Superintendent Faces Fraud Charges For Using Insurance To Help Ill Student

Casey Smitherman, Indiana school superintendent faces fraud charges for allegedly using own health insurance to help a sick student

An Indiana school superintendent is facing several fraud charges after she allegedly used her own health insurance to help a student who had come down with a sore throat.

Casey Smitherman, the head of the Elwood Community School Corporation, was booked on charges that include: official misconduct, insurance fraud, insurance application fraud, and identity deception. She was later released on bail, court records show. 

Smitherman told police that she became concerned about a student after he missed school earlier this month, adding that she had previously helped him by buying clothes and clean his home. When she noticed the 15-year-old had symptoms of strep throat, the teen said he had been refused treatment at a nearby clinic. Smitherman then allegedly took the teen to another clinic, where she told the health care workers that the student was actually her son. 

"After making sure he had eaten, I could tell he had some of the symptoms of strep throat," Smitherman said in a statement obtained by WXIN-TV. "As a parent, I know how serious this illness can be if left untreated, and I took him to an emergency clinic."

A prescription for Amoxicillin was filled for the student in Smitherman's son's name, court documents revealed. 

"I am committed to this community and our students, and I regret if this action has undermined your trust in me," Smitherman said. "From the beginning, my ultimate goal has been to provide the best environment for Elwood students’ growth physically, mentally and academically, and I remain focused on that purpose."

The claim for the medical visit was valued at $233, according to medical records cited by the TV station. 

Police were alerted to the alleged deception through a tip about the doctor's visit and followed up with the superintendent. Smitherman told investigators that she had become worried about the 15-year-old, who she had helped in the past. 

In her statement, Smitherman says prosecutors have agreed to have her attend a diversion program in lieu of jail time. That would allow for the dismissal of the charges if she avoids arrest over the next year. 

Photo: Madison County Jail 


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