By Sheryl Roadcap
COVINGTON — A former employee of Stillwater Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation on Mote Drive in Covington has been indicted in the Common Pleas Court of Miami County on theft charges.
Tamara M. O’Toole, 40, of Piqua, has been indicted on one count of theft from a person in a protected class, a second-degree felony.
According to a report from the Covington Police Department, police responded to Stillwater Skilled Nursing facility on Jan. 19 at 3:13 p.m. on a fraud complaint. Police were informed by Stillwater Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Regional Director of Operations Michael Thompson O’Toole’s employment had been suspended and numerous patients were missing money from their accounts.
During a follow-up interview with Thompson on Jan. 27, he told police when the nursing home staff questioned O’Toole, she alleged indicated the checks in question went directly into her personal account. O’Toole also alleged she was purchasing some items for patients, of which some patients were aware and some were not.
The police report said when O’Toole was questioned on Jan. 18 about a $20,000 check, she allegedly was unable to provide a receipt and said the money was supposed to be for funeral arrangements; the arrangements cost were $3,172. According to the report, when an audit was conducted by the nursing facility, all checks came up, and O’Toole allegedly “paid back a good portion of the money in cash, checks and Walmart gift cards” after she was informed law enforcement was involved. The police report said a total of $58,718.05 was returned; $16,988.83 was not returned.
The indictment states O’Toole “did with purpose to deprive the owner of property or services, knowingly obtain or exert control over either the property or services without the consent of the owner or person authorized to give consent in violation of Ohio Revised Code, theft from person in protected class, a felony of the second degree, against the peace and dignity of the state of Ohio. Further, the victim of the offense is an elderly person and the value of the property or services stolen is $37,500 or more and less than $150,000.”
