BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's deputies say a mom who created an elaborate lie by telling people her child had cancer in order to steal money from them has been arrested on multiple counts of theft. Maj. Lawrence McLeary said in the release that 42-year-old Jacinta K. Millikin told Wildwood Elementary School parents and teachers that her child had cancer and needed money for the third-grade child's transportation and treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. McLeary said Millikin was able to raise $3,500 in cash and $275 worth of donated groceries. He said some of the people who donated money became suspicious and contacted detectives who determined the child was healthy. Millikin faces one count of felony theft and 39 counts of misdemeanor theft.

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