Police: Iowa City Woman Accused of Stealing from Terminally Ill Cancer Patient

An Iowa City woman is accused of writing more than $2,000 worth of forged checks and stealing a television from a man who was at the time incapacitated by the cancer that was about to kill him.

Police say in November 21 of 2011, the man was seriously ill with cancer to the point of being "mentally and physically incapacitated." He was then transferred to the hospital, according to the Iowa City criminal complaint.

After this happened, Cynthia Shearon Garrido, 54, of Iowa City is accused of allegedly removing the big screen television from the man's apartment and putting it in the back of her truck. This was witnessed by the man's caretakers according to the complaint. Garrido then sold the television at for $120.

The woman also allegedly took checks from the man while he was incapacitated. Police have records of her spending $2,700 of the man's money while he was at the hospital, including $1,068.13 for court fees and a cable bill and making checks out to unnamed co-defendants. A caretaker reported seeing the woman take the checks as well, and Garrido allegedly admitted to the caretaker that she had written some checks.

Soon after arriving at the hospital, the man died of his illness.

Garrido allegedly admitted to selling the television because she needed the money. She is charged with forgery and second-degree theft, both felonies, as well as misdemeanor fourth-degree theft.