N.J. mom accused of fund-raising for son's 'funeral' after he was adopted by another family
Holly Garcia, 33, is accused of creating fake fundraisers claiming her son had died after he was adopted by another family. (Burlington County Prosecutor's Office)
PEMBERTON, N.J. - A Burlington County woman is facing charges after authorities say she created a fake fundraising campaign to raise money for the funeral of her young son, who she claimed died of cancer.
Holly Garcia, a 33-year-old Pemberton Township resident, has been charged with computer criminal activity, and attempted theft by deception in connection with the case.
The investigation began in June after a Pemberton couple who recently adopted Garcia's four-year-old son contacted police to say that the boy's photo was being used in a GoFundMe campaign.
The fundraiser was seeking $5,000 for funeral expenses for the child, who Garcia claimed had died from cancer.
Investigators determined that Garcia had created the campaign, as well as several others that were created under false pretenses.
Other campaigns sought money for an urn for her dead son's ashes, while another sought assistance for her child who was going blind and whose father had died. Another asked for help raising rent money for an apartment because she claimed she was four months pregnant and homeless.
In all, authorities say the requested more than $11,000 through all of the campaigns combined.
GoFundMe removed the campaigns after they were made aware they were not legitimate.
Garcia was arrested back on Sept. 24 and was released last week following a court appearance. The case will not be prepared for presentation to a grand jury for possible indictment.
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