A mom shaved her 7-year old daughter’s head and told her she was dying in a cancer fundraising scam.
Cancer Scam
46-year old Juanita Garcia ran a scam in which she raised cash by telling strangers in her community that her 7-year old daughter only had months to live with terminal cancer and needed money for treatment.
Garcia even convinced her daughter that she was sick, and shaved her head to give the appearance that the girl was undergoing treatment.
Child Protective Services in the Mission, Texas area discovered the scam and reported Garcia to the Sheriff’s Office. They also removed the girl from the home.
A news release from the Sheriff’s Office explained, “During questioning, Garcia admitted to investigators that her daughter had never been diagnosed with cancer, and that she had obtained monetary donations from various persons.”
Garcia was charged with exploitation of a child, a third-degree felony.
Sergeant J.P. Rodriguez of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office said that this shouldn’t prevent people from donating to worthy causes. “We don’t want to discourage people from participating in fundraisers but we do want them to be cautious and we want them to vet and confirm the information,” he said.