Caretaker charged with stealing from man with cerebral palsy

BALDWIN, Pa. — A woman hired to care for a Baldwin man with cerebral palsy is facing charges after she allegedly helped herself to his cash.

According to police, Tiffany Nicole Johnson, 43, of McKeesport, worked at a home in Baldwin taking care of John Pfab, who uses a wheelchair and a computerized communicator to speak.

Pfab, 46, is very independent but needed Johnson to help him with certain tasks, such as grocery shopping.

When asked if he trusted her, Pfab told Channel 11, “No, we fought.”

Authorities said that at one point, Johnson took Rapp’s debit card without his permission. She went to a nearby convenience store and withdrew $300 from an ATM.

Police said over the next several days, she racked up nearly $2,000 in purchases and withdrawals. Surveillance cameras caught her making some of the purchases.

"I was angry that she thought I was never going to know, and I guess, she didn't know (I knew) until yesterday,” said Pfab.

Pfab’s neighbor AJ Kalkstein said he’s lived across the street from Pfab for more than a decade and has seen his caregivers.

“Most of the people that we see interact with him are always very nice, very courteous. It's a surprise to me to hear that. It really is,” said Kalkstein. “To take advantage of somebody like that, that's evil. That really is.”

Johnson worked for Community Living and Services of Pittsburgh. Executive Director Al Condeluci told Target 11 that she had all her criminal background clearances and met the criteria to work for the organization.

“Once we discovered the incident, we followed our policies and procedures and took prompt and appropriate actions in discharging this employee,” Condeluci said in a written statement.

Johnson had been working at the man’s home for a couple months.

She’s charged with theft and access device fraud. She was released from jail after posting $5,000 bond.

Johnson faces a preliminary hearing later this month.

Meanwhile, Pfab said his ability to trust is now shattered, and he’s hesitant to give a new caregiver his financial information.

"I won't give my PIN out again,” he said.