The New Horizons Community Support Center called the Columbia Police Department to aid it in the investigation of an apparent exploitation by an employee.
According to a CPD news release, in January 2011, caseworkers at the center learned Deanna Harris has been financially exploiting a female victim. Harris worked with the victim, who has a disability.
New Horizon’s staff determined Harris had requested change from the victim, with the intent of purchasing a soda for a friend. The victim gave her the change. A day later, Harris approached the victim, informing her the drink had made her friend ill and the victim was responsible for paying the medical bills.
That hostility continued during the next several weeks, as Harris became more threatening toward the victim. She said the victim was responsible for all of Harris’ friend’s injuries and that if she refused to pay the medical bills, she would be arrested.
CPD spokeswoman Jill Wieneke said Harris’ threats were suspected to be strictly verbal.
“I can’t elaborate much,” she said. “There was no physical harm that we know of.”
The victim obliged to Harris’ demands, but they didn’t go unnoticed by the victim’s caseworkers. They reported seeing a drastic change in the victim’s financial situation, and subsequently contacted CPD.
Wieneke commended the center’s work on the case.
“Actually, I think the support center did a great job of recognizing the changes in the victim and notifying law enforcement when they heard about the changes in the victim’s financial situation,” she said. “This particular organization doesn’t have control or access to the victim’s financial information, so they were relying solely on talking to her and warning signs they saw.”
After utilizing a subpoena, CPD detectives learned the victim wrote several checks to Harris from the middle of 2010 until the present. Those checks totaled more than $7,000. Another $12,000, according to the victim, was also handed to Harris. The victim sold her CDs to obtain the additional funds.
CPD arrested Harris for financial exploitation of the elderly/disabled Thursday. A class B felony, the charge requires a judge to set Harris’ bond. Wieneke said Harris maintains that although she did work alongside the victim, she was also selling her skin-care products. Harris said she had only accepted $2,000 from the victim.
“I don’t know if that is true,” Wieneke said. “She may have been, but that was not her primary job.”
Wieneke said the charges aren’t uncommon, but she hopes victims of exploitation will contact the department.
“It doesn’t happen often, or it if does, it is not reported to us,” she said.