73-year-old woman’s buried bones lead to 2 fraud arrests

Mom and daughter duo accused of fraud, identity theft following a woman’s death. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

Mom and daughter duo accused of fraud, identity theft following a woman’s death. (Credit: Channel 2 Action News)

Police are not sure how or when Connie Hodgson died.

What they do know is that the 73-year-old was last seen alive five years ago.

Her remains were found last month by a homeowner who’d moved into Hodgson’s East Point home, according to Channel 2 Action News. She had lived there for 20 years before she disappeared.

MORE: Human bones found in backyard of East Point neighborhood

Now, two women – mother Theresa Frawley and daughter Brandy Hodder – have been arrested on accusations they used Hodgson’s debit and credit cards. The two face fraud and identity theft charges.

“Miss Frawley has been using Ms. Hodgson’s debit card and credit card,” East Point police detective Ebony Johnson told Channel 2. “Ms. Hodgson’s mail has been going to her house, but (Frawley) can’t tell us where Ms. Hodgson is at this point.”

Police told Channel 2 there were no teeth with the skull and the bones were so deteriorated they can’t determine a cause of death.

Frawley met Hodgson through her daughter Hodder, who had worked at a Waffle House with Hodgson, according to the news station. The duo had stayed with Hodgson for at least nine years.

Police haven’t been able to locate any family for Hodgson, but Frawley and Hodder seemed the closest to it.

“It’s always sad when people don’t have anybody to say goodbye to them, you know it is,” neighbor Laura Gettler said.

Authorities have launched a separate investigation to see if the mother and daughter were collecting Hodgson’s social security checks.