LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Authorities say the head of a Florida-based charity misappropriated money that was meant to buy cradles for stillborn babies to help grieving families.
Lori Marie Esteve was arrested earlier this week in Lakeland and charged with scheming to defraud and three other felonies.
Esteve serves as president and director of Stories of Babies Born Still. Investigators say SOBBS was supposed to use donations to purchase Comfort Cradle Devices for hospitals.
Investigators found that deposits and full payments had been given to SOBBS, but the manufacturer hadn’t received payment for about half of the orders.
