Crime Journal

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

ST.PETERSBURG

Woman accused of neglecting elderly people

The owner of two adult care facilities was arrested Thursday on charges related to neglecting elderly people in her care, the state Attorney General's Office said. Jennifer Cason, 50, the owner of Angel Heart Adult Care and Angel Heart Manor, faces two counts of neglecting an elderly person or disabled adult. State authorities began their investigation after Medicaid fraud investigators found one resident who had been sick for three days without receiving any medical treatment and another person who had open wounds on her leg and shoulder without getting help, according to the Attorney General's Office. Both residents were taken to local hospitals, authorities said.

TAMPA

Female jogger fights off attacker

A 39-year-old woman jogging in the Westchase community was attacked Wednesday evening by a masked man who tried to pull her into the woods, according to the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office. It was about 8:20 p.m., and the woman was headed north on Countryway Boulevard, when a man grabbed her, deputies said. The woman grabbed hold of a tree, and the man punched her, banged her head into the tree and tried to strangle her, deputies said. The attacker eventually gave up and ran south on Countryway Boulevard. The woman was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital, where she was treated for cuts on her arms and forehead, deputies say. The suspect is described as a muscular white man, age 25 to 30, about 6 foot 1 and 210 pounds. He wore a mask, gloves, a dark jacket with a drawstring hood and dark pants. Anyone with information can call the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at (813) 873-8744.

Body identified as missing woman

Police have identified the body found in an abandoned house Wednesday afternoon on 23rd Street in Tampa. Andrea Adkins Tolliver, 39, was found in an abandoned house at 2303 N 23rd St., police said. Tolliver was reported missing Nov. 29 by her sister, according to the Tampa Police Department. The last time anyone heard from her or saw her was at the beginning of November, police said. The cause of death is not yet known. Tolliver appears nine times in Hillsborough County jail records, including charges of trespassing and prostitution.

HUDSON

Aide charged with defrauding clients

Pasco sheriff's detectives have charged a home health aide with defrauding two clients. Authorities accused Ann Marie West, 38, of Hudson of charging nearly $2,500 to the Visa card of Wayne Oviatte, 84. They say she also forged two checks for a total of $950 from mid September through mid November. She defrauded a second victim, the reports say, by forging checks for a total of $1,475 in early November. She was employed by Bayshore Health and Homemaker Services, with offices in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 23:32:23]