DECATUR - Rickey Dewayne Cox, 33, of Decatur pleaded guilty Wednesday in Macon County Circuit Court to one count of aggravated battery to a senior citizen causing great bodily harm for an Aug. 26 assault on his 70-year-old mother in her home.

Cox entered his plea before Circuit Judge Lisa Holder White under an agreement worked out between his attorney, Assistant Public Defender Monica Hawkins and Assistant State's Attorney Jane Spittler. He had no previous felony convictions.

White accepted the plea and sentenced Cox to four years in prison to be followed by one year on parole. She ordered Cox to submit to DNA testing and pay the $200 fee to have his DNA tested and added to the Illinois State Police database.

Mary Lou Cox was admitted to St. Mary's Hospital on Aug. 26 and hospital personnel contacted police about suspected abuse after she told a nurse she had fallen but would not say how it had happened.

In a sworn statement filed in court, police officer Brandon J. Rolfs said when he spoke with the woman he observed her to be extremely fearful and literally was shaking. He said she initially declined to talk to him and stated she "really doesn't want him arrested."

After nearly an hour of reassurance, Cox stated she had been shoved to the floor in her kitchen by her son, Rickey, who was her caregiver, Rolfs said.

She stated her son was upset and had begun arguing with her, and when she argued back, he threw a glass of water in her face and pushed her to the floor, Rolfs said.

Cox stated her son had threatened to kill her several times and made the statement, "If you ain't dead by Dec. 7, then you need to be out of the house," Rolfs said. She stated that was a reference to her will in which the house will go to her son if she dies, he said.

Cox stated her son broke her walking cane during the argument, Rolfs said. She stated she was scared to death that her son would kill her, he said.

X-rays showed Mary Lou Cox had no broken bones, but she was hospitalized for severe pain in her back and buttocks, Rolfs said.

When Rickey Cox was interviewed, he acknowledged pushing his mother during their argument, Rolfs said.

Cox also stated, "She's gonna regret doing this to me," according to Rolfs.

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