Saturday, July 11, 2009

Austin police seek caretaker accused of taking out credit cards in disabled client's name

From KVUE News:

Austin Police have issued an arrest warrant for a caretaker of the mentally disabled for using personal information from one of her disabled clients to open up a credit account where police say she purchased more than $1,000 in products for herself.

Tommie Yvette McKinney, 46, is charged with Injury to a Disabled Person, a 3rd degree felony. She runs several boarding homes for the mentally disabled in Northeast Austin.

A client living in one of them, Zoe's Place, 2409 Loyola Lane, complained to Austin police that McKinney opened up a credit account at Conn's electronics store in the client's name without her permission. An arrest warrant affidavit says McKinney used the account to buy furniture and exercise equipment which she had delivered to her home.

A computer search revealed a laundry list of prior convictions and arrests for McKinney, some of them dating back to 1987, most of which include theft.

Austin detectives want to know if there are any other victims out there.

"This is the only victim we know of right now . What we're saying is if there's anyone else who was at the group home called Zoe's Place, if they feel that they were a victim or if there's something (not quite right) with their credit card (statement) … to come forward and call police," says Sergeant Richard Stresing with the Austin Police Department.

A spokesperson with the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services says Zoe's Place did not have to be licensed or regulated by the state because it wasn't doing service that would require them to have a license.

As of July 10, McKinney had not turned herself into authorities.