LAKE WALES, Fla. — A Polk County mother was arrested on Friday, accused of stealing $15,000 from an elementary school's parent-teacher organization (PTO) account.
On Thursday, Lake Wales Police officers were called by the principal of Spook Hill Elementary. The principal reported a theft from the elementary school’s PTO account. According to police, Citizen’s Bank called the principal and told her that they had frozen the PTO account due to numerous suspicious withdrawals over the past month. The principal advised that only two people had access to the account, both of which were parents of students at the school.
According to the arrest affidavit, Citizen’s Bank advised that Guillermina Delgado, 32, had withdrawn approximately $15,000 from the Spook Hill PTO account since the beginning of September. Police say that Delgado was obtaining over the counter checks from the bank. She had written 32 checks out to her name. Investigators say that these transactions went against the school's PTO policy because both of the parents assigned to the account are required to sign for such transactions.
When police made contact with Delgado at her home, they found $14,000 in $100 bills, which was located in bedroom slippers inside her home, according to an arrest report.
Police arrested Delgado and charged her with grand theft. They say she admitted to the theft.
When asked why she withdrew the money from the PTO account without permission, she said she took it to show the PTO board members that the account was making money.
Delgado was released from jail after posting $1,000 bond.
