By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A MAGISTRATE on Friday chastised a woman who stole more than $900 from her children’s father’s bank account.
The man gave her his ATM card with instructions to withdraw $600 from the account to purchase their children's school and food supplies, but she wasted the money on gambling.
Stacia Cartwright, a mother-of-four, was reprimanded during her hearing before Magistrate Kendra Kelly after she was charged with stealing $950 from her children’s father earlier this month.
Police said on February 3, a man reported how he gave Cartwright his bank card and information with certain instructions for her to withdraw $600 off his account.
The man said he told Cartwright $350 of the funds were for her to purchase school and food supplies for their two children and that $50 would be for her to spend how she so chose.
The remaining balance, along with his card, was to be delivered to him afterwards.
However, after waiting for several hours, the man said Cartwright didn’t return which prompted him to check his bank account.
It was at that point that he discovered $1,550 was withdrawn from his account, $950 of which was taken without his permission.
As a result, Cartwright was arrested and taken into police custody, where she admitted to the offence and explained that she used the funds to gamble.
When given the chance to speak on Friday, the 41-year-old gave the same explanation, saying she used the funds to gamble in the hope of making extra money.
The accused went on to note that she lived with relatives and added that the family was burdened with bills and desperately needed money to make ends meet.
“My children’s daddy did give me the card, but honestly, he hasn’t done anything for the children since last year and I did go and I did gamble trying to make extra money,” she said tearfully. “I’m not working.”
Cartwright said she was remorseful for her actions and was willing to find a job to re-imburse the stolen funds.
Asked by the magistrate how much money she spent on gambling; Cartwright replied: “The whole thing.”
“.. I took off the $600 that he asked me to take off and I lost that in the gambling place, and I went back to try retrieve it,” she said.
In response, Magistrate Kelly told the defendant she found her account of what happened that day very "disturbing" and described her actions as completely “irresponsible.”
The magistrate said it was bad enough that she wasted the $50 given to her, but conceded it was completely out of line for her to gamble with the funds meant for her children, especially as she was unemployed.
“What were you thinking? You are supposed to be an example for your kids,” the magistrate said.
She said her actions were inexcusable and deserved imprisonment.
However, Magistrate Kelly said her only saving grace was the fact that she had four children to take care of.
As a result, Cartwright was ordered to compensate her children’s father and complete 300 hours of community service. She was also told to complete a gambling counselling program.
Failure to comply with the conditions of her release could result in her spending six months behind bars.
Sgt Vernon Pyfrom prosecuted the case.
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