Background: Microscope photo provided by the National Cancer Institute shows human cells with acute myelocytic leukemia. (National Cancer Institute via AP)/Inset: Pamela Reed booking photo Noble County Sheriff’s Office
While thousands of families cope with the realities of cancer daily in the U.S., Pamela Reed, according to police in Ohio, saw an opportunity to make some cold hard cash by lying and pretending her own daughter was suffering from the disease.
In a statement posted on Facebook from the Noble County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio on Wednesday, authorities said they arrested Reed, 41, on Jan. 8 and charged her with theft by deception.
Court records show Reed was arraigned Tuesday and goes before a judge in Noble County again on Jan. 16 for a preliminary hearing. A public defender was assigned to her case. That attorney did not immediately return a request for comment.
Detectives said they were tipped off on Jan. 4 that Reed’s daughter might not actually be sick as her mother had claimed for weeks to various local organizations.
People “participated in fundraising efforts and had made monetary contributions to help the family offset medical costs,” the sheriff’s office said.
Reed allegedly collected $8,000 from unsuspecting donors in her Pleasant City, Ohio, community.
Police said during an interview, the 41-year-old woman admitted “that she had exaggerated and fabricated medical conditions to receive monetary donations from local organizations.”
Theft by deception is a fourth-degree felony. Reed’s bond was set at $50,000.
In a joint statement announcing her arrest, Noble County Sheriff Jason Mackie as well as Misty Wells, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, said: “We are extremely proud of the Children’s Services staff along with law enforcement collaborative efforts to quickly act for safety [of] these children.”
“If you as a professional or as a member of our community feel like something just isn’t quite right, don’t hesitate, make the report,” the statement said.
People who may have been victimized by Reed’s alleged scamming are asked to contact the Noble County Sheriff’s Office at 740-732-5631.
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