Former North Miami Senior High treasurer arrested

Susie Easterling charged with second-degree grand theft

NORTH MIAMI, Fla. – A former treasurer at North Miami Senior High School is facing charges after school officials accused her of theft.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokeswoman Daisy Gonzalez-Diego said Susie Easterling resigned from her position at the school in April 2015 after MDCPS's Office of Professional Standards opened a case against her for theft.

Easterling, 52, was arrested Nov. 10 by school police on a charge of second-degree grand theft.

According to an arrest report, district auditors discovered that Easterling collected cash from students, which she stored in her office.

Detectives said Easterling received money for school activities and often received third-party checks, which she failed to deposit into the school's internal funds account.

"The defendant would not issue receipts for the checks because the payees would not request one," the report said. "The defendant would steal the cash collected and deposit the checks she received into the school's bank account, in order to conceal the misappropriation."

According to detectives, Easterling prepared two separate bank deposit slips -- the school's copy, which showed the amount she collected in cash, and the bank's copy, which showed the actual checks deposited into the school's account.

Police said Easterling would take the bank deposits to the bank in person in order to keep the receipts.

The auditors discovered the discrepancy and determined that Easterling had stolen about $79,000 in cash.

According to the report, Easterling admitted to the auditors verbally and in writing that she took the money because she was going through financial troubles and said she was willing to pay the money back.

Easterling later turned herself in to authorities.


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.