Caregiver is facing multiple charges

The home health aide is accused of stealing from a 90-year-old woman and her disabled son.

By ELENA LESLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published November 7, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Debra L. Folts of New Port Richey was immediately placed on suspension by her employer.

TARPON SPRINGS - Authorities arrested a home health aide Tuesday after police said she burglarized the home of a former client and bought more than $200 worth of groceries using stolen checks.

Debra Folts of New Port Richey was charged with exploitation of the elderly or disabled, grand theft, residential burglary and uttering a forged instrument, according to the Tarpon Springs Police Department.

"She stole all the furniture," said Police Department spokeswoman Barbara Templeton. "She cleaned them out."

Folts was employed by Mobile Personal Services based out of New Port Richey when she worked as a caregiver for Doris Gaspelin, 90, and her disabled son, Craig Nichols, 69, of Tarpon Springs.

When the two were moved to a nursing facility in October, a neighbor reportedly witnessed Folts pull up to their house with a van and trailer and remove the furniture, Templeton said.

The neighbor called Gaspelin and Nichols to ask about their things and learned they had not given Folts permission to do this, she said.

The neighbor contacted authorities.

Detectives investigated and learned that Folts also had stolen checks from one of the victims between August and October and used $229.40 for groceries at Publix in Tarpon Springs and cashed $675 in Pasco County, Templeton said.

Mobile Personal Services immediately placed Folts on suspension after being contacted by detectives.

Folts was being held at the Pinellas County jail in lieu of $30,000 bail Tuesday.

Elena Lesley can be reached at elesley@sptimes.com or 727 445-4167.

[Last modified November 6, 2007, 22:02:39]