Woman arrested for claiming to be hurricane evacuee

[U2Girl1978]

The Associated Press

MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) - A woman faces felony theft charges after lying about being an evacuee from New Orleans, receiving $1,300 from the Red Cross and getting a good Samaritan to take her into her home, authorities said.

Beretta Jo Hogg, 36, of Lithonia, went to an American Red Cross shelter for evacuees of Hurricane Katrina last week in Marietta and told officials she and her 8-year-old son had lost everything in the hurricane, Cobb County police officer Wayne Delk said.

She filled out paperwork and left the shelter with $1,300.

Later a woman who felt sorry for Hogg and the boy took them into her home. But while Hogg was sleeping, the woman talked to the boy, who told her he attended a school in Stone Mountain, police said. The woman then called authorities and Hogg was brought to the Cobb County Jail on Saturday.

Hogg, who has been charged with theft by deception, remained in jail Tuesday in lieu of $2,850 bond.

 

[U2@NYC]

How can people take advantage of such a disaster and take money away from people who have lost it all??!!!

Repulsive. If I grabbed that woman... I would her.

 

[U2Girl1978]

I don't know. It pisses me the off. What I don't understand is how they think they can get away with this shit?

 

[U2@NYC]

Well, one may imagine that with all the confusion it is hard to track down who was actually evacuated and who wasn't... I do not know whether a list is being kept... and obviously this woman tried to take advantage of the situation...

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

People are so damn great stuff like this happens every day in the world obviously, it's only magnified so much when it happens in a tragedy like the hurricane.

At least we can try to think of it this way - that for every person like this woman there are numerous people helping others and doing good things *repeats to self over and over and over*

 

[U2Girl1978]

I hope she goes away for a really long time. She should have thought about her kid first before she pulled such a stupid stunt like this.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

There was another story here in Michigan about a supposed evacuee who took an apartment rent free, also over one thousand dollars worth of food and clothes, yet was found to have been working here before, during and after the hurricane (since DECEMBER) at a cab company. Disgusting.

I just wonder how downtrodden one really has to be to have the gall to take advantage of a situation like this. Even then, I could never even imagine walking into the Red Cross, lying and walking out of there with a check.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Smart, lady. Real smart .

Angela

 

[nbcrusader]

There are plenty of people who will lie, cheat and steal to take advantage of a situation.

But consider this alternative. There are plenty of poor people who live outside of the scope of Katrina's damage. When they see money flowing in to support those who live in the damaged area, it would not be difficult to imagine their own need prompting them to grab a little relief for themselves.

 

[verte76]

This is disgusting.

 

[melon]

If these people are homeless, then I certainly understand the temptation. They are in as much need of assistance in life as any hurricane evacuee.

It reminds me of a story I heard at a Humane Society. A woman called in and insisted on adopting a pet abandoned by someone in the military, as it was recently on the news. Now what about the other pets that are abandoned every day?

Melon

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

There are plenty of people who will lie, cheat and steal to take advantage of a situation.

But consider this alternative. There are plenty of poor people who live outside of the scope of Katrina's damage. When they see money flowing in to support those who live in the damaged area, it would not be difficult to imagine their own need prompting them to grab a little relief for themselves.

A very interesting point. That makes sense.

Angela

 

[VertigoGal]

I was going to bring up the same point as nbcrusader. It's kind of sad that most of the people, the kids, who lost everything to Katrina are probably being treated better now than before the storm.

But then I saw she was from Marietta, about half an hour from me. There may be poor areas, I don't know, but from what I've seen, it's not exactly the ghetto over there. But I guess it's not good to pass judgement and all that...

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

There are some parts here in Marietta that are lower income.

~native Marietta resident.

And there was another lady tonight that was arrested for the same thing. It was bound to happen. I am not sure what part of Atlanta the latest false victim is from.

 

[VertigoGal]

yeah, I'm sure there are. sorry to stereotype, I'd have said the same thing if she were from Alpharetta.

 

[Sue DeNym]

This is not new, sad to say. After September 11, several people falsely claimed to have lost loved ones in the attacks.

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/sympathy.htm

Unfortunately, there will always be con artists trying to profit from disasters. And they'll take away aid and support from someone who truly needs and deserves it.