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Caregiver Charged After Woman's Savings Disappear

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By JO-ANN JOHNSTON, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

DADE CITY - Doris Hutton was almost able to make it to age 84 without exhausting her modest life savings.

She's been safely residing with her son Ron, 48, in his home in Ridge Manor for the past two years. She became too feeble to stay alone in her Dade City home, so she and Ron agreed she would sell her little house and come to live in his doublewide mobile home in the country. The $35,000 from the sale of her home went into a bank account to cover various medical expenses, her eventual burial costs, and things she wanted to buy with her own money, such as food for her Siamese. It was a sensible plan - not lavish by any stretch - but it afforded Doris Hutton some continued financial dignity.

Now, the elderly woman's money is gone, most of it stolen, according to authorities. 'The confirmed loss to the victim is $21,881.62,' Hernando County Sheriff's Office Detective Jeffrey Kraft wrote in the criminal complaint.

The detective and Hutton's son both blame 28-year-old Amy Holloman, who was arrested in Dade City on Monday. Holloman is a Pasco County resident and former elder caregiver Ron Hutton hired to look after his mom during the day when he works in Tampa as a heavy-equipment mechanic.
Holloman faces a single charge of exploitation of the elderly, a felony. She is being held with bail set at $50,000 in the Hernando County Jail, awaiting arraignment Dec. 4.
Holloman was appointed a public defender Thursday, but the attorney could not be reached Friday for comment. The two phone numbers the Huttons had used to reach Holloman and her family have been disconnected.

Ron Hutton, however, said this week he is eager to tell his side of the story to alert others who know Holloman to come forward with more information and to call the Hernando sheriff's office at (352) 754-6830.

Hutton said he wants to warn families away from misjudgments that made his mom vulnerable to financial exploitation after she slipped into dementia, then Alzheimer's.

Incidents of theft by unscrupulous in-home caregivers 'are far more prevalent and common than most people realize,' said Sean Cardigan, director of the Elder Justice Center in Tampa. And problems are likely to increase as Florida's population of people 80 and older grows, said Dave Burns, AARP state spokesman.

Mom's Health Was Failing

Doris Hutton still was alert two years ago when she came to live with her son. She was frail, but still able to walk around the house, watch television and eat on her own during the day, Ron Hutton said.

Then she started having hallucinations. She called the sheriff's office to report seeing things in the yard. Deputies found nothing and alerted him.

Hutton felt pressure to get someone to monitor his mother before things got worse.

The mother and son considered a nursing home only briefly. She tried staying in one in Dade City for two days, he said, but his mother was frightened there. He brought her home.

Ron Hutton called different agencies, trying to get through on his short breaks from work. It was hard to reach people, and offices were closed by the time he got out of work. He couldn't afford to take time off.

When he did reach different offices, he was told his mother had too much money in the bank to qualify for their programs, or that they didn't have services in rural Ridge Manor.

Hutton consulted his brother, and through family and friends, came up with Holloman's name as a potential caregiver. She had done this work before, had references and was willing to work for $7 an hour.
Holloman was kind to the elderly lady, and even took her to the beach once. The caregiver earned the son's trust by taking care of extra chores such as the time she mowed the lawn.

Doris Hutton paid Holloman by check from her account, photocopies of checks confirm. Ron Hutton also confirmed he let Holloman help his mother write checks because it was easier on his hectic schedule.

At first, Hutton said he didn't notice that the bank statements weren't coming to the house anymore.

The household routine changed a bit when Hutton met his new girlfriend, Lisa Reedy, and she started assisting with Doris Hutton's care. That's when Holloman started to slip from scene, coming to work fewer days, calling in with stories of a serious illness and asking Reedy to cover for her.

Hutton and Reedy retrieved past bank account statements sent to another address and were alarmed by several entries. They received a shock: Doris Hutton suddenly had a debit card and the card was used to withdraw money. They called police.

'Blatant Theft'

Detective Kraft opened the case, and according to his later affidavit, 'discovered blatant theft from the victim. The loss incurred includes checks, cash withdrawals, debit card purchases and bank charges of $1,190.90, in addition to the actual theft of more than $21,000 because of the defendant's fraudulent activity.' The affidavit states Kraft is trying to track down another $10,000.

Bank records show that some money went directly to Holloman, some to people she knows, some to various phone and electric utilities, the affidavit details. And in June, almost $600 was spent at Busch Gardens.

Kraft's investigation showed something Ron Hutton didn't know when he hired Holloman, and didn't know how to research. Holloman had a criminal record with convictions of passing worthless checks, dealing in stolen property and grand theft - some more than seven years ago - and records of failing to appear in court as required.

Hutton also did not know that Holloman had sometimes been known as Amy Tanaka.

An overwhelmed Hutton is trying to sort out his mother's financial mess while holding down his job. He's furious at Holloman, he said, but is letting the law handle the matter.

He's distraught and feels he let his frugal, hard-working mother down when she was vulnerable. 'I feel like I dropped the ball for her.'

Doctors have told Hutton she is slipping away now. 'I'm trying to make things good for her in her last few days.'

ADVICE FOR FAMILIES

• Search for information on caregiving on the Web site www.aarp.org.

• Before hiring a caregiver, go to the Web site for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and get a criminal background check on the person. Some checks require fees of $23 to $55 and take some time.

• Don't allow personal caregivers to handle financial matters.

Sources: AARP, Elder Justice Center

Reporter Jo-Ann Johnston can be reached at (352) 521-3062 or jfjohnston@tampatrib.com.

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