Caretaker pleads guilty to stealing thousands from elderly patient

Told police she needed money to pay bills

A St. Rose caregiver has pleaded guilty to stealing checks from an elderly woman under her care and cashing them for nearly $3,500.

Leslie R. Zeringue, 40, was sentenced to two years in prison, but her sentence was suspended. She was placed on three years active probation and must pay the victim $7,000.

Zeringue was providing caregiver services through a home health agency to an 87-year-old woman. The victim’s nephew said he became concerned when he tried to cash a check from his aunt and it bounced. He told police that he did his own investigation into his aunt’s finances and discovered that she had several missing checks that were cashed by Zeringue.

The total of the missing checks added up to $3,453.26.

Zeringue was brought in by police for questioning and they say she admitted taking the checks. According to court documents, Zeringue said she had fallen on hard times and had taken the money in order to pay her bills. She claimed that she planned on paying the victim back.