Philadelphia Basement Dungeon: Police Investigating Deaths Linked To Kidnapper

A woman accused of locking four mentally disabled adults in a Philadelphia basement is being investigated by authorities to see if she caused the death of family members or people under her care.

A landlord found three malnourished men and a woman trapped in a filthy dungeon last month that led to charges against Linda Ann Weston, the alleged mastermind of the scheme to defraud government benefits.

Now, authorities are taking a second look at the death of Weston's mother, Alice Collier in the 1970s as well as a woman who died under her care in Philadelphia in 2005, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. A relative said that Collier died from natural causes tied to kidney failure, but cops are checking the case even though it wasn't deemed suspicious, The Inquirer says.

Weston was the caretaker for Maxine Lee, a Norfolk, Va. woman who died in 2008. Police reexamined that death and upheld the original conclusion that bacterial meningitis killed her, according to the Associated Press.

Weston, 51, allegedly led the kidnapping and fraud ring uncovered last month in Philly that included her daughter Jean McIntosh, 32, Weston's boyfriend Thomas Gregory, 47, and Eddie Wright, 49. They were charged with kidnapping and false imprisonment, among other charges.

Days after police busted them for locking the disabled adults in the cramped basement, police found Beatrice Weston, a girl who had been missing for 10 years. Linda Weston, the girl's aunt, allegedly kidnapped her when she was nine. The girl, now 19, was found with numerous injuries, including broken bones and open wounds, ABC News said.

Because of the media attention on the case, a judge ron Wednesday ordered a gag order on the prosecutors and defense attorneys to help ensure a fair trial, The Inquirer reported.