An Erlanger hospital employee is facing multiple felony charges and other counts after a patient’s credit card was used to make purchases at several area stores.
Ruth Alain Demarco, 43, of Harrison, was arrested June 30 by Collegedale police and again Tuesday by Chattanooga officers, records show. Store surveillance video showed a woman using the credit card to make purchases in Collegedale and Chattanooga, authorities said.
“Upon her arrest, she did admit to finding the credit card in the Erlanger parking lot,” Collegedale Chief of Police Brian Hickman said. “She did tell us she took it because of hard times.”
The credit card belongs to the Chattanooga Radio Control Club and was reported missing by one of its members after he was admitted as a patient to Erlanger, according to a police report.
The report also shows that Ms. Demarco is accused of using the card for more than $1,700 in purchases at several locations in Collegedale, including Walmart and Shoe Show.
Ms. Demarco declined to comment.
Collegedale Detective Jamie Heath said Ms. Demarco was arrested June 30 and released the same day on a $6,000 bond. She is charged in Collegedale with one felony count of fraudulent use of a credit card, two misdemeanor charges of fraudulent use of a credit card and three misdemeanor charges of criminal impersonation.
Ms. Demarco was arrested again Tuesday in Chattanooga and charged with three felony counts of forgery, 16 misdemeanor counts of theft under $500 and 14 felony counts of fraudulent use of a credit card, according to Chattanooga police. She is being held on a $33,000 bond, records show.
Erlanger hospital spokeswoman Pat Charles said Ms. Demarco has been a patient care technician in various units at Erlanger for the past three years. She has been suspended without pay and there is a “strong likelihood that she would be terminated,” Ms. Charles said.
Lynn Whisman, Erlanger chief nursing officer, said hospital staff members will use this situation as an opportunity for service improvement and to re-educate the staff, particularly newer employees, about policies on handling valuables.
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