Texas Woman Tells Child She Has Terminal Cancer For Donation Money: Report

A Texas woman told her seven-year-old daughter she had just months to live with terminal cancer and shaved her head — all so she could make a few bucks in donations, police said.

Juanita Garcia of Mission, Texas, was arrested by the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office after investigators were tipped off by child protective services, Celina Flores, a sheriff’s office spokeswoman told Patch.

Garcia was apparently trying to make extra money during the holiday season but instead cooked up a sinister plan.

The sheriff’s investigators believe she had been telling her daughter she had cancer as early as June, Flores said. She started soliciting donations on social media, going so far as to shave her daughter’s head and tell her she had just months left to live, police said.

Child protective services alerted the case to the sheriff’s office, who began an investigation in October, police said. Garcia was arrested and charged with exploitation of a child — a third-degree felony, police said.

It is unknown how much money the mom raised, police said.

The child is no longer in her care and does not actually have cancer.

“We don’t want to discourage people from participating in fundraisers but we do want them to be cautious and we want them to vet and confirm the information”, Sergeant J.P. Rodriguez told KGNS.