Katy group home operator accused of stealing $75K from resident with dementia

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A Texas woman with dementia had nearly $75,000 swindled from her by the operator of a group home where she resided, according to court records. The accused is Acquanetta Jeffery, who owns and operates the 'God's House of Compassion' in Katy.

Jeffrey allegedly took advantage of 67-year-old Debra Mellinger, an Army veteran and retired postal worker, who was vulnerable due to her dementia. Her daughter-in-law, Brandy Cheatum, describes Mellinger as independent and devoted to her family. However, after being admitted to the group home in 2021, Mellinger's finances began to dwindle rapidly.

Court documents reveal that nearly $7,500 of Mellinger's monthly pension, VA benefits, and Social Security were withdrawn from her account through various transactions on a Cash App and debit cards. Investigators believe these funds were used by Jeffery for personal expenses, including plane tickets and tuition payments for her husband.

The case highlights the vulnerability of individuals with dementia and those who depend on others to manage their finances. Cheatum expressed outrage that someone could exploit such a vulnerable person, saying, "If you think it's OK to rob an old lady with dementia of literally her life savings so you can buy diamonds and go on trips, I don't think you should be allowed in society."

Jeffery was charged with theft from an elderly person in December but is out on $10,000 bond. Her attorney has refused to comment on the case. Mellinger passed away nearly penniless in December 2024, and her daughter-in-law described her as never being the same after her funds were stolen.

If you suspect someone of financial or physical abuse, the Harris County District Attorney's Office urges calling 1-800-252-5400 or visiting the Texas Abuse Hotline online.
 
Ugh, this is just heartbreaking 🤕... $75,000 gone in a flash! It's like she was living paycheck to paycheck all over again. I mean, what's the point of having money if someone's gonna take it from you? And it's not like Mellinger was helpless or anything, she was a military veteran and had some life experience under her belt... but dementia changes everything, doesn't it?

And can we talk about how messed up this is for her family? I feel so bad for them. She was the rock of her family, and now they're left to pick up the pieces. It's like she's been taken away from them all over again. 😔
 
🤯 "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." 🌟 We gotta keep a watchful eye on those who take advantage of vulnerable souls like Debra Mellinger. It's heart-wrenching to think about how her life was turned upside down by Acquanetta Jeffery's actions 😔. The fact that she nearly lost everything to dementia is just devastating 💔.
 
😔 Oh my god, this is just heartbreaking! The fact that Acquanetta Jeffery took advantage of Debra Mellinger like that is just mind-boggling. $75,000 is a huge amount of money, but to think that it was all taken from someone who's already vulnerable because of dementia... it's just not right 🤕.

I mean, can you even imagine how Debra and her family must be feeling? They had no idea what was happening with their mom's finances. It's like she was living in a nightmare 😱. And the fact that Jeffery used those funds for personal expenses like plane tickets and tuition payments... it's just sickening.

We need to make sure that we're looking out for our elderly loved ones and making sure they're not being taken advantage of like this. We need to be aware of the warning signs, like unusual transactions or unexplained changes in their finances 🚨.

It's also concerning how Jeffery was able to get away with it for so long. $10,000 bond is hardly sufficient punishment for someone who committed such a heinous crime 💸. I hope that justice will be served and she'll face the consequences of her actions 😒.
 
OMG 🤯 this is like soooo wrong!!! Acquanetta Jeffery is literally a monster 💀 she took advantage of Debra Mellinger when she was at her most vulnerable and stole nearly $75k from her! Can you even believe that?! 😱 I'm so angry on behalf of Debra and her family, they must be going through this traumatic experience. My heart goes out to Brandy Cheatum too, her mom-in-law is a hero for speaking out against what happened 🙌. The fact that Jeffery used those funds to buy diamonds and take plane tickets is just sickening 💎😷. I hope she gets the justice she deserves and is held accountable for her heinous crimes 😡.
 
🚨 this is just appalling, cant believe some people would take advantage of vulnerable individuals like Debra Mellinger 🤯 she was robbed blind by Acquanetta Jeffery, who allegedly used her own funds to buy luxury items 🛍️ its outrageous that someone could do this and get away with it for so long 💸 I mean, what kind of system allows exploitation of the elderly in this way? 🤔 we need to make sure these people are held accountable and that others can be protected from suffering the same fate 🚫
 
This is just heartbreaking 🤕 what happened to Debra Mellinger and her family is absolutely appalling. I mean, $75k is a huge sum of money, but it's not like she was going to be using it for anything extravagant anyway. She's 67 and has dementia, so I'm sure she was completely trusting of the people at God's House of Compassion. And Acquanetta Jeffery, who runs this group home, she's supposed to be taking care of these vulnerable people, but instead she's just lining her own pockets? It's disgusting.

And what really gets me is that Mellinger's daughter-in-law said she was an independent and devoted person, but the moment she went into a group home, all of that changed. I think we need to look at how care homes are run and make sure they're not taking advantage of people like Debra, who just want to be treated with dignity and respect.

It's cases like this that remind us that we still have a lot of work to do to protect the most vulnerable members of our society 🤝
 
😱 can't believe this 😢 acquanetta jeffrey is a complete scammer 🤥 taking advantage of someones most vulnerable family member 💔 my grandma also had dementia and I wish her daughter was more involved in her life so someone could've stopped this from happening 🙄 $75k is just crazy 💸 and the fact that she's out on $10k bond is just wrong 🚫 1-800-252-5400 or online hotline is all we got 🤷‍♀️ can't trust ppl like jeffrey with managing finances 📈
 
omg this is so sad 🤕 can u believe someone would do that to a lady with dementia? like what even is wrong with ppl these days? anyway, i was thinking of getting a dog last week and now i'm not sure if i should... my friend's cousin has a golden retriever and it's literally the best thing ever. but back to this lady, how old does she have to be to be considered "elderly" in texas? like is 67 old or what?
 
😱 OMG, this is just heartbreaking! I'm so angry that Acquanetta Jeffery would take advantage of such a vulnerable person like Debra Mellinger. It's like, what's wrong with people? Can't they see that these individuals need our help and care, not exploitation?

I'm also really upset that the group home where Mellinger resided didn't do more to protect her finances and ensure she wasn't being taken advantage of. 🤦‍♀️ The fact that she nearly lost all her life savings is just devastating.

Let's hope Acquanetta Jeffery gets justice and is held accountable for what she's done. 💪 And I hope that her case raises awareness about the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals with dementia. We need to look out for each other, especially when it comes to people who can't defend themselves! 🤝
 
This case is just heartbreaking 😔💔 I mean, who would do something like that to a vulnerable person with dementia? 🤯 It's just awful that someone could take advantage of her trust and steal her life savings 💸🚫. The group home supposed to be taking care of her was actually the one exploiting her... it's just disgusting 😝. I feel so bad for Debra Mellinger and her family, they must be going through a nightmare 🌪️.
 
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