Woman Charged Over Daughter's Fake Funeral

December 1, 2010

Woman Says She Wasn't Trying To Get Money

POSTED: 8:49 am EST December 1, 2010

UPDATED: 10:22 am EST December 1, 2010

RICHMOND, Ind. -- An eastern Indiana woman faces criminal charges over what

authorities said was a funeral she arranged last month after faking the death of

her daughter.

Wayne County prosecutors have filed a felony charge of attempted theft against

Boyd, 38.

Boyd was charged with arranging to have a funeral for her 15-year-old daughter,

Kaitlin, at New Life Ministries Church of the Nazarene after telling the Rev.

Chappell that the girl had been raped and murdered by her father in Iowa.

A collection was taken up for Boyd, but during the Nov. 9 funeral service,

Boyd's brother told the congregation that the girl was still alive in Iowa.

An arrest warrant was issued for Boyd, who a county jail staffer said Wednesday

hadn't yet been brought in.

In an interview with 6News earlier this month, Boyd said she had been told that

her daughter was dead and was trying to do the right thing.

" I can't take it back; I can't change it. All I can do is apologize, " she said.

" There was nothing in it about money or anything like that. There was no trying

to fleece people for money or trying to get money, as my brother stated. "

When asked if she had called her daughter to check on her welfare, Boyd replied,

" No, I didn't try to call. I didn't further investigate, and I should have. "

Richmond police said they were skeptical of Boyd's story from the beginning.

Chappell told 6News earlier this month that he initially had no reason to doubt

the legitimacy of the funeral.

" She had an urn in her hand. She had a plastic box and she had written on it,

'Donations to the Autistic Society in memory of Kaitlin.' She also had a memory

blanket, " he said.

Chappell said Boyd delivered a heart-wrenching speech about her daughter's life.

" People were just bawling and crying and moved by emotion, and my heart was just

aching, " Chappell said.

After her brother called her out, witnesses said Boyd ran screaming from the

church, leaving the donation money behind.

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