A Pennsylvania couple is facing theft charges after police say the newborn son they claimed had died never existed, according to WTAE and Fox News.
Geoffrey and Kaycee of Friedens, Pennsylvania reportedly set up a GoFundMe fundraiser asking for donations to help pay funeral and medical bills after announcing their son’s death. They have been charged with misdemeanor theft in Westmoreland and Somerset counties. According to court documents, police found a doll that resembled the infant in the photos the couple posted online.
Fox News reports the couple said the baby, named Easton, died on July 3 shortly after being born at Conemaugh Health System in Johnstown. Police reportedly could not find records of the mother or child at the hospital or the coroner’s office. Cynthia, a friend who helped organize a baby shower for the couple in May, told WTAE that she also called the funeral home where the couple said the child was cremated and was told there was no account in their name. She said Kaycee, 23, stopped being seen around seven months into the pregnancy and was reportedly on bed rest.
The fundraiser collected 15 donations totaling $550. GoFundMe told WTAE it will cooperate with investigators and refund every donor, saying “This type of behavior is not tolerated on GoFundMe.”
The couple had not publicly responded in the reports we reviewed. They are scheduled to appear in court in October, and the charges are allegations that have not been proven.
