ZEARING, IOWA – An Iowa woman in charge of a health care center was arrested on numerous felony charges including abuse of dependent adults and theft after tens-of-thousands of dollars went missing.
The Story County Sheriff’s Office filed multiple charges this week in connection to a theft report in August of 2023 at the Zearing Health Care Center in Zearing, Iowa.
The manager of the Zearing Health Care Center reported financial irregularities on a resident’s bank account to the Story County Sheriff’s Office. The manager also provided information linking a Social Service Designee employee to this suspicious activity; this employee was identified as Bambi Ann Cerka, a 44 year-old-female of Zearing, IA.
A thorough investigation revealed four victims, all residents of the Zearing Health Care Center. The total loss to the four victims is just under $28,000. Cerka created personal accounts under her control and redirected IPERS and Social Security deposits from one victim’s account to her own of approximately $23,500. Cerka also made unauthorized transactions from the accounts of three other victims of approximately $4,500. The investigation reveals this activity took place between June 2022 – August 2023.
Bambi Cerka (pictured at top) is in the custody of the Story County Jail and has been charged with the following:
• Theft 1st Degree Against Older Individual (Class B Felony)
• Theft 2nd Degree (Class D Felony)
• Two counts of Theft 3rd Degree (Aggravated Misdemeanor)
• Three counts of Dependent Adult Abuse (Class D Felony)
• Dependent Adult Abuse (Simple Misdemeanor)
