LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Investigators have charged a woman after they say it was discovered she faked her son’s COVID-19 test to be positive to get him out of court to partake in senior week.
According to the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, Keri Cruser’s son was cited for underage drinking by Pennsylvania State Police for an incident that occurred earlier this year.
As stated in the affidavit, Cruser’s son was given community service as punishment and failed to show up 3-4 times for his community service and would be facing a hearing regarding his absences.
Cruser, 46, of Dunmore, tried to postpone her son’s June 21 hearing so that he can attend senior week, police say. The court denied her plea to move the hearing.
According to court documents, on the date of the hearing, Cruser contacted the court stating her son had tested positive for COVID-19 and was unable to attend the hearing.
Cruser faxed a copy of a COVID test from the Prescription Center in Scranton showing her son tested positive on June 20 to the DA’s offices, the affidavit states.
The judge presiding over the case contacted the Prescription Center and a pharmacist stated there were only two COVID tests done on June 20 and Cruser’s son was not one of them.
The pharmacist reviewed the document Cruser allegedly sent to the DA’s office and informed investigators that it was fake.
Cruser was brought in to be interviewed regarding the alleged fake document. At first, police say she denied that the document was fake until she heard that investigators contacted the pharmacy.
According to officials, Cruser admitted to forging a document that was given to her when she tested positive for COVID-19 in December of 2021. Police say Cruser told them that she put her son’s name on a COVID-19 positive test to excuse him from a court hearing.
Cruser has been charged with forgery, tampering with records, and obstructing administration of law.