The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department arrested a caregiver on charges of financial elder abuse. Christina Dee Bailon, 38, was arrested Wednesday, January 13, on charges of stealing money from an 80-year-old woman in Goleta. Detectives responded to a tip from the elderly woman’s accountant, who indicated that Bailon may have been taking advantage of her employer. After conducting an investigation, deputies were able to arrest Ms. Bailon for a violation of probation and, according to a Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department news release, she is currently being charged with commercial burglary, forgery, and financial elder abuse, with her bail set at $250,000.
Christina Bailon, who worked for the woman for only two months, is suspected of having stolen and cashed checks worth a total of $10,580 from multiple bank accounts. Sheriff’s investigators are now attempting to discover whether or not Bailon is responsible for defrauding other victims- Anyone with knowledge of such activities is urged to call the Sheriff’s Anonymous Tip Line at (805) 681-4171.
In order to prevent financial elder abuse, a statement issued by the Sheriff’s Department recommended that people looking to hire a caregiver “conduct a background check and ask for references, which should be thoroughly verified.”