HUDSON - A 45-year-old woman is accused of stealing between $20,000and $30,000 from First United Methodist Church, 13123 U.S. 19 in Hudson, since 2003, authorities say, money that parents were paying to the church for children's day care.
Deborah Shields, of 15422 Banjo Dr., was charged Friday with grand theft and booked into the Pasco County jail, where she was released Saturday after posting $5,000 bail.
According to a Pasco Sheriff's Office report, Shields was in charge of accepting payments from parents and delivering the money to the church office to be deposited. After Shields quit, the report said, an audit revealed $39,232.18 was missing from the church, along with receipt books and attendance records.
Payments were missing from 12 parents, the report said, but those parents turned over receipts showing they had paid for daycare services. When a deputy questioned Shields, according to the report, she admitted to stealing between $20,000 and $30,000 over the past three years.
