Ohio Mother Accused of Faking Daughter's Cancer to Raise Thousands

A mother in Pleasant City, in western Ohio, has been charged with theft after being accused of fabricating her child's cancer diagnosis to receive donations, local law enforcement has said.

Pamela Reed, 41, was arrested by officers with Noble County Sheriff's Office on Monday after the alleged fakery was uncovered by the local child services, the force said in a statement on Tuesday. She was charged with theft by deception—a felony of the fourth degree, which can lead to a year and a half of prison time.

Reed "publicly portrayed" her child to be fighting the disease and enticed several local organizations to participate in fundraising efforts, including making monetary contributions towards the apparent medical expenses the child's condition was expected to incur, the sheriff's office said. One organization had donated around $8,000 to the family.

Newsweek reached out to the Noble County Sheriff's Office and Reed's defense attorney via email for comment on Thursday.

According to various media reports, Reed posted images online of her child, a 7-year-old daughter, receiving medical scans, and shaved the child's head to give the appearance she was undergoing cancer treatment.

Reed claimed her daughter had acute myeloid leukemia—a rapidly deteriorating form of blood cancer—and had concocted a mix of complications, including seizures and blindness in one eye, the New York Post reported.

The child reportedly missed over 280 hours of school in the 2023-2024 year due to medical examinations. Reed had previously claimed her daughter had severe aplastic anemia, a disease that prevents bone marrow from creating enough blood cells, according to court documents.

After child services were notified of the alleged deception, reportedly by the child's school nurse, authorities were able to confirm that the child did not suffer from cancer.

Following her arrest, Reed "admitted during questioning that she had exaggerated and fabricated medical conditions to receive monetary donations from local organizations" and was transported to Noble County Jail, the sheriff's office said.

"Child abuse and neglect isn't always cut and dry, cookie cutter scenarios," Sheriff Jason Mackie, who led the investigation, and Misty Wells, the director of the Noble County Department of Job and Family Services, said in a joint statement. "If you as a professional or as a member of our community feel like something just isn't quite right, don't hesitate, make the report."

The sheriff's office said Reed's bond had been set by county court Judge Jennifer Arnold at $50,000, though court records suggest it was $100,000. A preliminary hearing is set to take place on January 16.