From staff reports
A former care home nurse accused of stealing more than $26,500 from an elderly man waived her preliminary hearing Wednesday in Venango County Central Court.
Marci A. Burnside, 48, of Titusville, is charged with 43 felony counts of forgery, one felony count of theft by unlawful taking of movable property and 42 misdemeanor counts of theft by unlawful taking of movable property.
A criminal complaint filed by Franklin state police says Burnside wrote herself 43 checks in amounts ranging from $200 to $3,000 from September 2017 to January of this year under the guise of helping an 84-year-old man with his finances.
The complaint said the man told investigators he never gave Burnside permission to take money and never offered her financial compensation for helping him.
The man said Burnside had started out writing a check that she would go over with him before he signed it, but later would have him sign up to five blank checks at a time, the complaint said.
“(The man) related he trusted Burnside was doing the right thing because he thought she was a nice lady,” the complaint said.
The complaint said Burnside was fired from the care home in January.
