Photo, Sam Penrod, KSL Television
Addie Fausett’s story at one time had inspired hundreds of thousands of people from around the world. Diagnosed with an incurable spinal disease, she had asked for people to send her Christmas cards. The response was overwhelming. Letters and cards from around the world poured into the Mountain Green post office, all for Addie.
Fausett died in July, about the time people began asking questions over where all the money raised in her name had been spent.
In October, police arrested 45 year old James Fowlkes Richards of Pleasant Grove and prosecutors charged him with forgery and fraud. Charging documents claim Richards could not account for around $20,000 of the more than $29,000 dollars raised by a charity for Fausett and her family. The documents claim Richards eventually admitted to forging documents accounting for those expenses. Richard’s case remains in the system. A hearing set for this week was continued until July.
In the mean, time, Fausett’s grave remains without a marker in a cemetery in Nephi. Her mother, Tami, said they thought Richards was their friend. “Someone who we thought was a good friend, who we trusted and claimed to love Addie and wanted to help, apparently didn’t.” Fausett said.