An Iowa City woman has been accused of stealing money from a mentally and physically ill victim.

Cynthia Garrido, 54, 412 N. Clinton St. No. 2, was charged in November 2011 with second-degree theft and forgery.

According to an Iowa City police complaint, the victim was seriously ill and in no physical or mental condition to make any financial decisions or write checks. Several of the victim’s checks were made payable to Garrido while he was incapacitated.

The checks totaled $2,700, and Garrido allegedly used the money to pay her court fines and cable bill. Two of the checks were made payable to codefendants, the complaint said.

The complaint said a caretaker of the victim witnessed Garrido removing the checks from the checkbook without prior approval. None of the checks reportedly had the victim’s actual signature or handwriting.

Second-degree theft and forgery are both Class-D felonies.

— by Amy Skarnulis