Background: The Dixie County Courthouse in Cross City, Fla. (Google Maps). Insets (left to right): Edward Downing and Stephanie Skeris (Dixie County Sheriff”s Office).
The parents of a Florida teenager were arrested after police said they started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the teen’s cancer treatment — but the teen was never diagnosed with cancer.
Edward Downing and Stephanie Skeris were charged with fraud and child neglect after the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office said they raised money in their community to pay for their son’s medical costs, but used the money for “personal purchases” including gas, shopping, and restaurant meals. The alleged ruse started after the couple brought their then-15-year-old son to the doctor in December 2024 after he experienced weight loss and other unspecified medical concerns.
But authorities learned that the teenager was never diagnosed with any form of cancer. That did not stop Downing and Skeris from allegedly creating “multiple fundraisers” and telling people in their community that their son had cancer that affected several of his internal organs.
According to March 2025 news coverage by local ABC affiliate WCJB, Downing told the station, “[W]e found out that he has cancer, and I don’t really know how to take this. As a father, all I can do is love him day by day, just hoping he gets better.”
WCJB also spoke to the then-15-year-old, who said, “I noticed a small bump on my chest, but I was acting pretty normal. I saw it pop up a little bit, told my mom about it, and then we went to the hospital.”
Skeris was also quoted in the story, saying of the community’s help following her son’s diagnosis, “It helps tremendously to pay for his doctor visits, so it’s not so hard on us and everything else.”
In addition to local fundraisers at businesses in their Old Town, Florida, community, Downing and Skeris also started a GoFundMe, which resulted in a single $25 donor who has since been refunded, according to Oxygen.com.
Investigators soon uncovered a dedicated bank account that held the money raised for the teen’s medical treatment. The couple, however, allegedly used that money for personal purchases, including retail transactions, fuel, restaurant meals, and cash withdrawals.
Authorities said the teen did have “legitimate” medical issues, and Medicaid covered the cost of those treatments. The teen was later removed from his parents’ custody after concerns were raised about his “well-being and medical care.”
Downing and Skeris were charged with scheme to defraud, communications fraud, and child neglect. They were released from custody after posting $75,000 bond. Both are scheduled to be arraigned on April 7.
