From Mirror staff reports

A Claysburg woman is accused of nearly draining her care-dependent sister’s bank account because she needed the money “to help her survive.”

Donna M. O’Rourke-McGee, 78, was arraigned Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Carmine W. Prestia Jr. on single felony counts of theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, financial exploitation of an older adult and accessing a device unauthorized by the issuer. She remains free on $50,000 bail.

On July 25, 2024, state police at Hollidaysburg received a report from Blair Senior Services – Area on Aging regarding the suspected financial exploitation of a care-dependent person by her power of attorney. Documents indicated power of attorney was granted to the victim’s sister, O’Rourke-McGee, on Sept. 8, 2022, while the report stated nearly $120,000 was withdrawn from the victim’s bank account between Sept. 16, 2022, and July 23, 2024, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The victim, who suffers from dementia, had a bank account in excess of $100,000 before entering Graystone’s Altoona facility. In May 2024, it was discovered the victim couldn’t afford rent payments at that facility and was transferred to a different location to live with a roommate at a reduced rate. Graystone Manor then retrieved the victim’s bank account history in order to help her manage her finances and determined the victim’s account was reduced from about $117,780 to about $845, beginning soon after O’Rourke-McGee became the victim’s power of attorney, court documents state.

During an interview on Sept. 18, 2024, officers went through the victim’s bank statements with O’Rourke-McGee and asked her to explain any transactions she may recall. When asked about an $89,900 withdrawal from the victim’s account, O’Rourke-McGee said she could not recall making it, but it was later determined the money was placed into a certificate of deposit, the police report states.

O’Rourke-McGee also wrote three checks totaling about $3,075 and made numerous ATM withdrawals to help a friend in legal trouble; made three electric bill payments totaling about $227; spent about $565 on four separate hotel stays in Pittsburgh; spent about $312 on vet bills and purchased “silver” for about $9,844.

She told officers she was hoping to sell the silver for a higher price in order to pay back the victim.

O’Rourke-McGee was unable to provide receipts to show any money withdrawn from the victim’s bank account was used for the victim’s personal needs, according to the affidavit.

The report states that at one point, O’Rourke-McGee began to break down and explained she needed the victim’s money to “help her survive.” She told officers she receives a social security check of $1,200 a month, which she said is not sustainable to pay her bills and didn’t “think ahead” years ago when it came to her finances.

O’Rourke-McGee is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in front of Prestia Jr. on Feb. 18.