Home health-care workers arrested on charges of second-degree grand larceny

News Summary/September 11, 2016

By Rick Alan Ross

Newsday reported that In March 2002, two women, Lorraine Harrington, 56, and Anna Harrington, 21, of Rocky Point, New York, began taking care of widower Arthur Shaw, 82, Shaw was living alone after the death of his wife Candida. According to Mr. Shaw the mother and daughter told him they were "home health-care workers." James Shaw, Arthur Shaw's only son, told Newsday he thought the Lorraine and Anna Harrington "would treat [his father] good because he needed that."

Arthur Shaw of Malverne, New York had been married for 55 years and his wife Candida handled everything in their household. "She always paid the bills. She just took care of me.," Shaw told Newsday. 

Lorraine Harrington and Anna Harrington reportedly moved into Shaw's home, paid his bills and signed his checks.

Shaw told Newsday that "$160,000 was siphoned from his savings in one year." Anna Harrington and her mother reportedly used the widower's money to buy a $53,000 Corvette convertible that he never drove, lease a town house in Coram for Anna, and pay for trips to Sicily and Niagara Falls.

Shaw told Newsday that he "was brainwashed."  He said, "I was living through it, but I had no idea what was happening."

Shaw reportedly claimed that Anna Harrington monitored his every move and followed him everywhere. 

He also told Newsday, "I was scared to death of her."

But one day Arthur Shaw apparently summoned up enough courage to reportedly "run screaming in his pajamas to a neighbor who called police."

Newsday reported that Lorraine Harrington and Anna Harrington were subsequently arrested by police (2003) and charged with second-degree grand larceny.

Police said that Lorraine and Anna Harrington kept Shaw drugged, threatened the octogenarian and used his money

 After Lorraine Harrington and Anna Harrington were arrested by police James Shaw began making arrangements to move his father in with family.

In a sworn statement to police Anna Harrington said "I never forced Mr. Shaw to go to a bank and take out money for me. Mr. Shaw volunteered. He wanted to do it. I never asked him or begged him to do it."

But Suffolk's Seventh Squad Commander Detective Lieutenant Alan Rosenthal said that  Lorraine Harrington and Anna Harrington "took it way too far."

Arthur Shaw concluded in an interview with Newsday, "I was vulnerable and they took advantage. They pushed their way in."

Note: This news summary is based upon the report "Scams Against Seniors On Rise" by Samuel Bruchey published by Newsday April 22, 2003

Update: On October 16, 2003 Anna Harrington entered a plea of guilty to a reduced criminal charge of "Disorderly Conduct." Harrington's conditional court discharge included an order of protection regarding Arthur Shaw for one year.