Florida Police: Niece Steals $188,000, Life Insurance, From Aunt

Feb. 19--DeLand police said they arrested a woman for stealing more than $188,000 from her aunt.

Brandie Woodward, 35, was charged with exploitation of the elderly and is being held in the Volusia County Branch Jail on $5,000 bail, city of DeLand spokesman Chris Graham said.

According to Woodward's arrest report, her 79-year-old aunt told police that she became suspicious after not getting bank statements in the mail for a month.

After checking with her bank, the aunt discovered that her niece had put her address down to have bank statements sent to her that was why the aunt was not getting them in the mail, police said.

Woodward also made herself the beneficiary of her aunt's life insurance and transferred more than $165,000 of her aunt's money into her account, a report states.

The victim said she had initially given Woodward power of attorney in March 2017 but then revoked the authority in May 2018.

Police determined Woodward stole the money between December 2016 and April 2018, a report states.

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