Oklahoma Caretaker Accused of Stealing $10,000 from Elderly Bedridden Woman

Police officers in Oklahoma said that a woman caretaking an elderly bedridden woman stole more than $10,000 from her client.

Truvenia Cornish has been charged with felony financial exploitation of an elderly person and a warrant has been issued for her arrest, reported KFOR.

Oklahoma City police officers said that Cornish stole more than $10,000 in total from a 75-year-old woman she was caring for over four months.

The victim needed help in daily life after becoming bedridden. Cornish moved into the victim’s home to help her with basic daily functions.

Cornish was initially paid $900 a month but that amount was soon increased to $1,400, prompting the elderly woman to lodge complaints with her son, who was living out-of-state at the time.

When he visited his mother, he discovered that their bank account had been drained.

The affidavit states that Cornish had been using money from the account to pay her bills, including her cell phone bill, and allegedly also made withdrawals from the bank account.

“Unfortunately, we see these kinds of cases all the time, where somebody takes advantage of the elderly, or someone who can’t take care of themselves. Someone who’s in a tough situation as it is and then they prey on the weakness and take advantage of them,” said Officer Megan Morgan, with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

He said that people should keep a close eye on relatives in similar situations, including potentially helping them monitor their bank accounts.

According to Oklahoma law (pdf), financial exploitation of an elderly person mean:”Knowingly, by deception or intimidation, obtaining or using, or endeavoring to obtain or use, an elderly person’s or disabled adult’s funds, assets, or property with the intent to temporarily or permanently deprive the elderly person or disabled adult of the use, benefit, or possession of the funds, assets, or property, or to benefit someone other than the elderly person or disabled adult.”

The law states that the exploitation is typically perpetrated by someone who “stands in a position of trust and confidence with the elderly person or disabled adult, or has a business relationship with the elderly person or disabled adult.”

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Oklahoma Caretaker Accused of Stealing $10,000 from Elderly Bedridden Woman