After an investigation, police say 31-year-old Kelly Ivey of New Castle, the leader of Girl Scout Troop #87, had taken $3,003 and used the money for her personal use.
The girls spent weeks selling their cookies outside of businesses and with only 6 in the troop, the girls were thrilled with all of their sales, but in the end police say a mere $20 was deposited in their account.
"What's a whole troop of Girl Scouts supposed to do with $20? Not a whole lot in my book," Cpl. Jeffery Whitmarsh of the Delaware State Police said.
Her particular Girl Scout Troop had sold 1,476 boxes of cookies in their annual fundraiser.
This theft was uncovered during a routine audit of the cookie sales. During this audit, it was learned that because the suspect failed to deposit the money, Troop #87 was left was only $20.00 in their account.
Police say Kelly Ivey voluntarily turned herself in to authorities yesterday and was formally charged with two counts of felony theft. She was released on a $3,000 unsecured bail.
"That was their troop leader. They looked up to her like their mother I mean, that's pretty much what it was like," mother Krista Clemente said.Danielle Parker, a Girl Scout mother, says Ivey not only stole from the girls, according to her, she also stole from US troops after one customer paid for two cases of Girl Scout cookies to be sent to her son's unit in Iraq.
They never got their cookies and that's actually what alerted council that things were not right with our troop," Parker said.
A private sponsor to paid for the girls to go to Hershey Park, but their mothers say the Girl Scout council has not offered to help them recoup the stolen money.
"The girls will not go without, but at this point it's between the council and the troop," Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Council's Melissa Cox said.
Kelly Ivey isn't the first troop leader accused of stealing Girl Scout cookie money, according to Cox, which is why troops around the country have been ordered to have criminal background checks done for all leaders starting next month.
Her particular Girl Scout Troop had sold 1,476 boxes of cookies in their annual fundraiser.
This theft was uncovered during a routine audit of the cookie sales. During this audit, it was learned that because the suspect failed to deposit the money, Troop #87 was left was only $20.00 in their account.
Police say Kelly Ivey voluntarily turned herself in to authorities yesterday and was formally charged with two counts of felony theft. She was released on a $3,000 unsecured bail.
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