A 26-year-old New York woman is accused of tracking obituaries so that she could burglarize the homes of people away at funerals.
Latonia Stewart, of New York City, was arraigned Wednesday on a 22-count indictment for a string of burglaries between 2017 and 2018. She faces multiple counts of burglary and larceny.
Authorities in Westchester County north of New York City say Stewart looked at obituaries to find out when funerals were taking place, figured out where the decedent lived, and then targeted the homes of grieving family members.
The Westchester County district attorney said people would return from funerals of their loved ones to ransacked homes, with windows broken and valuables gone.
Stewart targeted homes in affluent suburbs of New York City, authorities said.
Over a year ago, on May 1, 2018, police pulled Stewart over when she was driving back from a home she had allegedly just burglarized. Authorities said her baby was inside the car with her, along with jewelry in plain sight, an obituary pulled up on her cell phone, and a mallet hammer under her seat she allegedly used to break into the homes.
Stewart, whose lawyers did not immediately return NBC News’ request for comment, is scheduled to make her next court appearance in two weeks.
