ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU) – Altoona woman claims to be a victim in a theft by deception case

More than 300 people across 25 states and even Australia, gave irreplaceable mementos to a woman in Georgia and never got them back and one woman in Altoona claims to be a victim.

Kearston Thibedeau said that she bought a custom ring made of her breastmilk from a business called Romeo and Juliette Keepsakes. The owner of the business was arrested. Police are recommending charges of theft by deception.

“It’s tough because you don’t know who to trust,” said Thibedeau.

Georgia investigators are recommending charges against 32-year-old Destiny Magoon for theft by deception.

The sheriff’s office in Georgia says Magoon operated a telemarketing business that offered to create mementos for people.

They say customers mailed items to her such as breastmilk, hair, and ashes…but never received the finished product.

“My daughter was born in July of ‘21 and I joined a Facebook group for moms who had babies the same month that I did. And somebody had posted something in there about breast milk jewelry. And I was very interested,” said Thibedeau.

She says her breastmilk was special to her because of how it bonded her to her child.

“It was something I had my heart set on. My daughter beastfed for two full years and it was where she wouldn’t take a bottle at daycare, so it was just something that I had to work extra hard at.”

She said she ordered the ring in December of 2022 and she still didn’t receive it by May of this year.

“I knew she was busy and I knew she was getting more orders,” she said. “But then later last year is kind of when it started to get weird, she started posting things about her business having issues. I reached out to her and never heard anything. I emailed a couple different emails and then they started coming back as undeliverable. So then a lady from Facebook messaged me and asked if I had ever received my ring and I told her no.”

The woman told her to join a Facebook group where hundreds of other woman went through the same ordeal. Now Thibedeau looks to move forward even though she has lost her trust.

“I thought it was the last of my breast milk and I ended up finding another bag in the freezer kind of tucked away back. So if I wanted to order another one from somebody else, I could. I just don’t know if I trust anybody else to take the last of my breast milk and maybe transform it into something special.”

Washington County deputies are working hard to sort through the hundreds of irreplaceable items that the victims sent to the business and they said it could be weeks before items are returned.

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Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball Coach Nell Fortner has been hard at work on the recruiting trail and it showed when ESPN updated their top 25 recruiting class rankings.

In the updated rankings today, ESPN rated the Yellow Jackets class as the 12th best in the country and the third best in the ACC, ranking behind only Louisville (6th overall) and Duke (7th overall). Georgia Tech has some headliners in this class, including Danielle Carnegie, who is a top 30 player in the country according to ESPN.

Here is what analyst Shane Liflin had to say about the Yellow Jackets class:

Highest-ranked commit: G Danielle Carnegie (No. 29)

“Coach Nell Fortner brings in a trio of complementary perimeter players to add to the roster next year.

Carnegie is a scoring guard who can score in a variety of ways. She is crafty off the bounce and can create her own shot in small space. She is a creative finisher at the rim as well.

No. 49 Chazadi Wright is a small, but feisty point guard. She pressures the ball well defensively and reads the floor well. She has proven over the summer to be a player who will take and make big shots.

No. 82 Tianna Thompson is a skilled guard who excels in catch and shoot situations and improved her ability to create her own shot.”

After missing the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons, Georgia Tech could be in for a resurgence starting next season. Landing Carnegie was a huge deal for Fortner and the program and this class could have them contending for ACC Championships and NCAA Tournament bids in the near future.