Former PTA treasurer charged with embezzling more than $20,000
Elizabeth Walmer accused of stealing from Layne Elementary PTA, police say
A mother who volunteered at her child's school has been arrested and charged with stealing thousands of dollars from the PTA.
Elizabeth Walmer, 37, is accused of embezzling $22,500 in 19 months, police said.
In January, a bank teller notified Layne Elementary that the PTA account had been overdrawn. Walmer was arrested in February and charged with theft by deception.
She appeared in court Monday to plead not guilty to the charges. A judge appointed her a public defender.
Layne Elementary parent Shawna Harley said the arrest and the allegations are troubling.
"It's kind of pointless if I'm going to be paying for someone else's groceries," Harley said of her 7-year-old's fundraising efforts.
Walmer, the former treasurer of Layne's PTA, is accused of using the PTA debit card to shop at Meijer and Target and pay off personal bills, starting in June 2013, police said. Walmer also allegedly wrote checks made payable to her boyfriend and took cash from fundraisers she was supposed to be depositing in the bank, police said.
"It is definitely heartbreaking because that money belongs to those kids," said Heather Wampler, president of the 15th District PTA.
PTA by-laws require two signatures on every transaction, but Wampler said that was not always the case. She said the PTA is reviewing its practices and scrambling to make up lost funds.
"We've got some wonderful parents out there and we've been meeting with them regularly. They're incredible. They've got great hearts. They're ready to keep going," Wampler said of planned activities, which include a field day and a fifth-grade promotion ceremony.
Harley said the most disturbing thing about the allegations is Walmer is accused of not only stealing from her 7-year-old, but her own child.
"That's not what a mom's supposed to do,” Harley said. “They're supposed to provide for their children not take from their children."
Walmer, who was convicted in 2012 for writing cold checks, returns to court May 22.
Anyone who wants to help the Layne PTA is asked to email 15thDistrictPTA.President@gmail.com.