Mother falsely tells daughter she has cancer to scam money
Police say an Ohio woman tricked her seven-year-old daughter and the local community into thinking the girl had cancer so she could raise money.
Teresa Milbrandt even went so far as to shave the girl's head and put her in counselling to prepare to die.
She received more than €10,000 from businesses and residents, police Lt Garry Kimpel estimates.
Sgt David Reese said: "She said it was a little white lie that got out of control."
Police are investigating Milbrandt, her husband Robert, and a third person. No charges have yet been filed.
The girl, Hannah, has been taken from her mother and into the custody of relatives.
Robert Milbrandt, 44, said he and his daughter never knew the cancer was faked. He said he took his wife to a mental hospital on Tuesday.
"I don't know how you can be married to someone for so long, them lie to you and you not know," he told the Urbana Daily Citizen.
However, Reese said Milbrandt told police he found out about the hoax about a month ago. It had been going on since at least April, Reese said.
Police began investigating the child's illness about a week ago, after employees at the girl's school noticed her hair was cut or shaved, not falling out.
