Two Ohio women allegedly propped up a dead man in their car during a visit to the bank to withdraw hundreds of dollars from his account before they dropped him off at the hospital.
Karen Casbohm, 63, and Loreen Bea Feralo, 55, are now facing felony charges after dropping off the body of Douglas Layman, 80, at Ashtabula County Medical Center emergency room on Monday and leaving, according to Ashtabula Police Chief Robert Stell and Ashtabula Prosecuting Attorney Cecilia Cooper.
Medical personnel had no idea who Layman was when the women dropped him at the emergency room.
“They left without providing any information to the hospital. They just left him,” Stell told Fox 8.
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Karen Casbohm, 63, and Loreen Bea Feralo, 55, were each charged with gross abuse of a corpse and theft. (Ashtabula Police Department)
One of the women called the hospital a few hours later and provided some personal information about him, and authorities were able to identify him, Stell said in a press release. Officers were then dispatched to Layman’s home and spoke to the two women, who said he had died at his home in Ashtabula.
Casbohm and Feralo were taken into custody on Wednesday and were each charged with gross abuse of a corpse and theft.
“This is very unusual,” Cooper told Fox 8.
The women, who were not related to Layman but lived at his house, found the man dead inside his home on Monday but decided not to call 911 and instead attempted to take the money from his bank account.
According to officials, the women are accused of taking Layman’s body out of the home and propping him up in the passenger seat of their car with the help of a third unidentified individual, and driving through a bank drive-thru to withdraw around $900.
Police said the women had propped Layman up, so the bank teller could see him and that the bank previously allowed them to withdraw money from Layman’s account, as long as he was in the vehicle.
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Police said the women had propped Layman up, so the bank teller could see him and that the bank previously allowed them to withdraw money from Layman’s account, as long as he was in the vehicle. (Ashtabula Police)
The cause of Layman’s death is unknown.
Stell told Fox 8 the case remains under investigation and the two women could face additional charges.
Casbohm appeared in court for her arraignment this week and a judge set her bond at $5,000. Feralo is scheduled to appear for her arraignment on Thursday.
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If convicted, they could face up to a year in prison on each charge.
Both women have previous criminal histories.
Casbohm has been convicted of theft, soliciting, criminal trespass, receiving stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and attempted drug abuse, while Feralo has been convicted of reckless assault, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal trespass, driving under the influence, theft and attempted possession of drugs.
