By Nathan Duke
Staff Writer

A Goffstown woman has been arrested and arraigned for allegedly causing her 91-yearold mother's death through negligence.

However, at least two residents who know her say she should not be held responsible for the crime.

Goffstown police arrested Danna Folden, 49, on Thursday, June 2, following a lengthy investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of her mother, Mary Folden, on Jan. 21.

Folden was held on $50,000 bail and did not have a lawyer at the time of her arraignment in Hillsborough County Superior Court, causing the court to enter a plea of innocent.

The court charged Folden with negligent homicide and criminal neglect of an elderly, disabled or impaired adult.

Mary Folden died in January from meningitis after an ulcer on her back became infected. Police allege her daughter failed to get medical treatment for her in a timely manner, which caused the infection.

Assistant County Attorney Tracy Culberson said the charges against Folden are class B felonies, which could carry three-and-a-half to seven years in prison. However, the state can seek an enhanced penalty of 10 to 30 years because of the age of the victim. Culberson said the department has not yet determined whether it will seek an enhanced penalty.

Several Goffstown residents have come to Folden's defense, saying her's may not be an obvious negligence case.

"(Folden) is not a person to be made an example of for elderly abuse," said resident Jennifer Brown. "I think she did the best with the resources she had. If anything, the community could have pulled together better if we had known, but her mother was a hermit."

Brenda Pfahnl said Folden may have needed some assistance herself.

"I feel, in my gut, that Danna herself needed a little help," she said. "(Her arrest) hit me as being wrong. She didn't have any other family and I assumed someone else was watching over both (she and her mother)."

Pfahnl said Folden may have not been the best person to have the responsibility to care for someone else.

"Danna herself is fragile and vulnerable," she said. "I don't think she was capable of making the decisions being asked of her."

Culberson said if any Goffstown residents have information that might shed light on the situation in the Folden household or is relevant to the case, they should contact the Goffstown police.