Miami-Dade Son, Son-in-Law Accused of Locking 76-Year-Old In 112-Degree Home

A 76-year-old Miami-Dade woman was allegedly confined to a home that reached 112 degrees earlier this month after her own son and son-in-law remotely locked the thermostat, restricted her access to food, and threatened to evict her from a house she once owned. Federico Caso, 45, and Peter Sevastopoulos, 44, now face felony elder abuse charges tied to the alleged scheme.

According to WPLG Local 10, investigators said the two men intentionally committed acts reasonably expected to cause the woman physical or psychological injury. Caso is described as the victim's son, while Sevastopoulos is her son-in-law and Caso's brother-in-law, and both men lived with her in the Miami-Dade home. The outlet reported that home temperatures reached as high as 112 degrees on August 21, during hours investigators say spanned 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Thermostat Locked Remotely as Heat Advisory Stretched Across the County

Investigators say Caso and Sevastopoulos placed a remote lock on the thermostat that prevented the woman from lowering the temperature herself, and that they set the air conditioning to 80 degrees before leaving for work. The station's report notes that surveillance cameras in the home were monitored by the two men, and that the woman feared leaving her bedroom. She reportedly does not have a vehicle or the ability to drive, limiting her options to escape the heat on her own.

The alleged conditions unfolded as the National Weather Service issued an advisory for Miami-Dade County during a stretch of extreme heat. Hoodline reported that same week that the region's heat index climbed toward 112 degrees, part of a broader mid-August heatwave in which the National Weather Service issued consecutive daily Heat Advisories across Miami-Dade and Broward counties as peak heat index values reached 108°F to 112°F. Since 2023, the National Weather Service's Miami office has used a lower local threshold for the county, triggering Heat Advisories at a 105-degree heat index and Excessive Heat Warnings at 110, a standard meant to protect the region's dense, vulnerable population.

Food Restrictions and Threats to Evict

Beyond the thermostat, the woman was reportedly not allowed to use the refrigerator, microwave, stove, or oven in the home, and was limited to a small mini refrigerator and a bedroom-closet shelf for dry food. Per the arrest report cited by the outlet, she was scolded and cursed at when the men saw her doing something they did not allow, and Caso and Sevastopoulos allegedly threatened to evict her if she did not begin paying rent. The living arrangement had no legal lease, and the home had once been owned by the victim herself.

The Department of Children and Families described the living situation as an environmental hazard, according to the report. DCF operates a 24/7 statewide Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 that dispatches Adult Protective Services investigators and law enforcement when vulnerable adults face suspected abuse, neglect, or environmental hazards, per the agency.

Charges and Custody Status

Caso and Sevastopoulos each face one count of physical or psychological abuse of an elderly or disabled adult. Under Florida Statute §825.102, that offense covers intentional acts reasonably expected to cause physical or psychological injury — including isolating or restricting a victim's access — and prosecutors do not need to prove physical contact occurred to bring the third-degree felony charge, which carries up to five years in prison, five years of probation, and a $5,000 fine. The two men were being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Tuesday, with bonds listed as to be set. Sevastopoulos told investigators, per the arrest report, that both men had retained attorneys and wanted to invoke their Miranda rights.

Because the alleged victim is over 65, Florida law under Statute §825.106 also allows prosecutors to petition the court to advance the case on the trial docket, with a judge weighing the victim's age and physical health before granting a speedy-trial advancement. It remains an open question whether investigators will pursue additional charges — such as aggravated abuse, false imprisonment, or financial exploitation — as they examine the home's ownership history and the absence of a formal lease.

Why Heat Poses Special Danger to Older Adults

The case lands against a backdrop of well-documented medical risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that adults 65 and older face elevated risk for heat-related illness and hyperthermia because aging impairs the body's natural heat-regulation mechanisms, sweat production, and thirst perception. Public health data compiled by Flagship Health indicates that heat-related mortality among adults 65 and older surged 85% nationwide between 2000 and 2021, with homebound seniors facing disproportionate risk during ambient heat events.

Roughly 18.3% of Miami-Dade County's population — more than 488,000 residents — is 65 or older, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, underscoring how widely such risks could apply across the county. Miami-Dade maintains an Extreme Heat Plan with a network of public cooling centers offering air conditioning and hydration resources, a resource Hoodline detailed when the county opened new cooling sites for vulnerable residents.