Granddaughter speaks out after Chandler woman dies amid alleged neglect

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.

But one family member said Page kept spinning a different story, reassuring her that her grandmother was fine, even though investigators now allege she was living in deplorable conditions. 

Granddaughter Speaks Out:

Heather Bonafe, who lives in North Carolina with her husband and children, is mourning the loss of her grandmother, Elenz.

"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, saying the nurse called the scene one of the worst she had ever witnessed. One witness told officers Page appeared to stop caring for Elenz for about a month, and couldn't say when he last changed her diaper.

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.

"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. In the months prior, Bonafe said she repeatedly reached out to Page, checking on her grandmother. But each time, she said, Page assured her Elenz was fine and sleeping. 

"'Where was the family?'" Bonafe said. "The family didn’t know it was at the level that it was at."

Dig deeper:

Investigators said Page continued to cover his tracks, even texting relatives that his mother peacefully passed away after a birthday dinner. 

"That didn’t sit well with anybody because at this point, nobody had spoken to her," Bonafe told FOX 10. "The further we dug, the more specific things began unraveling. We wanted it to become an investigation because we knew that it just didn’t make sense." 

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.

When investigators asked Page whether he could have done anything differently, he said "he could have called for help sooner," according to court documents.

What's next:

Page remains in jail on a $1 million cash-only bond. He is expected back in court next week.