PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Burlington County woman is facing theft charges for allegedly raising money for her husband’s funeral expenses and spending the donations on herself instead.
According to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, 49-year-old Patricia Clark of Pemberton Township created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her husband’s cremation and funeral expenses. He died in April 2019.
However, officials say she left his body in the morgue and used the donations for her living expenses.
Family members notified police that the man was still in the morgue, despite raising more than $2,000 within two months.
In the description of her GoFundMe campaign — which is still live as of Monday afternoon — Clark said her husband, Brian, was 47 years old when he died and was disabled and unable to work, adding that their only income was Social Security disability benefits. She said he left behind his mother, three children, and a grandchild.
Clark wrote, “We have no money saved and he didn’t have any type of life insurance policy. I really need help to make this happen for Brian. Please, if there’s anybody out there that can make a donation to help with the expenses I would greatly appreciate it. His children would also appreciate it.”
Twenty-eight people donated to the campaign.
A grand jury indicted Clark for theft by failure to make a disposition.
An arraignment will be held soon in New Jersey Superior Court.