An Indiana School Director Charged with Insurance Fraud After Helping a Sick Student Resign



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From Phil Helsel

A superintendent of a school district of Indiana, arrested last month under the head of The accusation of using his son's name to help a sick student to receive medical treatment, resigned from his post. his post, affiliate member of NBC, WTHR, of Indianapolis, reported on Friday

The announcement of the resignation of Casey Smitherman, superintendent of the Elwood Community School Corporation, was made at the same time. a meeting of the school board, Friday, was stopped (WTHR)

. Last month, accused of insurance fraud, deception of identity, fraud in insurance claims and malpractice, according to court documents. Smtherman has accepted a diversion program in which charges will be removed from her file if she avoids being arrested for an extra year, reported WTHR.

Elwood police reported receiving information that Smitherman would have taken a 15-year-old urgent care student on Jan. 9 after the teenager missed school because he was in school. he had a sore throat, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Madison County Attorney Rodney Cummings told NBC News that Smitherman had taken the student to an emergency care facility but that he had been refused. because she's not her guardian. It was at this point that Smitherman took the student to St. Vincent Med in Elwood and used his insurance to have the student evaluated on behalf of his son, Cummings said.

Casey Smitherman, Superintendent of Elwood Community Schools in Indiana, was indicted for insurance fraud, deception of identity and official misconduct on January 23, 2019. Madison County Sheriff's Department

A lawyer listed in court records as Smitherman's representative did not immediately return a message left on his phone number at work Saturday.

In an article published Friday, lawyer Bryan Williams told the Indianapolis Star newspaper that "the child was very sick and that she was just trying to get her some medicine" and that she "knew that it was probably a mistake, at the same time, she really did not know what else to do."

Smitherman told the police that she was worried about the student while he was not showing up at school. She went past her house and saw it. as sick, according to an affidavit of probable cause. After leaving emergency care, she went to a CVS pharmacy to fill an amoxicillin prescription, again using her insurance and the name of her son.

The affidavit says that Smitherman voluntarily surrendered to the Elwood Police Department on Jan. 17 statement. Smitherman also said that she had already helped the student by buying her clothes and cleaning her house, the affidavit says.

The Indianapolis Star reported that Smitherman had told the newspaper that she was resigning as of Friday and that she

"I am very embarrassed for that, and I apologize to to the community, teachers, and students of Elwood community schools, "Smitherman said in his statement. "I sincerely hope that this misjudgment does not tarnish all the good work I have done for students during my career."

The nurse said at a school board meeting Tuesday night that the district was equipped to meet the child's medical needs, WTHR reported

Elwood is a community of About 8,600 residents located about 30 miles northeast of downtown Indianapolis. According to its website, more than 1,600 students from kindergarten to grade 12 and another 200 from a preschool program are enrolled in district schools.

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