Caregiver sentenced for stealing from patient

Instead of taking the case to trial, Laney’s attorney, James Mason, reached a settlement with Hood River Circuit Court. Laney pled guilty to two felonies — theft of at least $1,000 and criminal mistreatment — as well as mistreatment of entrusted property, a misdemeanor. However, 10 other charges, including aggravated theft of at least $10,000, were dropped.

Laney was originally hired as an in-home caregiver for the victim more than a decade ago, but she was fired by the victim, with the assistance of DHS (Department of Human Services) in January 2014, prosecutors said.

In February 2015, Laney was arrested and charged with stealing at least $10,000 from the patient over three years. This week, she pled guilty to a single theft of at least $1,000 in spring of 2011, along with charges of mistreating the victim’s funds.

The victim was “very vulnerable” and quadriplegic, according to testimony given last year by Deputy District Attorney Carrie Rasmussen. At Laney’s initial court appearances, Rasmussen didn’t delve into details about how the theft occurred, but she mentioned issues with credit cards, according to an article of the Hood River News.

“The (victim) can’t even move anything now but her mouth, but she is mentally aware and she is very certain she did not authorize Kati Laney to take out these multiple credit cards,” Rasmussen said in court.

When Laney bailed out of jail last February, she was ordered not to possess a debit or credit card not in her name.

Rasmussen’s office was contacted for more information on the case, but Rasmussen did not respond by press time.

Susan Frost, public affairs manager at Providence Memorial Hospital, said Laney was formerly employed at Brookside Manor in Hood River but Laney resigned in 2015 sometime after the theft charges were filed.

Though the theft took place at the victim’s home and not a Providence facility, Frost said the hospital takes precautions against crimes targeting patients.

“Safety and security (are) such a top priority … we have strong policies in place,” Frost said.

Some of those include regular background checks on employees, training, and a close-knit setup with managers routinely checking on staff.

Laney is scheduled to be booked in the regional jail (NORCOR) on March 28.

After serving 180 days in jail, Laney will be placed on bench supervision for 60 months. She will perform 20 hours of community service per month when not incarcerated and not working at least 100 hours. Olson left a specific list of conditions. He ordered that Laney have no contact with the victim or act as a caregiver for the elderly or disabled, but that she make “diligent efforts to obtain employment.”

The judge set a schedule for Laney to pay toward her $95,200 restitution. Laney must also pay $600 per month once employed.