Mother’s Use of Transplant Donations Probed

Thousands of dollars donated to 7-year-old Ronnie DeSillers for his battle against liver disease apparently were spent by his mother for other purposes after the boy’s death, a state investigator said Friday.

Bank records show that Maria DeSillers used some donations to pay back a $5,000 loan from her former boyfriend and to pay $1,765 in rent for her apartment. In all, the records show, she withdrew $176,000 from the fund set up to receive contributions, and failed to keep records of how she spent much of the money.

Tracking Use of Funds

“We’ve got to find out what happened to this money,” said John Spagna, acting regional supervisor of the licensing division of the Florida Department of State.

“It appears, preliminarily, that Mrs. DeSillers has violated the law, because it looks like donations for Ronnie have been transferred to other accounts and used for other purposes than for what they were intended,” Spagna said.

“I would like Mrs. DeSillers to speak with me. That would expedite the whole process,” he said. “Unfortunately, she doesn’t like to call us as much as she likes to call (news media).”

Authorities are investigating whether a state law concerning charitable donations was violated.

DeSillers, who is hospitalized with a kidney ailment, has denied any wrongdoing with the money.

“I am not on trial,” she said. “I did not keep track of all the money. Most of it was used to help other kids. If I had to do it over again, I certainly would do things differently. I wouldn’t help other people.”

DeSillers collected the money to pay medical bills for her son, who died in a Pittsburgh, Pa., hospital last April 29 while awaiting his fourth liver transplant.

After money contributed to pay for his treatment was stolen, a flood of donations came in from across the country, including $1,000 from President Reagan. A fund was established for the contributions and DeSillers later set up a national foundation in Ronnie’s name to promote organ donations.

Bank records obtained by investigators show that DeSillers received $662,000 in donations, about $200,000 more than previously reported.

DeSillers wrote herself one check for $158,132.14, according to the records, which were made public Thursday. Other checks brought the total to $176,000.

DeSillers checked into Kendall Regional Medical Center on Thursday, suffering from abdominal pains. She was in fair condition Friday.

“I’ve had kidney stones for six months, but I haven’t had the money or the time to do anything about them,” she said.