A mother has been accused of running a fundraiser scam after allegedly shaving her daughter's head and claiming that she has cancer.
Pamela Reed from Ohio was charged on Monday (January 8) with theft by deception after she claimed that her seven-year-old daughter, Addey Rae, had acute myeloid leukemia along with other conditions, as reported by The New York Post.
According to Law and Crime, the 41-year-old publicly masqueraded her daughter as a sick child on social media, even going as far as setting up a donation page for her cancer treatments and collecting approximately $8,000.
Community members "participated in fundraising efforts and had made monetary contributions to help the family offset medical costs," the Noble County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Read the police statement below:The deception scheme came to an end after an elementary school nurse discovered the little girl was not blind in her right eye during a regular eye exam, an arrest affidavit disclosed.
Authorities also stated that an administrator had contacted a "provider" - who referred to the child as "AR" - and confirmed that she did not have cancer or leukemia as her mom had claimed. In addition to this, it was disclosed that the records given to the school concerning Addey's health were all fabricated.
Reed then went a step further when she lied about her kid having seizures and requiring a "port" - which is an implantable reservoir that allows patients in chemotherapy to have drugs administered this way instead of needles - for her apparent cancer treatments.
She also shaved her daughter's head, urged doctors to give her constant blood tests, and caused her child to miss more than 280 hours of school, officers said.
The sheriff's office released a statement after the investigation, which read: "After obtaining information, Sheriff Mackie, along with Detectives and Children Services began an investigation into the allegation, they were able to confirm that the child did not have cancer."
Reed was arrested on Monday and transported to the Noble County Jail.
During questioning, she admitted to falsifying her child's medical documents, as well as repackaging prescriptions to seem as though they were cancer treatment medication and feeding Addey seizure medication she did not need.
The affidavit notes that Reed carried on the ruse "because she liked the support given as a result," as seen in the comment section of the public Facebook page she set up for her child, titled: "Our 'Rae' Of Sunshine – Team Addey Rae."
Most of the most recent posts have now been taken down but one from April 2020 showed a pile of blood-filled vials and Addey on her stomach as she got an ultrasound on her back.
Reed's husband has not been mentioned in any records and was not present at the time of the arrest, per Law & Crime.
It has not been disclosed whether he was aware of the alleged deception, however, the scam has led to all of the couple's children being taken away over "concerns for their safety".
Theft by deception is a fourth-degree felony and Reed's bond was set at $50,000. She was arraigned Tuesday (January 9) and will be in front of a judge in Noble County again on January 16 for a preliminary hearing.
Noble County Sheriff's Office said in a statement: "We are extremely proud of the Children’s Services staff along with law enforcement collaborative efforts to quickly act for safety these children. Child abuse and neglect isn't always cut and dry."
"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," they added.