GOSHEN — Shocking accusations against a local woman whose daughter captured the hearts of many. Court documents accuse that Goshen mother of faking her daughter’s terminal illness to get money.

Police say Marianne Edmiston used her daughter to get cash.

We went to the Elkhart County Courthouse today and got these court documents.

Last summer, Edmiston told WSBT 22 and the Elkhart County 4H Fair staff that her daughter was sick and would die within the year. Court documents now say Edmiston’s daugher is not sick and Edmiston faces an attempted theft charge.

“She thought she was terminally ill for 1-2 years because of her mom.”

Investigators argue that’s how convincing Marianne Edmiston’s stories were.

Court documents describe what happened at the Elkhart County 4H Fair last year. Though we identified Edmiston’s daughter then, we are not identifying her now to prevent any additional harm.

Police say she told fair staff her terminally ill daughter had “multiple diseases, her organs were starting to shut down and that her heart had fallen out of its aortic cavity.”

Edmiston also claimed her daughter had “kidney, heart, lung, liver, eye and skin afflictions,” and that her “last wish was to raise a calf at the fair.”

According to the court documents, medical records for the daughter show she has a chronic illness but one that is NOT fatal.

As we reported last summer, that’s when fair staff decided to help Edmiston raise money for her daughter’s supposed medical costs.

Leaders with the dairy feeder calf program set up a buyer’s group and dozens of people donated to the fund.

Most calves sell for less than $1,000, Edmiston’s daughter’s calf raked in near $21,000. However, Edmiston never got the money.

Court documents state fair officials had “concerns about the circumstances involving Edmiston” and never sent the check. We reached out the Elkhart 4H Fair officials to ask about the $21,000 that was raised. They didn’t want to comment at this time since the investigation is still open.

An arrest warrant is active right now for Marianne Edmiston by Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department.

Source: WSBT