FORT SMITH (KFSM) — The executive director of the Heart to Heart Pregnancy Center is accused of stealing more than $25,000 from the center, according to Fort Smith police.
Board members said they contacted Fort Smith Police in March to let them know that a substantial amount of money that Daphne Haas, 41, was in control of was missing from the shelter, according to police.
Police found $26,000 that belonged to the center in Haas’ personal bank account. Investigators said they are still working to uncover exactly how much money was taken from the center and where it was spent.
The center helps expecting families with classes on parenting, guidance and immediate needs of donations. Workers said that having funds taken from those who need it is the hardest thing they have had to face.
“We’ve had this for 31 years and it means so much to each one of us. It’s been my life for seven years and I was called here and I intend to do anything I can to make this center succeed,” director Candice Irving said.
Board members told 5NEWS that part of the success moving forward is making sure nothing like this happens again. The center has now put a new policy in place when it comes to handling funds.
“We have a two person check system,” advisory board member Theresa Reeves said. ” The person who takes in the donation is not the one who writes the checks, it’s not the one who makes the deposit. So one person is there to check it in, the next person is there to verify it and another person, who will actually write the checks.”
The shelter is now in need of diapers, clothes and monetary donations.
“When you go out and put your name on and your personal integrity on the line to ask people for funds to give to this non-profit, then all of a sudden – where did that money go? That was a very tough day they day we went to the bank and found out we didn’t have much in the bank,” said board member Liz Martin. “We do what we do for children. In our view this has taken from the children. We our here today to let our community know that our director, ex-director Daphne Haas has been officially terminated from our agency for misconduct and non compliance of her financial duties. As far as theft of property, misappropriation of funds and we want the people in our community to know that we are going to do something about it.”
Haas is facing charges of theft of property of more than $25,000. She was booked into the Sebastian County Detention Center after she was questioned by investigators.
