A child, born in 2004, suffered a brachial plexus injury. Because of the severity of the damage, the girl was left with limited, if any, function in her right arm. Rightfully, her mother filed a suit against St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in New York in 2007 on behalf of her daughter.
A settlement was reached in the suit, and the payments were structured so that the girl would begin receiving them after her 18th birthday. To seed the account, $50,000 was placed at Cross County Federal Savings. That money was to be used for the child’s benefit.
According to reports, Megan Mele, 31, was required to make an official request of the courts to withdraw any money from that account. On March 27, 2015, Mele gave the bank a forged court order that stated the child was going to have surgery in San Diego. The bank issued a check to Mele, in her name, for $47,000.
An investigation showed that no such surgery existed. Instead, Mele used the money for a trip to Disneyland, airline tickets, purchases on Amazon.com, and on a tummy tuck for herself.
The bank grew suspicious when Mele gave them two more court orders later in the year to withdraw the remainder of the money. The bank alerted authorities who then discovered what Mele had done.
The woman is now facing up to 15 years in prison.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a medical professional, please call our office. A member of our team will review the details of your case at no cost to you and provide you with your options. Call today or browse our website at your convenience to learn more about our firm and how we can assist you.