Amanda Sue Curry had the charges against her dismissed
HANCOCK COUNTY — It took a New Palestine woman over two years to prove her innocence in a theft and exploitation case, but all charges against Amanda Sue Curry have officially been dismissed in Hancock County Superior Court 1.
The case was originally opened in July, 2020 when officials filed felony charges believing Curry took advantage of her stepson’s learning disability to commit offenses, a probable cause affidavit said. According to an 18-page probable cause affidavit filed in support of the charges, officials felt Curry took a sum estimated at over $135,000.
Curry, 42, was charged with a Level 5 felony count of theft and a Level 6 felony count of exploitation of an endangered adult from incidents in June 2019. Upon further investigation however, both of the charges were dismissed by Magistrate Cody Coombs at the end of August.
Curry’s attorney, Craig Martin, told the Daily Reporter the situation came about after Curry was accused by her ex-husband of taking thousands of dollars from her stepson’s bank account.
Martin noted Eaton was open to looking at new evidence of expenses, bank records and receipts that showed a story which contradicted her ex-husband’s allegations
“It (the case) can not be proven with the evidence we have,” prosecutor Brent Eaton said in an email to the Daily Reporter.
Additionally, Curry passed a computer voice stress analysis exam with the detective working on the case, one Martin said showed Curry did not take or exert any unauthorized control of her stepson’s money.
“Amanda looks forward to moving on with her life after this accusation which has taken a toll on her and her family,” Martin said in an email to the Daily Reporter. “I am very happy for my client.”
Martin went on to say Curry was asked to preserve and assist her stepson’s money upon her ex-husband’s request following the stepson’s arrest in Marion County in November of 2016. Curry, Martin said, was named as a joint owner of accounts and money for the stepson’s accounts for less than a year in 2017.
During that time, Curry kept receipts and bank records to help show the stepson spent the money on what he wanted during that year, until she wanted to terminate her marriage with her ex-husband.
Curry, Martin said, met her then-husband and stepson at the bank and removed her name from the accounts and notarized her filing for divorce in September, 2017. After trying to reconcile the marriage one last time, she ultimately filed for divorce a second time in 2019.
“It was only then, two years after receiving sole custody of the remaining money, did her ex-husband make a materially false accusation that they never received the money and that the stepson hadn’t spent his own money,” Martin said.
Curry noted in the email how thankful she is to her attorney for believing in her and his advocacy and handling of the case. She also appreciates the efforts put in by her attorney and Eaton. Both, she said, put effort into combing through the evidence and records to sort out the facts.
“She is also grateful for the assistance of detective Tim Cicenas in assisting with a voice test,” Martin said. “My staff and I never stopped until justice prevailed.”
