$400,000 Stolen from Alabama Elderly Couple by House Cleaner Tabitha White

Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigators recovered $400,000 in stolen cash from an elderly couple in Bay Minette, Alabama — funds allegedly taken by their house cleaner, 28-year-old Tabitha White. The theft went undetected for several months before the victims identified White as a suspect, according to Lieutenant Andy Ashton of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, as reported by FOX 10.

Maid’s alleged spending spree uncovered during investigation

White now faces a felony charge of financial exploitation of the elderly. Ashton confirmed that the couple suspected her early on, describing her as “their maid basically.” Once contacted, White reportedly produced “a large sum of money from her house” and claimed it originated from the couple’s residence, offering no further explanation.

Investigators pursued the case beyond that initial statement. A search of White’s property revealed extensive purchases made with the stolen funds. Photographs documented a four-wheeler, multiple recreational vehicles, several chainsaws, lawnmowers, a stovetop, and numerous unopened appliances still in their original packaging.

Unanswered questions about cash storage and access

The official report does not specify how White gained access to the money or whether it was stored in a safe. It also does not clarify why the couple kept such a large amount of cash on their property rather than in a financial institution.

Ashton emphasized the vulnerability of elderly victims living on fixed incomes. “You get to a certain age in life and you’re on a fixed income,” he said. “Not everybody is blessed with wealth or whatnot, so they’re, they have what they have to live on and for people to take advantage of situations like that, it’s shameful.”