Sunday, November 08, 2009
Count Trista Joy Lathern’s husband and co-workers among those who now feel misled and betrayed by her alleged pretense that she had breast cancer and was undergoing the rigors of chemotherapy.
Lathern, 24, formerly of Robinson, was arrested Wednesday on theft by deception charges after authorities say she lied about her medical condition, watched as friends raised $10,000 for her at a benefit and then reportedly spent the proceeds on breast-augmentation surgery.
Lathern, who remains free on bail, was arrested again Friday morning on a 2-year-old misdemeanor warrant charging her with theft by check. The warrant was issued in May 2007 in her maiden name, Trista Joy Fabianke, and county jail officials let her bond out Wednesday without realizing there was another warrant for her arrest.
Lathern, who is living now with her grandparents in Beverly Hills, and her attorney, Phil Frederick, both declined comment.
As news of Lathern’s apparent deception spread, cancer support groups and others trying to raise money to help people with real illnesses said they were saddened. While they said they remain hopeful that there won’t be a fundraising backlash, some say they have already seen small ripples from those who have heard about Lathern.
“I can tell you that there has already been a backlash,” said Debbie Rogers, who organized a benefit Saturday for her friend, Sharon Stansel, a former Texas Youth Commission guard who suffers from a severe liver disorder and Hepatitis C.
“You know how you can read people? Some people I have approached for help just say they are not interested in helping with individuals anymore, and I figured that the Trista Lathern thing was going around already. I have been getting that old, distant stare, the look of somebody who has been burned with this before,” Rogers said.
According to court records, Lathern told sheriff’s office investigator James Pack that she lied about her illness, collected $10,000 at a benefit thrown for her at the Hog Creek Ice House in August and
then used the money for breast implants in an attempt to save her failing, seven-month marriage. She
said she also lied about chemotherapy and shaved her head to look the part of a cancer patient, Pack reported.
Husband seeks annulment
On the same day she was arrested, her husband, William Lathern, filed to have their marriage annulled, alleging that she induced him to get married “by fraud.” The couple married April 18 but have two sons, ages 5 and 3, together.
The annulment petition says that William Lathern, who is seeking custody of the boys, was not aware that Trista Lathern didn’t have cancer when they married or when the benefit was held.
Likewise, Trista Lathern’s co-workers at the Army and Air Force Exchange Service in Hewitt, where she has worked as an accounting assistant since May 27, 2008, were taken in by her reported ruse.
Judd Anstey, an AAFES spokesman in Dallas, confirmed that Lathern’s co-workers gave up vacation time and gave the hours to Lathern, whom they believed needed the time off while undergoing chemotherapy.
Anstey confirmed that the company has a leave-donation program but said he could not reveal how many employees participated or how much time was donated to Lathern because it is part of an ongoing company investigation. He said Friday that she is still employed at AAFES.
Wayne Redding, owner of Hog Creek Ice House, and Journey Meredith, who handles public service announcements for Clear Channel’s Web sites for its seven Central Texas radio stations, both said that they likely will start taking closer looks and asking more questions before hosting or running announcements for future benefits.
That is the suggestion of Phyllis Hubbard, spokeswoman for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Waco.
“I hope that people will just investigate what they are giving to,” she said. “Maybe this incident will be a red flag so they will do a little more investigating to see where their money and support are going to. It broke my heart when I read about (Lathern). It made me upset that someone would go to such extremes when all that money could have helped someone who really needed it.”
twitherspoon@wacotrib.com
757-5737
Comments
By mara
Nov 25, 2009 7:08 PM | Link to this
omg i kept seeing this picture and thinking it was the husband. OOPS. no wonder she wanted (.)(.)
By JustMe
Nov 22, 2009 12:12 AM | Link to this
Lisa, don't know if you will see this, but I'm curious about Emma Routh. Contact me if you wish at tvpatron@yahoo.com
By dove
Nov 13, 2009 7:08 PM | Link to this
What a disgusting excuse of a human being.
By Bindyree
Nov 13, 2009 11:36 AM | Link to this
How about all charges dropped in exchange for a mastectomy?
By my law n order
Nov 12, 2009 8:43 AM | Link to this
This woman needs councelling with a size 7 up her behind.Hope she is made to pay back money to those who donated and pay an equal amount to a breast cancer charity and have her boobs taken back in an operation she'll have to pay for, that'll give her something to worry about, just hope her kids aren't badly influenced by her stupidity.
By Jerome
Nov 12, 2009 8:16 AM | Link to this
When I look at her, I think I would be more inclined to contribute for her augmentation than for her cancer. Maybe for a good haircut too.
By Terri
Nov 11, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this
Please tell me her grandparents are not giving her money and that they sleep with there doors to there bedroom locked at night. I feel for her family and her husband. This girl needs to be in a nut house not out on bond there is no telling what a crazy person like her that would shave her head and let her children cry themself to sleep at night thinking there mom may die will do when she gets to thinking I need to have more people thinking of me this girl needs locked up and never let out. She is one sick person. She has a sickness
By Terri
Nov 11, 2009 4:39 PM | Link to this
Please tell me her grandparents are not giving her money and that they sleep with there doors to there bedroom locked at night. I feel for her family and her husband. This girl needs to be in a nut house not out on bond there is no telling what a crazy person like her that would shave her head and let her childrend cry thereseld to sleep at night thinking there mom may die will do when she gets to thinking I need to have more people thinking of me this girl needs locked up and never let out.
By This woman should die
Nov 11, 2009 1:20 PM | Link to this
Anyone who would do this should be shot
By Trista is a LIAR
Nov 11, 2009 12:53 PM | Link to this
I agree. Trista is lying, because that's all she knows how to do. Anything to try and get the spot light off of herself! Bill is a very good guy and deserves so much better than her. She's too stupid to realize that she had a wonderful husband, and she is using him as an excuse for the horrible crime she committed. Wonder what all other new lies she'll come up with before this is all over with? That girl is so clueless, that it goes beyond "PATHETIC!" It's always about her, and to Hell with everyone else, including her very own children. She needs to be put on the court house lawn, then tarred and feathered for all to see. How on Earth did she think that she could possibly pull this off and not have to pay the penalty. This is a FELONY!! If she is ever allowed to see her kids again, it needs to be supervised by a court appointed mediator, so she isn't able to manipulate those 2 boys of hers. Does she not realize or care, that what she has done will affect them for years to come?? I really don't buy that she did this just to save her marriage!!! That's just a pity party excuse to try to get out of what she's done!! She wanted a boob job and would do anything to get it done. It was too dang hard to get a job and keep it long enough to put some money back and do it the honest way. She never wanted to work anyways. Bill's the one whose always worked his but off and provided for her and their kids. Always a scheme with her. I'm willing to bet, even after all this, that she STILL DOES NOT GET IT!! Poor Bill!! I hope one day he is able to find a wonderful woman worthy of his love! If he does, it will be one Helluva relationship for him and the boys!! I don't buy the post partum depression crap either. She is a pathological liar. Anyone who knows her, knows this is the truth! It's not that everyone is trying to badmouth her. We are just really sickened by what she has done, and there are a lot of us out here who know that Bill really is a good man and was majorly dooped by the mother of his children. It's not like she cheated on him. She made him believe she had cancer and like the true man he is , he tried to do right by her! The only part of me that feels sorry for her, is the part where she's just too dang ignorant to realize the extent of her actions!
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