House cleaner attacks 83-year-old woman after demanding $500 bonus, Florida cops say
A cleaning lady decided her services were worth a $500 holiday bonus and resorted to attacking the 83-year-old homeowner to get it, according to Florida investigators.
The house cleaner left on Dec. 24 carrying a stolen blank check that was cashed for nearly three times that amount, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said in a Jan. 8 news release.
The 29-year-old suspect is now facing six felony charges, including grand theft, the sheriff’s office said.
“When the victim announced that she didn’t have enough money to give her a bonus, (the suspect) responded by physically wrenching the victim’s checkbook from her hand (and) stealing a check from the checkbook,” the sheriff’s office said.
The younger woman then helped herself to a stack of holiday cards — with checks inside — that the Grant-Valkaria homeowner was preparing to mail, officials said.
An investigation revealed the blank check was cashed for $1,400, and the suspect also “used the victim’s credit card to pay her own rent along with a number of other purchases,” the sheriff’s office said.
The suspect was arrested Jan. 7 and charged with:
- Felony robbery by sudden snatching, without a firearm or weapon
- Felony aggravated battery on a person age 65 or older
- Felony forgery
- Felony passing a counterfeit instrument
- Felony fraudulent use of identification without consent involving a victim age 60 or older
- Misdemeanor fraudulent use of a credit card
- Felony grand theft
Her bond was set at $30,000, the sheriff’s office said.
Grant-Valkaria is about an 80-mile drive southeast from Orlando.
This story was originally published January 9, 2025 at 1:07 PM with the headline "House cleaner attacks 83-year-old woman after demanding $500 bonus, Florida cops say."