Accident – Death – Obituary News :
Two Women Accused of Driving Deceased Man’s Body to a Bank in Ohio
In a bizarre incident in Ashtabula, Ohio, two women have been accused of driving the body of an 80-year-old man to a bank to withdraw money from his account before dropping his body off at a hospital. Karen Casbohm, 63, and Loreen Bea Feralo, 55, face charges of gross abuse of a corpse and theft from a person in a protected class.
The incident unfolded when police received a call on Monday evening reporting that two women had left a body at the emergency room of Ashtabula County Medical Center without providing any identification. The deceased was later identified as 80-year-old Douglas Layman of Ashtabula.
According to authorities, Casbohm and Feralo claimed they had found Layman dead at the home they shared. Allegedly, with the help of a third person, they placed Layman in the front seat of his car and drove to a bank where they withdrew money from his account. The body was positioned in a way that bank staff could see him to carry out the transaction.
Details of the Investigation
Ashtabula Police Chief Robert Stell revealed that the bank had allowed the women to withdraw money with Layman present in the past, as long as they were accompanied by him. Lt. Mike Palinkas mentioned that one of the women had been in a live-in relationship with Layman for several years, while the other had been staying at the residence for a few months.
Palinkas stated that the women mentioned they needed the money to pay bills, but did not provide a clear reason for their actions on that particular day. Casbohm has been arraigned and is being held on a $5,000 bond, while Feralo is set to appear in court next week. It is unknown if they have legal representation at this time.
Continued Investigation
Authorities are continuing their investigation, and additional charges may be brought against Casbohm and Feralo. The coroner’s office has indicated that an autopsy to determine the cause of Layman’s death could take up to eight months to complete.
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