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Care facility manager allegedly stole from client
Police say a woman who once worked as a manager at a care facility in North Phoenix is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a client who lived there. FOX 10's Lauren Clark has more.
PHOENIX - A woman who once worked as a manager at a care facility in North Phoenix is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a person who lived at the facility.
Here's what to know.
Who's the suspect?
Melissa May McDougal
Court documents identify the suspect as 41-year-old Melissa May McDougal.
What happened?
The case, according to investigators, began in August 2022, when McDougal was working as a manager at a care facility located to the north of 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road.
While investigators did name the alleged victim in court documents, that person's identity was redacted from the documents that we received.
"It was known amongst select managers [that the alleged victim] was a wealthy client and the only resident who paid the monthly $9,000 cost without any government assistance," read a portion of the court documents. "[McDougal] knew [the alleged victim] was lonely and vulnerable as she did not have a spouse, children nor any living relatives. Her best friends lived primarily out of state, and could only visit her once a year."
Officials say an investigation was prompted by a pastor who visited the alleged victim just days before she died in January 2024. The alleged victim reportedly told the pastor that she had befriended an employee at the facility who was helping her with her finances.
The pastor later told a nursing director at the facility what happened, and the director started an investigation.
Police say a nursing manager and a social worker later went through the alleged victim's room, and "found a checkbook ledger showing high dollar checks written in the name of Melissa McDougal." The alleged victim's tablet was also accessed, and it was found that there was still transaction on the alleged victim's bank account, even after her passing.
McDougal, per court documents, was interviewed by managers at the facility on Jan. 22, 2024, and admitted she had accepted a $7,000 check from the alleged victim, but "claimed she tore it up because [the alleged victim] had mistakenly written it."
"[McDougal's] only admission in regards to accepting money from [the alleged victim] was a check for reimbursement for a new phone" that McDougal had bought.
Investigators say McDougal, in her position, has no reason to have any regular contact with the alleged victim. In fact, investigators said there is a policy at the facility that bans employees from befriending clients and accepting any form of gift or money from a client.
In February, court documents state that investigators with Adult Protective Service interviewed the suspect, who made "vague admissions" to violating the facility's policy on befriending clients, and removing her from the facility on more than one occasion by driving her to places.
Police later got involved in the case, according to court documents, and discovered that McDougal allegedly pawned 267 items including necklaces, rings, bracelets, and pendants, totaling over $38,000. Additionally, records obtained via search warrants showed that from August 2022 to January 2024, McDougal allegedly received $191,050.21 from the alleged victim, and the money was received via three separate accounts.
Investigators also noted that a law firm that was named the executor of the alleged victim's estate desired prosecution in this matter. The suspect was arrested at a new workplace, located in Peoria, on Dec. 18.
We reached out to the facility where the suspect was working at when she was arrested, and we were told the person best suited to answer questions was not available.
What did the suspect say after she was arrested?
Police say in an interview that was done after McDougal was read her Miranda rights, she admitted to receiving money from the alleged victim.
"[McDougal] admitted she broke company policy by befriending [the alleged victim] and accepting her money, but she denied this was a theft," read a portion of the court documents. "She claimed [the alleged victim] wanted her to have the money."
What is the suspect being accused of?
The suspect is accused of one count of theft - control of property (A.R.S. 13-1802A1), which is a Class 2 felony.
A judge has set a bond of $100,000 for McDougal. Should the suspect make bail, she would be placed under a number of conditions, including a ban on having "the care or physical custody of any incapacitated or vulnerable person while this case is pending, even temporarily."
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30.