Woman Arrested After Exploiting Her Disabled Mother

A McHenry County woman was arrested after deputies determined she used a stolen debit card and exploited her elderly mother.

Eydie Abernathy, 43, 6205 Wilmot Rd. in Spring Grove was arrested Oct. 5 and charged with exploitation of an elderly person with a disability, three counts of identity theft and theft.

According to the , members of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division began investigating a burglary in which the victim’s debit card was stolen from a home in unincorporated McHenry. The same day as the burglary, an unidentified woman was seen using the victim’s debit card in Round Lake Beach.

The unidentified woman was found to be Abernathy. Abernathy admitted to using the victim’s debit card and was immediately placed under arrest without incident, according to the Sheriff's Office.

According to the Sheriff's Office, during the course of the investigation, it was determined that Abernathy had been exploiting her disabled, 78-year-old mother whom she lived with. Abernathy fraudulently opened lines of credit in her elderly mother’s name.

Abernathy was transported to McHenry County Correctional Facility.

The Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate the matter.

Abernathy's bond was set at $10,000 and she was given a 9 a.m. Oct. 21 court date.