Former Caretaker arrested for forgery and exploiting an elderly man

DECATUR – Decatur Police say they arrested a 51-year-old Decatur woman after family members told authorities she was taking advantage of their elderly relative.

Jo Ann Vinson was arrested after reports came in alleging she had financially exploited an 80-year-old man.

The first report came in on April 6 from the man’s granddaughter who told Decatur Police he has dementia and has trouble remembering things and making sound decisions. The granddaughter also told police that her grandfather now lives in a nursing home, but he had previously shared a residence with Vinson, who acted as his caretaker.

Vinson lived with the man for three months to take care of him. Relatives told authorities Vinson had also needed a place to live when she moved in with him.

The man’s granddaughter also told authorities that her grandfather’s bank account had recently been emptied.

According to the elderly man’s interview, he did not remember what happened to the money in his account but claimed he never gave it to Vinson.

Then, the man’s daughter filed a report saying five checks were forged on her father’s checking account. The checks were written out in her and her father’s names, with four of them being paid to “Jo Ann Vinson,” and the fifth being written for County Market.

Decatur authorities recovered security camera footage from County Market that shows Vinson making a purchase and paying with a check.

Relatives say the elderly man now lives in Georgia and completed affidavits of forgery for each check. They also pointed out that none of the checks used had the correct signatures while reviewing the records of the checks.

The family also told investigators that numerous items were missing from the elderly man’s residence after he moved into a nursing home. Some of the items stolen included a stove, refrigerator, bed, dresser, living room furniture, washer and dryer, clothing and two televisions.

Decatur Police arrested Vinson on June 3.

While in the Macon County Jail, Vinson called her sister in Mississippi and admitted to stealing property from the man’s home. She told her sister she would give some of the items back and offered to pay for some of the others. This phone call was recorded as per jail regulations.

Witnesses and friends of Vinson also interviewed with authorities. One witness confirmed she drove Vinson and the man to the bank to get money. Another told police she saw Vinson and two other people moving items out of the man’s previous residence.

Vinson is currently being held on $30,000 bond facing charges of forgery, theft of over $300 in value and financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person.

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Former Caretaker arrested for forgery and exploiting an elderly man