A Byron woman has pleaded not guilty to charges that she financially exploited her mother.
Kathleen Marion Studnicka, 46, was charged Dec. 5 in Olmsted County District Court with two felony counts of financial exploitation-vulnerable adult.
According to the criminal complaint, an investigation that began in August 2012 revealed that from July 2011 through March 2012, more than $23,000 had been deposited into the 86-year-old woman's bank account. During that time, she had accumulated a bill for housing and care that totaled nearly $15,000.
According to the complaint, Studnicka, who had power of attorney over her mother's finances, withdrew more than $22,000 from the account, with her mother's permission. None of the money was used for the older woman's expenses, the report says.
Studnicka has been released on her own recognizance. Her next court appearance has been set for Oct. 10.
