Welcome to Arrest Stories. A thirty-two-year-old home health aide in Flagler County was arrested for allegedly stealing cash and a debit card from an elderly client she was caring for. Here's what may have happened.
Katie Swain worked as a newly hired care provider at HarborChase of Palm Coast assisted living facility. In early December, a senior resident noticed several unauthorized transactions appearing on his bank statement. The victim also discovered that cash and his debit card were missing from his wallet.
The elderly man reported the suspicious activity to authorities, prompting an investigation that lasted one month. Detectives determined that Swain had been assigned as the victim's care provider on the specific day when the cash and debit card went missing from his possession.
Bank records revealed a pattern of fraudulent transactions made primarily in Putnam County, near where Swain lives. Investigators obtained store surveillance video that showed Swain using the victim's stolen debit card to make dozens of unauthorized purchases. The transactions included gas, snacks, groceries, and multiple online purchases totaling approximately ten thousand dollars.
On December thirty-first, deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office arrested Katie Swain on charges of fraudulent use of personal identification information.
A spokesperson for the sheriff's office commented on the case, stating, "This woman abused her position of trust and authority as a home health aide for gas, donuts, and trinkets. She stole from a senior who trusted her and used his debit card as her own. Luckily for her, there are plenty of snacks she can buy with her own money from the commissary at the Green Roof Inn."
The investigation revealed that Swain had exploited her access to the vulnerable senior citizen while serving in her professional capacity as his caregiver. The victim trusted Swain to provide care services, but instead she allegedly used that trust to steal from him and make unauthorized purchases for her personal benefit.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.