Son Accused of Killing 82-Year-Old Mom

A man accused of pushing his elderly mother to the ground at her South Side home — ultimately leading to her death — was ordered held on $800,000 bond Saturday.

James Atkins, of the 1300 block of West 14th St., was charged Friday with one count of first-degree murder in the death of his 82-year-old mother. Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan set bond at $800,000 for Atkins during a Saturday hearing, according to a Cook County clerk.

Georgia Atkins, of 1326 W. Hastings St., was pronounced dead at 2:31 a.m. Thursday at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Atkins died of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm caused by stress from an assault, according to the results of a Thursday autopsy. Her death was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner's office said.

Police responded to her home on Wednesday about 8:45 p.m. after she was allegedly pushed by her son from a chair she was sitting on, causing her to fall to the ground.

After suffering trouble breathing, the woman was taken to UIC Hospital, where her condition deteriorated rapidly, police said.