SMYRNA, DELAWARE (8/26/2015) A Frederica woman has been charged by Smyrna police with stealing $50,000 from an 84-year-old patient in her care.
Police said the arrest of 51-year-old Dawn Cirillo came after an investigation that began in March, 2014, with a report of suspicious activity on the victim’s checking accounts, credit cards and money market accounts.
“After a lengthy investigation detectives were able to determine that as early as August, 2012, Cirillo, who was hired as an in-home caretaker of the victim, began forging checks from the victim’s accounts and unlawfully using the victim’s credit cards,” Cpl. Brandon L. Dunning said.
Cirillo voluntarily turned herself into the Smyrna Police Department on Tuesday. She was charged with theft $1,500 or greater and where the victim is 62 years of age or older, 15 counts of unlawful use of a credit card, 22 counts of forgery and 20 counts of theft under $1,500 where victim is 62 years of age or older. She was released on $128,000 unsecured bond pending a future court appearance.