HIGGINSVILLE, Mo. — A Higginsville woman is accused stealing more than $385,000 from Progressive Alternative Living, Incorporated or PAL. 50 year of Terri Marr, of Warrensburg, faced a federal judge Monday in downtown Kansas City.
FOX 4 was there when Marr and her husband left the courthouse. For 12 years, PAL has run a private, group home in Higginsville for disabled persons in need of assistance.
“We are trying to help the physically and mentally handicapped to maybe one day live on their own, ” PAL’s new Director, Stephanie Crawford said during a telephone interview Monday afternoon.
Crawford said in May PAL’s board members first learned that Terri Marr allegedly stole money from the organization.
“It was very shocking. It was you know the board members, who caught the situation and they brought it to us, the staff. The individuals we serve do not know what’s going on, ” said Crawford.
Crawford told FOX 4 the group home currently has 12 staff members and eight mentally and physically challenged clients.
Terri Marr was responsible for tracking the organization’s income and expenditures.
The 22-count, federal indictment alleges the Warrensburg woman used PAL bank accounts to make payments to her personal credit cards as well as issue payroll checks to a co-conspirator, who’s not named in the indictment.
“They made me acting director after all of this.I have no idea about a co-conspirator,” added Stephanie Crawford.
Crawford said the group home’s daily operations have not been affected by the allegations against Marr.
“We just don’t even think about it and if we do, we don’t mention it to one another because at this point and time the individuals are more important to us than what’s going on with her, ” said Crawford.
Terri Marr is expected to return to court next Wednesday.
