Sheryl Matheson, the Winnipeg woman accused of stealing money from her sick niece, has been found guilty.
Thousands of dollars were raised to help the girl who was waiting for a lifesaving heart transplant. However, before she died, all the money had vanished.
Jessica Bondar believed her aunt, Sheryl Matheson, stole the money.
A Winnipeg Court has come to a similar conclusion. On Thursday, Justice James Edmond convicted Matheson of theft and fraud over $5,000.
"The Crown has not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that $25,393.38 was stolen or converted for an improper purpose by the accused,” Edmond wrote in his written decision. “I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused converted money from the account, having a value exceeding $5,000 for her own purposes or for purposes that were not authorized or approved by Ms. Roy, Jessica and their family.”
After Jessica Bondar passed away, her mother, Charlotte Roy testified she was angry and blamed Matheson for the missing money. However, Roy told the court she later reviewed financial records, and now believes Matheson's explanations about how and where she spent the money.
Edmond wrote "in my view, Ms. Roy's recantation of her evidence is motivated by the family's wish to reconcile as well as her concern about her sister being convicted of criminal offences and potentially spending time in custody. "
Matheson will be sentenced at a later date.
