By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore woman assigned by her agency to assist a disabled elderly woman in the woman’s home, has been arrested for using the woman’s debit card more than a dozen times to divert money to her personal use.
According to Atmore Police Department reports, the victim contacted city police in April “in reference to several fraudulent transactions on her checking account.”
An APD investigator determined the assigned caregiver, 21-year-old Savannah Morrow, “assisted the victim in paying bills using the victims debit card.”
Police said Morrow used the card, without the victim’s consent, to make several cash transfers to her personal cash app and to purchase items online.
The agency that employed her told police Morrow had been terminated earlier due to other issues. The company was not aware of the incident but promised to contact the victim and provide additional assistance, police said.
Morrow was arrested June 9 and booked into the Escambia County Detention Center on 15 counts of fraudulent use of a credit or debit card and one count each of second-degree financial exploitation of the elderly and third-degree theft of property.
Both second-degree financial exploitation and third-degree theft occur when the amount of property stolen exceeds $500 but does not exceed $1,499.
Morrow was released June 14 when bond was posted on her behalf.