A Delhi Township mother is accused of siphoning more than $5,000 from her son's bank account while he was in a medically induced coma, spending the money at casinos, liquor stores, restaurants, and through Cash App transfers of up to $800 at a time. Jill Ridener now faces charges of theft and misuse of credit cards tied to the alleged spending spree, which police say unfolded as her son, Luke Ridener, fought for his life after a violent assault.
According to WKRC, Luke Ridener was injured in an assault and placed in a medically induced coma, and doctors did not know, according to court papers, whether he would survive. Police say Jill Ridener is seen on surveillance video using her son's debit card during that time, withdrawing cash from ATMs and swiping it at a casino, liquor stores, and restaurants while Luke remained unconscious.
A GoFundMe Reveals the Family's Desperate Timeline
The scope of Luke's medical crisis first became public through a fundraiser. A GoFundMe campaign launched on June 20, 2026, by Luke's sister, Sierra Ridener, listed expenses and a fundraising goal related to medical bills, rehabilitation, and living expenses. The fundraiser described the family's expenses as they sought help covering medical bills, rehabilitation, and living expenses.
Court documents cited by the station's report state that Jill Ridener spent thousands on personal transactions, including liquor store purchases, casino spending, restaurants, and Cash App transfers, even as doctors remained uncertain whether her son would pull through. That spending directly contradicted her statement to police, per the same account, that the funds were used for her son's needs.
Why Ohio Law Turns This Into a Felony Case
The dollar amount involved matters less than the method, at least under Ohio law. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.71, a violation of Sections 2913.02 or 2913.51 is a fifth-degree felony when the property is a credit card, carrying a potential sentence of six to 12 months in prison and fines up to $2,500.
Separately, general theft is addressed under Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.02. On top of that, misuse of credit cards is addressed under Ohio Revised Code Section 2913.21.
Jill Ridener faces charges in connection with the alleged spending. Jill Ridener was previously named as a defendant in a 2022 civil housing suit, Glenn Reatherford v. Jill Ridener.
A Family Already Marked by Tragedy
Luke Ridener's roots run through Greater Cincinnati high school football. He attended La Salle High School, where he competed as a varsity student-athlete on the school's football team, according to MaxPreps.
The family has faced devastating loss before. Luke's father, 40-year-old Kenneth R. Ridener, was shot and killed in a Clifton Heights parking lot in January 2018, a Cincinnati homicide that led to murder charges against his father's coworker, per historical reporting from The Cincinnati Enquirer. Public record databases reviewed by Crime Solvers Central indicate the fatal shooting occurred after Kenneth Ridener and the coworker had gone out drinking, a case that drew significant local media attention once court proceedings identified the suspect as a close acquaintance.
All charges against Jill Ridener remain allegations at this stage, and her case is proceeding through the Hamilton County court system.
