75-year-old found dead during welfare check, Delaware troopers say. Son charged

A man has been charged in the killing of his mom, Delaware troopers said.

On June 15, Delaware troopers went to a home in Millsboro for a welfare check, according to a news release by the state police.

The welfare check came after a relative of 75-year-old Deborah Steele reported not hearing from her in days, state police said.

When troopers arrived at the home, they found her unresponsive on the couch, officers said. Steele shared the home with her 46-year-old son, Daniel Steele.

Medical personnel were called and pronounced her dead, the officers said.

Deborah Steel had gotten into a fight with her son, who “assaulted the woman until she lost consciousness,” police said.

In a report obtained by Delaware News Journal, the man grabbed his mom’s hands with one hand and choked her with another, meaning “to cut off the victim’s airway,” the document said.

Officers didn’t specify what led to the attack.

Daniel Steele is also accused of not seeking medical attention for his mom, officers said.

He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, officers said.

Millsboro is about a 45-mile drive southeast from Dover.

This story was originally published June 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM with the headline "75-year-old found dead during welfare check, Delaware troopers say. Son charged."