Nursing Assistant Arrested For Charging Payments On New Smyrna Patient's Card

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New Smyrna Beach, FL - A Daytona Beach nursing assistant, who was taking care of a 41-year-old disabled female patient in New Smyrna, was arrested after Volusia County Sheriff's Office (VCSO) says she used the patient's debit card to rack up more than $1,500 in fraudulent charges. 33-year-old Ureka Harris was employed by America’s Best Caregivers (ABC) and served several times as a fill-in caretaker at the home of the disabled patient. The patient receives continuous care from home health-care workers, according to VCSO. On Wednesday, the patient alerted VCSO that someone had used her Wells Fargo debit card without her permission and rang up $1,574.08 in payments. Ten fraudulent charges were made since July 24. Some of the payments were to Florida Power & Light, Direct General Insurance, the City of Daytona Beach, and Boost Mobile. Deputies investigated the case and traced the payments back to Harris. Harris was arrested on Thursday and is charged with illegal use of credit cards more than twice and grand theft of less than $5,000. When interviewed by investigators, Harris said the patient had allowed her to use the debit card once to pay an FP&L utility bill. Harris has since been fired from ABC and has had her CNA nursing license revoked.

(Harris's mugshot courtesy Volusia County jail)

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