2 US women drove dead man to withdraw $1,200 from bank
Two women in Ohio face charges in a bizarre case of theft in which they allegedly drove a dead man to a bank to withdraw US$900 (S$1,200) from his account, according to United States media.
Loreen Bea Feralo, 55, and Karen Casbohm, 63, were charged on March 4 over driving the body of 80-year-old Douglas Layman to a bank drive-through in Ashtabula city in Ohio, according to the New York Post.
After withdrawing the sum, the women dropped the body off at an emergency room at Ashtabula County Medical Centre without identifying Mr Layman or themselves.
One of the women called the hospital a few hours later and provided some personal information about Mr Layman, and the authorities were able to identify him, said Ashtabula police chief Robert Stell on March 7, according to Fox News.
Officers were then dispatched to Mr Layman’s home and spoke to the two women, who said he had died at his home in Ashtabula earlier in the day.
Mr Layman’s cause of death is currently unknown, and officials said an autopsy to determine his death could take eight months.
The women, who are not related to Mr Layman but lived with him, moved his body into their vehicle with the aid of a third unnamed person.
Chief Stell said Mr Layman’s body was positioned in the front seat of the vehicle so that bank staff could see him to make the withdrawal.
“The bank had allowed this previously, as long as they were accompanied by him,” said Chief Stell.
AP reported that the women were driven to commit the theft due to pressing bills that they needed to pay.
They were charged with theft and gross abuse of a body. Ohio police said investigations are ongoing.
Casbohm was put on trial and ordered to be held on a US$5,000 bond, while Feralo is scheduled for trial.
If convicted, they could face up to a year in prison on each charge.
Chief Stell told Fox News that the two women could face additional charges.
This was not the first time the women were accused of committing a crime.
The New York Post reported that Feralo and Casbohm had previously been convicted of drug possession, trespassing and theft.
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