North Texas family says former caregiver tormented them for months
NORTH TEXAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – A North Texas family hired a caregiver for help around the house. Instead, they say, that decision has led to nearly a year of theft, torment, even threats.
With her mobility issues and her husband's dementia, Sally Wilkerson needed help around the house. She hired a company called ComforCare to provide aides for in-home care. That's how she met her caregiver last May. "She took me to the beauty salon, and to the grocery store, various things," said Wilkerson. "She always seemed nice."
Two weeks after the woman started, she suddenly left, saying her daughter had a medical emergency. It wasn't long before Wilkerson had an emergency of her own. "I had a credit card charge in the middle of the night," said Wilkerson. "And it said I had spent $6,000 at Neiman Marcus!"
Wilkerson says the caregiver had stolen financial records, social security cards, and blank checks while she was supposed to be caring for Wilkerson's husband. Wilkerson called the bank, but it was too late. "I couldn't believe it! They had taken around $50,000."
The family contacted police and called ComforCare. In a statement, the company told CBS News Texas I-Team that it requires every worker "to complete background checks with government reporting agencies. Upon learning of this situation, our office immediately terminated her employment."
The caregiver was gone, but the family's troubles continued. They say the woman and her boyfriend repeatedly applied for credit cards and loans using the Wilkersons' information. "This has been going on since June," said Wilkerson. "I've been hemorrhaging money!"
But, she says, they wanted more. Wilkerson received text messages that included her own social security number, along with a message demanding $10,000 cash and threatening to kidnap her daughter.
In another text, the person claimed to be outside the Wilkerson home. Then the phone calls started. "They were going to blow our house up, they were going to kidnap her from work and kill her," said Wilkerson. "I mean, we didn't know what to think."
A spokesperson for the Carrollton Police Department tells the I-Team detectives are filing a case with the Denton County District Attorney's Office this week. After months of investigating, detectives realized the caregiver had used a stolen identity to get the caregiver job, saying "Brittany McDowell is the true suspected person in this case." McDowell is facing charges of Forgery Against an Elderly Person, Fraudulent Use-Possession of Identify Information of an Elderly Person, and Fraudulent Use of Identifying Information. A second person, Kiissac Woods, is also charged with Forgery in connection to the investigation.
While the Wilkersons' case is extreme, caregiver theft is relatively common, and usually involves other family members. A 2019 federal report found that 19% of elder theft cases are committed by a non-family caregiver.
Steve Benton works with the Senior Source, helping senior citizens who have been financially exploited. He says caregiver theft is a crime that is all too easy to commit. "It's not like you're robbing a bank," he said. "You're in somebody's private home and nobody is looking."
When it comes to hiring help, Benton says you have to do your homework. "There are a lot of good paid caregivers out there. The whole industry isn't corrupt, it's just that you have to be very careful when you're hiring."
He suggests:
- Removing valuable jewelry from the home
- Locking up financial information
- Installing cameras
- Making unannounced visits during the caregiver's shift
He says it's up to the adult children to take an active role in their parents' security. "You've got to do a more aggressive job of monitoring the caregivers yourself."
The I-Team asked ComforCare about its hiring process. While the owner of the Irving location would not directly address the Wilkersons' case, in an email she told the I-Team "background checks are always conducted on time for everyone we employ before placed. We have a goal to also consistently check references. We have reviewed our policies from the top down to ensure reference checks are conducted every time."
For Sally Wilkerson those assurances are too little, too late. "She was supposed to be helping us and making our life easier, and she was making our life a nightmare!"