Maitlin White, a 29-year-old from Florida, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to creating fake online fundraising pages using the name and photograph of a teenager who died in the 2025 Texas floods. She impersonated the girl's father on GoFundMe and SpotFund to solicit donations.
Where
Harris County, Texas (case location); Crestview, Florida (defendant's residence); Houston (victim's residence); Kerr County (where victim died)
Maitlin Whitedefendant, pleaded guilty to online impersonation
Chloe Childress19-year-old from Houston whose identity was used in fake pages, died while working as counselor at Camp Mystic
Chloe Childress's fatheralerted authorities to fake GoFundMe campaign
Alan RosenHarris County Constable Precinct One, confirmed sentence
Detectiveinvestigated the fake campaigns
The facts
White pleaded guilty to two counts of online impersonation in Harris County, Texas.1
White created fake GoFundMe and SpotFund pages after 2025 Texas floods.1
White impersonated father of Chloe Childress, 19-year-old who died in Kerr County.1
White received 111 days of credit for time already served.1
GoFundMe banned White's account from future fundraising.1
Detective recorded call with White in which she admitted creating campaigns.1
SpotFund campaign was linked to White's Chime checking account.1
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Maitlin White She described herself as a single mother with young children looking for quick way to earn money.1
Alan Rosen, Harris County Constable Precinct One White preyed on emotions of community and abused family enduring tragedy; case should serve as warning to anyone planning similar schemes.1
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Florida woman sentenced to three years in prison for pretending to be the family of a teenager killed in
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
Jasper County deputies completed compliance checks on all 42 registered sex offenders in the county and arrested two people. Investigators charged Amber Arnold and Courtlee Taner with multiple violations of the Georgia Sexual Offender Registry.
Jasper County Sheriff's Office, conducting compliance checks and making arrests; Amber Arnold, arrested and charged; Courtlee Taner, arrested and charged
Bexar County sheriff's deputies conducted a pre-dawn raid on an alleged organized illegal gambling operation, detaining 23 people. Sheriff Javier Salazar said 13 of the detained individuals would be jailed on various charges including felony drug charges, outstanding warrants, keeping a gambling place, and engaging in organized criminal activity.
Sheriff Javier Salazar, Bexar County Sheriff; Bexar County deputies, Conducted raid
An inmate was found unresponsive in a cell at Wood County Jail around noon Tuesday. Jail medical personnel performed lifesaving measures and emergency medical services transported the inmate to UT Health in Quitman, where he was pronounced dead. The Texas Rangers are investigating the death.
Wood County Sheriff's Office, Released statement about inmate death; Texas Rangers, Conducting investigation into inmate death
Jason Dameion Watson, 46, pleaded guilty to possession of more than 400 grams of methamphetamine and tampering with evidence in Waco. A judge sentenced him to eight years in prison after prosecutors reduced their plea offer multiple times and waived the habitual criminal allegation.
Jason Dameion Watson, defendant; Jason P. Darling, defense attorney; Roy Sparkman, Visiting Judge and 2 more
A Polk County grand jury indicted Cody Allen Laviolette for murder and tampering with physical evidence in the death of Kelly Taylor Mariah Little, 31. The investigation began after an incident at Laviolette's home on May 23; Little died May 24.
$$500,000 for murder charge bond
Cody Allen Laviolette, Indicted for murder and tampering with physical evidence; Kelly Taylor Mariah Little, Deceased mother of three; District Judge Travis Kitchens, Set bond amounts and 3 more
Demerrion Keith Crayton, 25, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the November 2023 shooting death of Michael Everett Jr., 24. Crayton's gun was used in the killing, but he claims he handed the pistol to someone else who fired the fatal shots.
Demerrion Keith Crayton, defendant; pleaded guilty to murder; Michael Everett Jr., victim; killed November 2023; Jason P. Darling, Crayton's attorney and 2 more
Mark Edward Wilkins, 58, was arrested and charged with three counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor after police responded to an underage drinking call at his McAllen home early Sunday. Officers found 15 to 20 intoxicated juveniles at the residence, and three teens received on-scene medical treatment.
$$5,000 for bond per charge
Mark Edward Wilkins, homeowner, arrested and charged; McAllen Police Department, responding officers
A 21-year-old El Paso man was arrested on November 1 and charged with the murder of a 27-year-old man from Memphis, Texas. Texas Rangers assisted the Hall County Sheriff's Office in the investigation.
Alberto Chavez, 21-year-old man arrested and charged with murder; Victor Chavez, 27-year-old man from Memphis, Texas, murder victim; Texas Rangers, assisted with investigation and 1 more