Health aide accused of stealing from elderly woman

YARMOUTH, Mass. (WHDH) -- A home health care aide who is accused of stealing $23,000 from an elderly woman on Cape Cod appeared in court on Friday. The victim's daughter alerted police when she noticed money was missing from her mother's checking account.

The suspect, who has a lengthy record, is already on probation -- convicted of forging prescriptions. Now, she has been charged with forging checks.

Laurie Souza allegedly confessed to police that she stole from an elderly woman, for whom she was caring, at the woman's Cape Cod home.

“What it looks like happened was she was getting some of the checks, and writing out the checks to herself, or signing the woman’s' name or forging, uttering. That type of thing, and then cashing the checks," said Dep. Chief Steven Xiarhos.

Police say Souza had been stealing money for almost eight months, and made off with over $23,000.

The victim's daughter unraveled the scene when she couldn't find one of the check books they used to pay the round-the-clock help.

Police say that's when the victim’s daughter went to the bank to sort things out, and discovered the money was missing. Souza did not work for an agency, but came to the family by word of mouth, according to investigators.

“We don't believe anyone else was involved but those are things we have to investigate further because this woman had 24-hour care by three or four different people and this person was one of that group. You have to be extra careful when you have someone in your home with access to all that," said Chief Xiarhos.

Police say by the time the investigation is over, they may find that even more money has been stolen.

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