Woman charged for exploiting incapacitated mother

MORGANTOWN — A woman faces a felony for exploitation of her incapacitated mother, according to court records.

The West Virginia State Police charged Linda Sue Jones, of Morgantown, with financial exploitation of an elderly person. She was arraigned in Monongalia County Magistrate Court and given a $25,000 personal recognizance bond.

According to her criminal complaint: In July, Trooper M. Mucciola spoke to a Department of Health and Human Services employee about the care of an elderly woman. She said the woman was living at a Grafton nursing home and Jones, her daughter, was named as her health-care surrogate.

Jones was named surrogate after the woman’s husband died. The worker said Jones did not work with the facility to make medical decisions and failed to provide banking information for the victim’s Medicaid review. As a result, Jones’ mother lost her benefits.

DHHR also learned that the victim signed power of attorney documents allowing Jones access to her bank account, after a physician deemed her incapacitated.

The investigation showed 11 withdrawals for about $19,000 between December 2016 and May 2017.

The victim also had an overdue account with the nursing facility of more than $12,000.

Jones told police that she did not know her mother was incapacitated when she signed the paperwork.

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Woman charged for exploiting incapacitated mother