Ghoul Feeds on Dead Parent

January 26, 2011 permalink

When a foster/adoptive mother found she was dying of cancer, she established a trust fund for her son. Where did the money go? It was embezzled by social worker Kimberly Coelho.

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DA: Social worker stole death benefits from foster child

By Richard Liebson • rliebson@lohud.com • January 25, 2011

A social worker from White Plains has been accused of stealing $16,260 worth of death benefits from a 16-year-old client who was under her supervision.

Kimberly Coelho, 46, of 37 Waldo Ave., was charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony, after her arrest Monday by investigators from the Westchester County District Attorney's Office.

Coelho, a social worker at the Irvington-based Abbott House social service agency, is accused of making numerous withdrawals from a Social Security Death Benefit fund account that was set up for the 16-year-old boy last year by his foster mother. Authorities said the foster mother had adopted the boy and was dying of cancer when she started the account and gave Coelho access to it.

Following the adoptive mother's death, the boy was sent to another foster home and his new foster parent reported in November that money was missing from the account.

An investigation by the DA's office revealed that Coelho allegedly withdrew money several times last year between April and November.

Coelho, who is to be arraigned in White Plains City Court on Feb. 7, faces up to seven years in state prison if convicted.

Source: Hudson Valley Journal News