Caregiver of elderly Augusta woman accused of exploitation

Nov. 06--An Augusta woman accused of stealing from a woman she was paid to care for was indicted Tuesday.

The Richmond County grand jury returned an indictment against Serena A. Joyner, 41, accusing her of one count of exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult. According to the indictment, Joyner used her position as a caregiver for a woman over the age of 65 to misappropriate her property and bank account.

According to search warrants affidavits by Shawn Rhodes, a Richmond County Deputy Marshal and Crimes Against the Vulnerable and Elderly Task Force member , CAVE was notified of the possible exploitation of an Augusta woman Sept. 7. Several pieces of jewelry the woman owned had been pawned at various shops in town.

Joyner was also seen on ATM video cameras withdrawing money from the woman's bank account before and after she died. A check of the woman's checking account revealed it to be nearly empty, although she had a $3,648 monthly benefits check deposited a week earlier. In addition to the jewelry and cash, a .22-caliber pistol was also missing, according to affidavits.

A search of Joyner's home resulted in the seizure of a cell phone, paperwork, a jewelry store quote and a termination letter, according to court documents.

The alleged victim died Sept. 7. When her daughter went to her home to get her life insurance policy, she discovered two of her mother's safes missing. According to the search warrants, Joyner returned them empty with damaged locks.

When questioned by law enforcement, Joyner said she had used the woman's debit card to withdraw $500, which she said the woman owed for her services. Joyner allowed officers to check her cell phone in which they found texts allegedly pertaining to thefts from Joyner's client and the sale of drugs that allegedly included the victim's prescriptions. They also allegedly found texts between Joyner and her husband about techniques to break into safes.

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