Police: West Mifflin man stomped his mother, 80, left her to die

A West Mifflin man allegedly stomped his mother and left her to die in their basement before he called police Saturday to surrender, according to the charges filed against the man.

Kenneth Burdick, 42, is charged with homicide in the death of his mother, 80-year-old Dolores Burdick.

A West Mifflin police operator took a call from Burdick about 7 a.m. Saturday in which he claimed he’d killed his mother, according to the criminal complaint.

Borough police responded and found Burdick on his front porch. He directed them to the basement, where his mother was found dead, according to the complaint.

Burdick told Allegheny County police his mother was in her bedroom writing out bills about 11 a.m. Friday when he walked in and began hitting her, according to the complaint. He allegedly “knocked her to the grown and began kicking and stomping her,” police wrote.

Detectives noted in the affidavit there was visible trauma to Dolores Burdick’s head and face, as well as blood on her son’s shoes and socks.

Burdick said he then dragged his mother to the basement door and “tossed her down the basement steps,” according to the complaint. He then dragged her across the basement floor.

He told investigators his mother was still breathing at that point, and she died sometime later, police wrote.

County police Lt. Kenneth Ruckel said investigators discovered a history of domestic disturbance calls to the Shady Lane home, though there were no active protection from abuse orders.

Burdick remains held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh.