A couple said a health aide worker they invited into their home stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and a credit card.
May Paulissen, 84, said health aides from Vital Ambulatory Health Care Inc. were supposed to help care for her ailing husband. When the couple's regular health aide couldn't make it, the company sent Iris Guerra in her place. After one of Guerra visits to their home, Paulissen said she discovered two rings worth $8,000 missing.
"I went to get them and they were gone," said Paulissen. "One was a three and a half carat diamond."
Soon Paulissen received a call from her credit card company saying someone had also charged $500 at an Academy Store. West University police said receipts and surveillance video showed Guerra using the stolen card at the store, so she was arrested and charged with credit card abuse.
Court records show Guerra has a lengthy criminal history, including other charges for theft. That makes Paulissen even more angry, at not just Guerra, but the company that sent her.
"This woman who has all these theft raps, coming into my house," said Paulissen, "I think that they were very negligent to send someone like that."
A spokesperson for the company said she ran Guerra's criminal history and only found DWI charges. The spokesperson said had they known Guerra had previously been arrested for theft, the company would not have hired her. The company official also said they terminated Guerra for failing to meet performance expectations, before they heard about her latest arrest. The spokesperson said at least one other client has also complained about Guerra stealing jewelry.
Police are still investigating Guerra for the missing jewelry.