A New Jersey woman is accused of falsely claiming that her 4-year-old son had died of cancer and then creating a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral, authorities said Thursday.
According to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, Holly Garcia, 33, of Pemberton Township was charged with computer criminal activity and attempted theft by deception, WTXF reported.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the boy had not died and had been adopted by another Pemberton Township couple after Garcia signed away her parental rights, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The investigation began in June, when the adoptive parents told police the boy’s photo was being used in a GoFundMe campaign, WTXF reported. The fundraiser was seeking $5,000 for funeral expenses for the boy, who Garcia claimed had died of cancer, the television station reported.
Investigators determined that Garcia had created the GoFundMe campaign, plus four others created under false pretenses, according to KYW.
Other campaigns sought money for an urn for her dead son’s ashes, assistance for her child who was going blind and whose father had died, and help raising rent money for an apartment because she claimed she was four months pregnant and homeless, according to WTXF.
The campaigns raised more than $11,000, but Garcia did not receive any of the donations, the television station reported. GoFundMe removed the campaigns after learning they were not legitimate.
GoFundMe removed the campaigns after they were made aware they were not legitimate.
Garcia was arrested Sept. 24 and was released last week after a court appearance, WTXF reported.
Cox Media Group
