A Miami Beach woman is facing criminal charges after allegedly stealing from an elderly Bay Harbor Islands resident. According to CBS News, 58-year-old Maria Esther Hernandez was arrested on Monday for second-degree felony theft after being accused of taking thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from a 79-year-old client she met through Nextdoor.
The employment began earlier this month through an exchange on the neighborhood social media app, and Hernandez was paid $125 via Zelle for her cleaning services. The two women met at a Miami Beach physical therapy clinic before going to the victim’s home. After the cleaning, the elderly woman noticed her jewelry was missing and was unable to contact Hernandez. An investigation revealed that Hernandez pawned 15 gold rings on Feb. 7 and 8 for $3,400 at a Miami Beach pawn shop, with the stolen items identified by the victim.
Local 10 News reports that detectives contacted Hernandez via text message on Feb. 15. She responded but denied any knowledge of the missing jewelry. However, evidence showed that Hernandez sold three gold rings for $1,000 on Feb. 7 and returned the next day to pawn 12 more rings for $2,400.
Hernandez was taken into custody and remains at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center with her bond “to be set” as she awaits further legal proceedings. She faces a charge of theft from an elderly person between $10,000 and $50,000, as per the Local 10 report.
