleep anymore because it’s the only thing I think about."
The backstory:
According to a Chandler police report, Elenz died Sept. 20, 2025, at a care facility.
The report says a nurse found her unresponsive the day before inside a room filled with trash and bugs. Police say blankets had stuck to Elenz’s skin and maggots were crawling from open sores.
Investigators allege Page left his mother to die inside their Chandler home while neglecting her and taking money from her. They also say he spent her roughly $1,500 monthly Social Security payments on mobile games, fast food and online gift cards, according to court documents.
Featured
Chandler man charged with murder after 84-year-old mom dies in "substandard conditions," police say
A 64-year-old Chandler man is facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with his mom’s death after police accused him of neglecting the vulnerable 84-year-old woman, failing to provide her medication and taking control of her finances.
"That’s the woman that you let fall into that condition? You felt vulnerable and uncomfortable changing her diapers?" Bonafe said. "Well, she changed yours."
What they're saying:
Police say Page initially denied that anyone had raised concerns about his mother’s well-being in the weeks before her death. But investigators say the evidence told a different story, including claims that Page was telling people just days before Elenz died that his mother was fine.
When investigators asked Page whether he could have done anything differently, he said "he could have called for help sooner," according to court documents.
Dig deeper:
"'Where was the family?'" Bonafe said. "The family didn’t know it was at the level that it was at."
Bonafe says Elenz’s grandchildren are spread out across the country, but the family originally hails from New York. She says they trusted their uncle to do right by their grandmother and make sure she was safe and cared for.
"Just cause I would’ve did right by her and taken care of her to the fullest extent, doesn’t mean her own son would," Bonafe said.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Heather Bonafe, Mary Elenz's granddaughter; a Chandler police report; and previous FOX 10 reports.