Police: Caregiver Steals $70,000 From Elderly Couple
CLEVELAND -- She was supposed to be taking care of them, but authorities say a caregiver was really taking an elderly couple to the cleaners.
Some are calling the financial exploitation of patients by their caregivers an epidemic.
Cuyahoga County prosecutor Bill Mason said Darling Chambers was a live-in caregiver for Rudolph and Etta Dicker at their University Heights apartment.
Authorities said Chambers fraudulently used the couple's credit cards for trips, car payments and plastic surgery procedures, totaling $70,000.
Chambers, 40, will be arraigned next week on charges of theft, misuse of a credit card and telecommunication fraud.
"It's sad. It's really sad that folks are out there taking advantage of the elderly and this is a typical case that we're seeing on a regular basis. When the elderly depend on someone else they're really vulnerable at the time," said Mason.
If you are planning to hire a caregiver for an elderly relative, the Cuyahoga County Department of Senior and Adult Services recommends that you conduct a criminal background check, check references and drop in unannounced every now and then.
If you suspect any type of elder abuse, you can report it by calling a 24-hour hot line at 216-420-6700.
The Dickers, who were Holocaust survivors, are both now deceased.
Chambers faces 8 to 17 years in prison if convicted.
SOURCE: NewsNet
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