3 women arrested in Covina for allegedly soliciting donations for fake funeral
Three Arizona women were being held Monday for allegedly soliciting donations from drivers in Covina for the fake funeral of a small boy.
Patricia Ann Quihuis, 53, Esther Munguia, 36, and Bianca Price, 20, were arrested Friday and booked on suspicion of conspiracy and collecting donations for a fraudulent charity, officials with the Covina Police Department said in a statement.
The women allegedly stood on the sidewalk in the 900 block of Arrow Highway on Friday afternoon, holding brightly colored signs with photos of an unidentified boy and asked passersby for donations for his funeral, police said.
The signs read “Funeral Donations. Please Help. God Bless. Thank you!”
A suspicious passerby alerted police, who then questioned the women and determined they had fabricated the story to pay bills and return to Arizona.
Police were still trying to determine the identity of the boy in the poster photo, said Sgt. Dave Foster of the Covina Police Department.
The women were being held at the Covina jail in lieu of $20,000 bail each and were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.
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Photo: From left are suspects Patricia Ann Quihuis, 53, Esther Munguia, 36, and Bianca Price, 20. Credit: West Covina Police Department
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Turn them over to Sheriff Joe Arpaio, he'll know what to do with them.
Posted by: Ray | January 10, 2011 at 11:25 AM
Well, now they'll have to hold a donation for their bail. Good heads up by the passerby!
Posted by: Zeolit | January 10, 2011 at 11:37 AM
gosh, how many more like this goes on? its good people are suspicious of these kinds of things, they spring up all the time. i just assume they are crooked when i see this stuff.
Posted by: bill | January 10, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Wow! I guess things really are bad in the world when people have to stoop as low as these people did.
Posted by: Camille | January 10, 2011 at 12:14 PM
HORRIBLE! What is wrong with people!
Posted by: busted | January 10, 2011 at 12:19 PM
I can just hear the kid saying, "I'M STILL ALIVE!" And just what would Sheriff Joe do to them?
Posted by: My opinon means nothing | January 10, 2011 at 04:23 PM
Young ladies also come door-to-door with a large can and photo of the aunt or grandma they are trying to bury.
Posted by: blackone | January 10, 2011 at 07:09 PM