by Lupita Murillo
TUCSON (KVOA) - A nightmare for a family caring for their dying loved one.
It happened last spring when they hired a woman to watch their father.
Chris and Kathy Volpe relocated from Ohio to Tucson in 2020 to care of Chris' dying father.
They learned a hard lesson and hope they can keep others from the same heartache.
Kathy Volpe told News 4 Tucson, "I don't understand how people can be like that it's just beyond belief."
Volpe said they hired Shannon Pratt. She worked for the same company who had been caring for Chet Volpe who was bedridden.
His health had been declining since his wife of 56 years died of cancer.
Kathy said they were gone only a few hours.
"Sadly, it went really bad," Kathy said.
The day after Pratt was in their home, they received a call about fraudulent activity involving her father-in-law's account.
"She used her own name," Kathy said. "So, here we saw the name of the person who was caring for Dad the day before had tried to do a wire transfer from his computer."
A $1,500 transfer from Chet Volpe's bank account to the caregiver's account.
According to the daughter in law, Pratt went through a closet and found a purse with credit cards.
"In the name of my mother-in-law Nancy Volpe taken her credit cards was charging all sort of things," Kathy said.
Kathy said after Pratt left the house, she immediately started charging up a storm.
Clothes at Ross, tires at Firestone, groceries at Basha's. She even got her car washed.
"I think it added up to $700 worth of things in 48 hours," Kathy explained.
Tucson police and the agency where Pratt worked were called.
The agency reportedly fired her and told her she needed to pick up her paycheck, however, she never did.
According to police she left town.
Police said on Aug. 31 she was arrested on a warrant in Pennsylvania.
She's back in Tucson in the Pima County Jail where she was charged with fraud, theft and attempted theft.
She's being held on a $10,000 bond.
Sergeant Kim Frie with Tucson police told News 4 Tucson last spring:
"Anytime somebody comes in they're put in a position of trust and when they take something from somebody it's a complete violation that person needs to be held accountable."
According to the Pima County Jail, her next court appearance is scheduled for next month.
Kathy Volpe has a message.
"Take a deep look at yourself and think about you've done," she said.
News 4 Tucson contacted the agency Shannon Pratt worked for and asked about their hiring practices.
Officials told us they conduct thorough checks of all employees they also call references.
At the time, Pratt had never been charged with any crime.
News 4 Tucson learned about a theft in February that was reported to TPD involving Pratt, but no charges became of that case.
Tucson police provided the following information if you are looking for a caregiver.
Adult Protective Services maintains a registry that also has descriptions of the incident https: des.az.gov.
To report a suspected elder abuse, Adult Protective Services https: des.az.gov
To check status of nursing licensing/certifications: Arizona State Board of Nursing https: www.nursys.com (PN, RN, APRN-CNS, APRN-CRNA, APRN-CNP, APRN-CNM) or azbn.boardsofnursing.org. (CMA, CNA,LNA, SN, UCNA)
For additional information, visit Pima Council on Aging pcoa.org.
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