A 15-year-old Deltona girl who stole more than $15,000 from her grandparents’ safe and ran away from home has been arrested along with a 39-year-old woman who accepted some of the money from her.
Deputies started investigating the theft Friday, after the girl’s grandparents discovered their safe had been opened and all the cash inside, totaling $15,640, was missing. The victims suspected their granddaughter, who they said has a history of theft, drug use and running away from home.
Deputies found the missing girl Saturday evening at a Deltona gas station, and she later disclosed that she’d taken the money, spent some of it and given away thousands, including $6,000 to her friend’s mom.
The investigation led deputies to 39-year-old Anna Marie Sikora (DOB 8/14/1982) of Deltona, who eventually admitted she accepted $4,000 from the girl in November, despite knowing the money was her grandparents’. Deputies explained to Sikora that it’s unusual for an adult to accept thousands of dollars from a 15-year-old child who is a habitual runaway and has no job, and charged her with grand theft. She was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail on Saturday night and released on $2,500 bond early Sunday.
The 15-year-old was charged with burglary and grand theft and later released by the Department of Juvenile Justice with a future court date.