Texas Teen Indicted for Faking Cancer
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File photo. iStockphoto/Thinkstock(HORIZON CITY, Texas) — Police in Horizon City, Texas say they have arrested a teenager whose false tale of her fight against cancer got neighbors to open their hearts — and their wallets.
Nineteen-year-old Angie Gomez was busted on Friday and charged with felony theft by deception and tossed in jail; her bond was set on $50,000.
In January of 2011, Gomez told her classmates her childhood cancer had reappeared and she was given six months to live. Her community rallied around the supposedly sick teen, creating a charity in her honor and stuffing some $17,000 in cash, gift cards and other donations into her pot, according to the El Paso Times.
In June of 2011, cops started investigating her when she didn’t appear to be at death’s door at all. As it turns out, there was never any evidence Gomez had cancer as a child. Her mother told detectives she was never told about the scam.
It’s not known if the money in the bank account of Angie Gomez’ Achieve the Dream Foundation has been returned to donors.
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