BALTIMORE — A Baltimore caretaker was convicted Friday after stealing $5,000 from a vulnerable married couple while the wife was in hospice care.
Shermera Dailey, 38, was sentenced to three years, suspending all but 100 days of time served.
According to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office, Dailey was employed as a caretaker for Loving Care Inc. Between May 21, 2025, and June 3, 2025, she worked as a home health care aide for a 90-year-old woman in hospice care who lived with her 94-year-old husband.
During her time with the family, Dailey stole three checks from the couple. On her first day, she took a blank check and filled it out for $1,800 payable to Maybelle's Catering LLC, which she deposited into her personal bank account. Less than a week later, she stole a second check for $1,200 made out to the same company, followed by a third check for $2,000.
The bank was able to refund all of the stolen money to the couple after being made aware of Dailey's actions.
"This defendant exploited the trust placed in her by a family during one of the most difficult periods of their lives," said State's Attorney Ivan Bates. "Stealing from an individual receiving hospice care is not only a crime, but it is also a profound betrayal of a vulnerable person and those who depended on the defendant to provide compassionate care."
Bates noted that his office takes offenses against older adults and people with disabilities extremely seriously, which led to the creation of the Older & Disabled Persons Unit. He thanked ASA Farrah Champagne and Investigator Franca Fauntleroy for their work in securing the conviction.
Dailey was convicted of felony theft, felony theft scheme, and felony obtaining property of a vulnerable adult. She is set to serve three years of supervised probation.
