McManus has been homeless for two to three years and struggles with a fentanyl addiction. She was also found to be under the influence of the drug on the day of the incident
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A Sarnia, Ontario woman was jailed for stealing $50 from a boy’s birthday card.
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On June 10, 2022, 39-year-old Chantelle McManus was taking a taxi from Sarnia to an apartment in the nearby town of Corunna where a nine-year-old boy and his 13-year-old sister were home alone, the Sarnia Observer reported.
McManus, a stranger to the children, was found downstairs in her living room when the young girl went to check on her barking dog.
McManus left the house with an old prescription bottle containing ten hydromorphone tablets, a blood glucose meter, and $50 from a “Happy 10th Birthday” card.
“I find this disgusting. You know exactly who you are stealing from,” said Assistant District Attorney Sarah Carmody, calling the situation “outrageous.”
McManus was arrested after a property manager recognized her from video surveillance and identified her as she had previously lived in the building. The stolen birthday money and the rest of the property were not recovered.
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McManus was sentenced to 84 days in jail after pleading guilty to charges including “unlawful presence in a dwelling house,” two counts of theft under $5,000 and “bail jumping in other cases.”
During the sentencing, Carmody read a letter from the children’s mother which said: “Ms. McManus, your actions have traumatized both me and my children.”
McManus read a letter she had written in which she told the court that she had previously lived in the apartment building in Corunna and thought she would see her own children when she entered the house.
Her defense attorney, Robert McFadden, said McManus had been homeless for two to three years and was battling a fentanyl addiction. It was also determined that she was under the influence of something on the day of the incident.
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McManus apologized to the mother and her two children. “I wish this day had never happened.”
She stood in the dock and said with tears in her eyes: “I am really sorry and I hope you can forgive me,” said the The Sarnia Observer reported.
Judge Mark Poland ordered her to pay the boy back his $50 and not come to A Coruña for the next 18 months.
“I have to say that I agree with Ms. Carmody about the depth of the abyss that was plumbed here when Ms. McManus stole the $50 from this child’s birthday card,” Poland said. “This is a particularly egregious offense.”
He also imposed an additional 10 days in prison rather than just the time already served to give her time to consider her exit from prison after McManus expressed a desire to seek treatment for her addiction.
“You can do it,” said Poland.
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