Abbeville woman gets probation after $40,000 exploitation of elderly mother

An Abbeville woman received probation Friday after she paid $12,000 in restitution toward the $40,000 total owed back to her 68-year-old mother, the victim in her exploitation of the elderly case.

Assistant Henry County District Attorney Sam Clenney said 50-year-old Karen Elizabeth LaRoche received five years of probation from Circuit Court Judge Larry Anderson. The court had already issued LaRoche a five-year prison sentence for the felony financial exploitation of the elderly charge filed against by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

Clenney said the court did not address the issue of probation until a significant portion of the restitution had been paid. He said LaRoche had already paid $4,000 toward the restitution, and she brought in another $8,000 on Thursday.

Clenney said the court ordered LaRoche to pay $250 a month as part of her probation toward the remainder of the $40,000 owed to the victim in restitution.

Henry County Sheriff’s investigators arrested LaRoche in October 2014 on the felony charge.

Sheriff’s Investigator Sgt. Steve Sanders told the Dothan Eagle after he made the arrest that the victim in the case is the suspect’s 68-year-old mother, who had given power of attorney over to LaRoche after the victim was hospitalized.

“She used power of attorney to steal her mother’s money,” Sanders said upon LaRoche’s arrest. “The daughter went and used her mother’s money to go on a shopping spree.”

Sanders said the sheriff’s office was notified by other relatives after the victim started receiving credit card bills and collection notices for purchases she did not make.

Court records show the charge involved LaRoche moving $30,697.50 out of the victim’s savings account for her personal benefit and obtaining and misusing credit cards for personal benefit.

The charge also alleged the victim suffered a loss of medical benefits due to non-payment of premiums, the victim’s checking account regularly showing overdraft charges, and delinquent medical bills, including an assisted living balance which exceeded $11,000.

LaRoche agreed to sign the deed to her mother’s home back to her in order for her mother to recommend probation to the court.

Records show the offense occurred between Aug. 26, 2013 and May 28, 2014.

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Abbeville woman gets probation after $40,000 exploitation of elderly mother

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