BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Two local residents who allegedly stole approximately $46,033.41 from their elderly mother are scheduled to stand for hearings in court next week.
Court documents indicate 48-year-old Frederick Scott Baughman, of Summerville, and 50-year-old Alicia McCracken, of Brookville, are scheduled to stand for preliminary hearings in front of Magisterial District Judge Gregory M. Bazylak at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 7.
The hearings were previously continued twice, on October 10 and November 5.
Baughman and McCracken each face the following charges:
– Theft By Deception-False Impression, Felony 3
– Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3
– Other Reason Access Device Is Unauthauthorized By Issuer, Felony 3
– Theft By Failure To Make Required Disp of Funds, Felony 3
The charges stem from an investigation initiated in April of 2019.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, on April 13, Officer Turnbull, of the Brookville Borough Police Department, received a request to respond to a location on Pride Street in Brookville for a report of harassment of a known victim and her daughter, Alicia McCracken, by her son, Frederick Scott Baughman.
Officer Turnbull responded to the residence where he was met by McCracken outside.
According to the complaint, McCracken reported that Baughman had come to the residence earlier in the day and began to bang on the doors and windows attempting to get inside. She said Baughman was let inside and then threatened her and their mother, saying to give him money or he would take the car, which is the only means of transportation McCracken and her mother have.
The complaint notes the car had since been signed over to Baughman by the mother.
McCracken told Officer Turnbull she gave Baughman $150.00 of her money to get him to leave. She went on to note that her mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia and that she is the power of attorney (POA) and executive of the estate. She also noted that she and Baughman are joint medical power of attorney for their mother and disclosed that she had a fight with her Mother approximately a month and a half earlier, and Baughman had taken care of their mother during that time.
According to the complaint, McCracken reported she felt their mother had gotten worse and was scared of Baughman when McCracken took back over her primary care. She noted she requested a urine test from their mother’s primary care physician as she feared Baughman may have “done something to her.”
McCracken also explained that she had observed checks to be missing and her mother’s bank account to be very low and said she believes Baughman may have taken approximately $40,000.00 of their mother’s money with no legitimate authority to do so.
Officer Turnbull informed McCracken he did not believe the initial report of harassment was in fact harassment, as she could not prohibit Baughman from returning to the property since he is also a medical power of attorney for their mother and can use that as a reason to return to the residence. He also informed her that if she took her mother to her own residence, she would be able to tell Baughman to leave, unless a medical issue was occurring. Officer Turnbull also advised McCracken to contact the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) to further assist with their mother in the event Baughman would take the car, as he had the legal right to do so, and further explained that AAA would begin an investigation into the theft and possible abuse while he began the police investigation so the agencies could work together.
Officer Turnbull told McCracken if she believed money was stolen, she should gather all bank records, signature cards, and all other asset-related information from the day she took over as POA. He also explained police would need medical records of her mother’s diagnoses along with the results of the urine test if it was abnormal.
McCracken agreed to get the records to the police department as soon as possible.
Officer Turnbull met with McCracken again on May 5 and reviewed bank records from May 2017 through March 2019.
According to the complaint, the review of the records found that the victim’s account had been used approximately 50 times at a local pharmacy totaling approximately $2,200.00, approximately 117 times at a local market for a total of more than $8,400.00, and approximately 58 $300.00 ATM withdrawals were made totaling approximately $17,400.00. There were also $4,553.41 in checks written to Baughman and his significant other actually signed by the victim for various expenses, which were endorsed and cashed.
The complaint notes the records also showed McCracken had issued herself approximately $6,700 in checks during the time period.
The victim was unable to drive during the time under investigation, according to the complaint, and medical records showed she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. Her medical provider also noted the belief she was incapable of making money-related decisions.
McCracken denied making any of the noted purchases during the time.
The complaint also notes that search warrants were served for McCracken and Baughman’s banking information which showed that neither party had the means or funds to repay the money to the victim.
According to the complaint, Frederick Baughman is accused of stealing approximately $21,933.41 from his mother.
Alicia McCracken is accused of stealing approximately $24,100.00 from her mother, the complaint states.
The charges were filed through Magisterial District Judge Gregory M Bazylak’s office on Tuesday, September 3.
Read more: https://www.explorejeffersonpa.com/.
