A home health care worker has been arrested after allegedly stealing more than $30,000 from an elderly patient.
The victim, who is a resident of the Osprey Lodge Senior Living Facility in Tavares, discovered that $16,000 was missing from her bank account and suspected her health care worker, 32-year-old Cayla Grae Amburgey had stolen the money. Amburgey had been employed by Right at Home Care Services to provide care for the elderly woman for the past two years.
The victim had the assisted living staff contact the Tavares Police Department for assistance. An officer went to the home to meet with the victim and spoke with the woman’s son by phone. The son told the officer that he was preparing his mother’s tax return when he became aware that more than $30,000 had been stolen from his mother’s accounts and credit cards. When the officer talked to the victim she said she had become aware of the theft when her son called and told her that her Insight Credit Union account had been nearly depleted. Her son had also discovered unauthorized credit card charges on her Discover credit card. The victim said that Amburgey was the only other person who had access to her debit and credit cards.
She also gave the officer a iPhone text message thread between her and Amburgey where Amburgey had stated, “I just want to let you know that I apologize and have every intention of paying you back completely.”
When questioned by the officer at the police station, Amburgey admitted that she had made some unauthorized withdrawals and had used the victim’s Discover card to buy items for her personal use according to the arrest report. The victim’s bank and credit card statements revealed that the unauthorized withdrawals and charges were made over the past year, according to the arrest report.
Amburgey was charged with exploitation of an elderly person, grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and identity theft. She was booked Monday at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $17,000 bond.
