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Charges have been filed against a Stacy area woman accused of stealing cash from vulnerable adults, while she was employed as a site manager for an area foster care service provider.

Denise Dawn Narow, 54, was booked and released last week. A trial date has been set for June 6.

Narow told a sheriff's investigator that she has a gambling addiction. The criminal complaint further alleges she used ATM cards and checks and other financial instruments to drain accounts established for developmentally delayed adults that she was responsible for. The total estimated lost over a couple years of records audited is $18,000 to $20,000, according to the criminal complaint.

Narow was hired by Karcher Foster Services about five years ago to assist with residents. The felony theft by swindle allegedly took place after she was promoted to a house manager, in the years 2008-2010. She also faces one felony count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

David Karcher told the Chisago County Press he was advised that whenever financial workers notified Narow of a late payment that her clients' owed for services or for housing, she'd blame Social Security for the mix-up, etc. He added that about the time authorities started looking into financial irregularities Narow quit.

Karcher has cooperated with the Minnesota Dept. of Human Services to identify security issues within the system and he said Karcher Foster Care, which is headquartered in North Branch, has been "...completely cleared as a company." This is strictly alleged felony level criminal offenses attributed to one person, he stressed. The Karcher firm has eight foster homes in this area and employs 120.

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