An Ohio woman has been arrested after she allegedly faked her daughter’s cancer diagnosis in order to rake in $8,000 in donations.
Pamela Reed is accused of providing documentation to her daughter’s school alleging that the seven-year-old had cancer, according to partially redacted court documents.
The 41-year-old also allegedly told educators that her daughter, whose name was not revealed in the court documents, was “blind in her right eye and would be having a port implanted in the near future for her cancer treatments,” the documents state.
Reed is also believed to have “posted numerous statements on Facebook about [her daughter] having cancer.”
In a post on Facebook, the Noble County Sheriff’s Office said several local organisations “participated in fund raising efforts and had made monetary contributions to help the family offset medical expenses.”
The post added that Reed received a donation of “approximately $8,000” from one local organisation “to aid in the cancer treatment expenses.”
Pamela Reed, 41, who was arrested for allegedly faking her daughter’s cancer diagnosis— (Noble County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)
Reed was questioned by authorities after her daughter’s school, Shenandoah Elementary School, became suspicious about her claims following an eye exam that was conducted on the seven-year-old child.
Court documents also state the school became concerned because the girl had missed “over 280 hours of school for this year already.”
A school administrator then contacted a health care provider, who confirmed the child “did not have” and “never had” cancer or leukaemia, leading the school to contact the sheriff’s office and Noble County Children’s Services.
Reed was questioned by authorities on 8 January, according to the documents, at which point she allegedly admitted that her daughter did not have cancer and that she had altered documents from a provider to say her daughter had leukaemia, which she then sent to the school.
She also allegedly admitted that she shaved her daughter’s hair and that the girl’s hair wasn’t short due to cancer treatments, according to the court documents.
She also stated that she posted that her daughter had cancer online “because she liked the support given as a result.”
Ms Reed was arrested and charged with theft by deception. She is being held at Noble County Jail and could face up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
According to court documents, she has another 10-year-old daughter, who was removed from her home along with her sister over concerns for their safety. The documents did not state where the children currently are.
“We are extremely proud of the Children’s Services staff along with law enforcement collaborative efforts to quickly act for [the] safety of these children,” Sheriff Jason Mackie and Misty Wells, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, said in a joint statement posted to Facebook.
“Child abuse and neglect isn’t always cut and dry, cookie cutter scenarios. 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 grit and devotion of this team is inspiring,” the statement continued.
The arrest comes after Gypsy Rose Blanchard was released from prison in December, eight and a half years after she persuaded her then-boyfriend to kill her mother Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard in a desperate bid to be free of her.
For years, her mother had forced her to pretend that she was suffering from leukaemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses.
