NC caretaker faces charges, accusations of stealing from dying woman

A caretaker is facing charges after the Durham County Sheriff's Office said she stole from a dying woman.

Betsy Lauren Robertson, 35, of Burlington, is charged with:

• Eight counts obtaining property by false pretense
• One count exploitation of disabled or elderly
• One county identity theft

Durham investigators said the sheriff's office received a call on July 13 from the family of Karen Rogers, who died in May.

Rogers' family discovered that her home was missing items, including jewelry, medication and checks from her bank account. The missing checks also led deputies to discover that money was missing from her account.

The family believed that Rogers' caretaker, Robertson, had removed the items and accessed the victim's checking account while caring for their ailing mother.

Through the investigation, investigators determined that Robertson had used Rogers' financial information to access her bank account, making several transactions totaling thousands of dollars.

Also, the sheriff's office said Robertson applied for multiple credit accounts using the deceased victim's financial information.

The sheriff's office said that Robertson recently had similar charges in the city of Durham, where she was accused of felony larceny from a health care client.

Robertson posted a $5,000 bond and has been released.

Family reacts to caretaker's arrest, charges

Sisters Traci Davis and Nikki Rogers took care of their mom, Karen Rogers, as she aged.

"In May, her health took a serious decline, and she really needed full-time care," Davis said.

The sisters hired Robertson. They said medication went missing soon after.

"I called for a refill, and the people at the pharmacy said, 'You should have 15 left,'" Nikke Rogers said. "There were 30 in the bottle."

After their mother passed away, the sisters discovered thousands of dollars of checks signed to Robertson.

"We worked so hard to make sure she was comfortable in her dying days. and we invited a snake into our home," Davis said of Robertson.

Nikki Rogers echoed her sister's sentiments.

"What kind of a person steals from someone on their deathbed?" Nikki Rogers said.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said this type of crime is common.

"What you want to do if you have someone coming into your home every day is secure valuables," Stein said. "Put them in a safety deposit box, or a gun safe or anywhere you can keep it locked up."

Durham County's Adult Protective Services Department encourages residents to use their hotline at 919-560-8588.

"No one ever expects that anything like this could happen to their loved one," said Aging and Adult Services social worker Lavette Williams.

Williams said background checks are vital.

"You'll want to check with references, former previous employers, agencies they may have worked for," Williams said. "Do a criminal background check."

For Traci Davis and Nikki Rogers, the betrayal has made their grieving even more difficult. Sentimental diamond rings their father gave their mother are also gone.

"Most people are fine," Nikke Rogers said. "Most people are honest, but don't bet on that and protect your loved one."