WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – A Winter Haven woman was arrested after deputies say she stole more than $140,000 from a blind man for whom she worked as a home health aide and personal assistant.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said Carrie Hutchinson, 46, who is a certified private nurse who worked as a home health aide, faces multiple charges, including grand theft and exploitation of the elderly.

“This woman’s actions are despicable,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. “To take advantage of an elderly man who entrusted her with his life savings and paid her a good salary is unforgivable and unforgivable. She is now charged with three very serious offences.”

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Detectives said the 77-year-old Winter Haven man, who is blind, became suspicious about his finances. That’s when he asked a friend, who is a retired financial executive, to look into his accounts, according to the PCSO.

Numerous fraudulent transactions were found, including one for “pop on veneer” that totaled $780, United Airlines tickets for Hutchinson’s friend, and Allegiant Airlines tickets for the suspect and four friends to fly to Maine that totaled $1,588 . Investigators also said 270 orders were made on the victim’s Amazon account between April 2021 and July 2024, which totaled $4,774.

The four years Hutchinson stole from the victim included ATM withdrawals, cruise payments, payment for photography classes, Vrbo rentals, pet supplies, animal hospital fees and her personal credit cards, she said PCSO.

Detectives said she was first hired by the 77-year-old as a home health aide for his wife in January 2020. After his wife died, Hutchinson was hired as a personal assistant, which meant he had access to his accounts to pay his bills, shop and take care of his finances.

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She was paid $5,800 a month until 2024, when she began receiving $6,000 a month for the personal assistant position, according to the sheriff’s office.

The victim confronted Hutchinson about the thefts after she returned from a cruise in July and fired her. Detectives said she told him she was “borrowing” the money and would pay it back, but she wouldn’t be able to after she was fired.

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