Officials: Mother accused of faking daughter’s illness to get donations pleads guilty
CANTON, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) - A mother in Ohio pleaded guilty on Thursday to charges after faking her daughter’s illness to get donations, according to authorities.
The accusations stemmed from a false GoFundMe campaign called “Rylee’s Warriors” which raised an excess of $4,500 in 2021 before it was shut down.
The organizer of the page, 35-year-old Lindsey Abbuhl, used the false campaign to receive donations from the community after saying her 11-year-old daughter was suffering from a terminal illness, according to WOIO.
Stark County Prosecutor Kyle Stone confirmed Abbuhl pleaded guilty on Nov. 17 to two charges: second degree child endangering and fourth degree theft.
Officials ordered Abbuhl to serve four to six years in prison and pay $8,529.90 in restitution to victims as a part of a plea deal.
“Essentially, this plea was a way to bring closure to the several parties involved in this case,” Stone said in a comment. “This was also the best way to avoid the possibility of further traumatizing a child that has already been through so much.”
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