The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
An Illinois registered nurse previously employed at a nursing home has been arrested for allegedly charging nearly $2,000 to a credit card that she reportedly took from a patient that passed away.
The Fair Havens Christian Home in Decatur hired a 47-year-old RN who spent nearly half a year trying to find a job, and she was tasked with providing nursing services on the night shift.
An 84-year-old man was admitted to the facility on November 6, and he passed away 18 days later.
The man’s daughter was going through her father’s belongings when she reportedly spotted 21 charges on her dad’s Discover card that were made after he died.
On December 22, the woman notified the authorities, and the police began to investigate the claims.
Detectives used the name on one of the purchases to search the internet to see if they could locate the perpetrator.
When they looked on Facebook, the police found a profile under the name of the RN’s daughter.
After tracking down the businesses where they believed the card was used as payment, the authorities collected the surveillance videos to see if they could get the physical identity of the person responsible.
The RN, who was reportedly on duty the night the patient passed away and the evening after, was allegedly seen in the videos buying items. The police asserted that she used the stolen credit card to procure her purchases. She allegedly used her daughter’s name when using the card.
An interview with the suspect was set up, and the police reported that the woman confirmed that she swiped and used the man’s credit card without permission.
On February 16, the nurse was taken into custody and booked into the Macon County Jail for suspicion of aggravated identity theft.
The authorities allegedly discovered that she was holding one hydrocodone pain pill that they believe she was not prescribed, so a charge for unlawful possession of a controlled substance was added.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.