Woman arrested for allegedly exploiting her elderly grandmother
By Melinda Harrell
Published in News on June 23, 2017 1:46 PM
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Tiffany Marie Anstey
A Goldsboro woman was arrested today for allegedly exploiting her 86-year-old grandmother.
Tiffany Marie Anstey, 33, 103 Buttercup Lane, was charged by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office with the exploitation of a disabled or elder adult through a position of trust, according to a press release issued by the sheriff's office.
Deputies began investigating Anstey after receiving an April 23 report that an elderly woman was locked out of her home.
Deputies responded to the call and found the elderly woman wandering in the area and contacted the Adult Protective Services at the Wayne County Department of Social Services.
The woman, whose identity was not released, was taken to a safe place and is under the care of adult protective service workers, said Capt. Richard Lewis, with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
"They have placed (the victim) in a facility," Lewis said.
Lewis' investigation revealed that Anstey is the victim's granddaughter who had allegedly exploited her grandmother for an extended period of time, according to the press release.
Exploitation of a disabled or elder adult can include misappropriation of finances and property, Lewis said.
"Exploitation of an elder can include their finances and their property," he said. "An example of that would be taking their money.
"I am not talking about this particular case, but using funds for their benefit instead of for the benefit of the elderly adult is an example."
Paula Edwards, director of the Wayne County Services on Aging and the Peggy Seegars Center, said exploitation of the elderly is prevalent.
Edwards said elder exploitation is a form of abuse.
"You have abuse, which sometimes happens through family members, and that can be through neglect, physical or financial," she said.
"That could be someone who takes their money, who doesn't use their money properly or for their benefit, and then their is physical abuse -- like hitting -- or neglect, which is a failure to care for them."
Edwards said that many cases go unreported because the victim may have dementia or Alzheimer's Disease, which makes them incapable of reporting it themselves or -- with many cases involving a family member -- they do not want to get their loved one in any trouble or have no one else to care for them.
Edwards said if there is suspicion of abuse or exploitation, people should call the Wayne County Sheriff's Office or the Department of Social Services.