Woman, mom held in fake subsitute scam

WATERFORD, Mich. — A 24-year-old woman and her 44-year-old mother were arraigned Tuesday on a false pretense charge after the daughter was caught impersonating her mother as a substitute teacher.

Dayonlynn Diare Bell tried to substitute for her mother, who was been identified as Donna Patrice Farley— but an alert building secretary and principal at a Waterford elementary school smelled a fraud after Bell showed up Monday to teach a class of fifth-graders while claiming to be her own mother, police and school officials said.

Officers were called about 10 a.m. to Riverside Elementary School for the "complaint of a female impersonating a substitute teacher" and when an officer questioned Bell, she produced Farley's identification, according to Waterford Deputy Chief Jeff James.

Police determined that the would-be sub from Flint was not Farley — an approved substitute, expected that day — and so Bell was taken to the police station.

At first, Bell claimed that she and her mother agreed to the impersonation "because the mother had a prior appointment she did not want to miss." An older woman matching Farley's description was parked outside their building, James said.

Bell and Farley were arraigned Tuesday at the 51st District Court on a false pretenses charge, which is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail or a $500 fine.

"They admitted everything. That makes our jobs a little easier," said Sgt. William Dolehanty, spokesman for the Waterford police.

But Dolehanty said he was surprised that the mother-daughter duo were charged with false pretenses with intent to defraud less than $200.

"I was really flabbergasted that the prosecutors only went for a 93-day misdemeanor," he said, saying he thought the fraud was more serious because it involved the security of young children.

"Hopefully we'll see some changes in school security now, so this doesn't happen again," Dolehanty said.

A court official at Waterford's 51st District Court said the two were arraigned via video from the Oakland County Jail and that they had no attorney, so the court would appoint an attorney for them before their next court date Monday.

District Court Judge Richard Kuhn Jr. set bail at 10% cash or surety of $5,000 for Bell and 10% of $2,500 cash or surety for her Farley, both of Flint. Both were being held Tuesday night in the Oakland County Jail after failing to post their bonds, according to jail records.