Two Arrested in Theft of Clothing at Orangewood
Sheriff’s deputies arrested a two-year employee of the Orangewood Children’s Home on suspicion of stealing clothes from children and reselling them.
Frances Yolanda Romero, 38, of Santa Ana was arrested about 3 p.m. Thursday at the end of her shift at the county’s temporary shelter for abused and neglected children, according to Lt. Tom Garner. She was booked at the Orange County Jail on suspicion of commercial burglary.
Brenda Lea Cox, also of Santa Ana, was arrested on the same charge, police said. Cox also was wanted on a 1989 narcotics charge.
At the time of Romero’s arrest, police said, they found several items of children’s clothing in her possession believed to have been removed from the Orangewood laundry. More clothing was recovered in her work locker and her home, Garner said.
A small amount of children’s clothing thought to be from Orangewood was seized at Cox’s home.
Staff at Orangewood told deputies they believed an employee was stealing children’s clothing and reselling it on the street, Garner said. The arrests Thursday culminated a monthlong investigation.
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