Housekeeper's sick revenge on boss after being denied $500 Christmas bonus

A Florida housekeeper who was once regarded as a loyal and trusted caregiver has been accused of turning on her elderly employer in a shocking spree of theft and violence after being denied a $500 Christmas bonus. 

The alleged incident occurred on Christmas Eve and has left an 83-year-old woman shaken, injured and financially exploited, according to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office.

Heather Nelson, 29, was arrested on January 7 and now faces a host of felony charges which authorities have described as a cruel and calculated holiday betrayal.

Police say the confrontation spiraled out of control when Nelson demanded her bonus claiming it was deserved for her work as a house cleaner. 

But when the elderly woman explained she simply couldn't afford the bonus, things took a dark turn as she became the target of Nelson's alleged rage-fueled crime spree.

'She actually took the check by force, [she] took some Christmas cards that had money in them, took some debit and credit cards, left the residence, forged some signatures, and attempted to take quite a bit of money from this woman,' explained Tod Goodyear, the sheriff's office's public information office.

The sheriff's office alleges how Nelson's actions escalated into a frenzy of financial plundering.

After forcing the checkbook out of the victim's hands, she allegedly forged a check for $1,400 - almost three times the amount of the denied bonus - and then used the stolen cash to pay her own rent. 

The ordeal left the elderly victim with a swollen wrist following the physical violence that accompanied the alleged theft.

Authorities expressed outrage over the violation of trust, describing Nelson as a longtime employee who had been given access to the victim's home and life.

'Based on what she was using the monies for, she was in financial trouble,' Goodyear explained.

'Maybe she just saw this as the only way possibly out of it, but to take advantage of our elderly seniors is not what you do.'

It took investigators almost two weeks to meticulously piece together Nelson's alleged trail of deceit after the forged check cleared and other fraudulent transactions posted to the victim's accounts. 

By January 7, deputies had enough evidence to secure her arrest when she was charged with aggravated battery, robbery, forgery, fraud, passing a counterfeit instrument, and grand theft alongside fraud charges. 

When confronted at the scene, Nelson reportedly expressed dismay at seeing Sheriff Wayne Ivey present, remarking that she was afraid he would publicize her crimes on social media.

'To be honest, Heather, you made yourself look bad,' Ivey wrote, emphasizing that her actions had earned her a one-way trip to 'Ivey's Iron Bar Lodge.' 

The sheriff's office did not mince words in its condemnation of Nelson's alleged actions describing the incident as not just a crime against one woman, but an assault on the spirit of the holidays itself.

'When the victim announced that she didn't have enough money to give her a bonus, Nelson responded by physically wrenching the victim's checkbook from her hand, stealing a check from the checkbook, and then, I guess in an effort to ruin other people's Christmas as well, stole Christmas cards that were set to be mailed out also containing checks!! Damn Grinch, you went too far!!' the press release read.  

'I guess committing battery and almost breaking the wrist of the elderly victim wasn't bad enough, so you decide to steal all her money and take Christmas gifts that were meant for others away as well!! What's next…kick her dog?'

Authorities pulled no punches in comparing Nelson to the infamous Dr. Seuss character, calling her actions a 'Grinch-like' scheme that robbed others of their holiday joy. 

'Now while the original Grinch story may have ended with everyone in Whoville being happy and sharing their Christmas with the Grinch, this one ends with Agent Kevin Sherrill not being happy at all about what happened and going to get a warrant. 

Upon her arrest, Nelson was presented with what the sheriff's team jokingly called 'extra gifts,' including a keepsake booking photo, a pair of used shower slides, and 'unlimited access' to the jail's notoriously underwhelming dining facilities.

'Another great job by Agent Sherrill and our General Crimes Unit,' Ivey said. 'Nelson is now exactly where she belongs…in jail, where she can't bully or victimize another member of our community!'

While the sheriff’s office added a dramatic flair to their account, the case underscores a deeper issue with authorities noted the particular cruelty of targeting an elderly victim, a demographic often susceptible to being financially exploited. 

'The elderly are scammed, they are taken advantage of by other people a lot of times because they have some diminished capacity, or they're very trusting,' Goodyear remarked. 'They grew up in a time when people trusted each other.'

Nelson was initially held on a $30,000 bond but was released two days after her arrest.

She will face an arraignment hearing on her six felony charges in the coming weeks.