Discovered live-in caregiver opened multiple accounts stealing Mom's money and identity what to do?

They shouldn't be liable considering this is a THEFT. If the police are investigating, I would tell the creditors just that. If convicted, the "caretaker" will need to repay all debt.

Children are not responsible for parents' debts. Get mom a good lawyer.

Good luck. My parent's caretake store about $30K in silver coins and all my mother's jewelry. We reported it to the police who came by and took the info about 3 weeks later but never made an arrest. They didn't even bother to collect the coin containers that my brother had carefully put into plastic bags to preserve fingerprints. Insurance covered about $250. We will try to take some off on taxes. It's a very sad situation, and I truly feel for you, but unless your police actually CARE there is not much to be done. If you sue, it will cost you a lot and chances are very good that you will never recover anything.

So sorry to hear this.
First, make sure to get a copy of the police report. Make several copies and keep them with your records. You will likely be sending these to creditors for a while. Second, I would be at the office of the agency that this live in caregiver worked for. They should bear the responsibility to help you work through this.
Third you may want to consult with a lawyer to see if there are any steps that the estate can do to go after this person and the company that they work with.
If the live in caregiver was hired independently, then you will not have any assistance from an agency, nor any recourse towards an agency. One benefit of hiring caregivers through an agency is that this would be their major problem.

I would also suggest that you run credit reports on your Mother's name and ssn, as this may help find other accounts that this thief has opened.

The police are likely to be less than stellar in doing anything. The attitude seems to be that you have insurance that will cover this and their main item is to provide the police report for that. If there could possibly be ANY Threat or physical action against the elder then those issues are things that the police will get involved in as they can arrest successfully on those. So think back if there could be something along those lines……See if your state's AG office has a elder consumer affairs division. The AG's office getting involved or sending a letter to the local po-po will often make the police approach your report a bit more seriously.

Also contact your Area on Aging, there is the likelihood that whomever did this has done it before OR is part of a bigger ring that does this (this too will be something the AG's office looks into) so it is a type of organized crime.

You mentioned investments, if this involved a brokerage house, then you need to asap contact the compliance dept. of the house. This in NOT the local office either or the broker or agent your parent has. Complaince is going to be out of a bigger regional office. Compliance take these things very seriously.

Zack is spot-on on running their credit reports. Do the big 3 and you can do the first ones for free. You want to then have them post a fraud alert and ID theft on all their credit cards. Then run another set of reports in 90 days - you kinda have to stay on-top on this as it could morph into real heartache.

Have you checked the courthouse records to see if they did anything with changing ownership on the house?

Lawyer up....Find a LAWYER who handles this kind of NASTY BUSINESS...you want someone aggressive...Some care givers are PITIFUL EXCUSES for HUMANS...she could have had your mom sign over Power of attorney...you never know...until you look...into .....EVERYTHING!!!

Gather your evidence and contact your State's Attorneys Office on Elder Abuse/Crimes. Call your local newspapers and TV stations as they sometimes want to run stories about these abuses to help warn other people about these crimes. Talking to the chief of police personally w/your evidence may embarrass him or her into setting a fire under the investigating officers. Everyone has parents or elderly relatives!!! Would they want this to happen to THEIR family members?? I think not!

Did this person work for an agency? If so, they may carry insurance for their employees. Keep on the police also. They don't always take crimes against seniors as seriously as they should

I would seek the advice of an attorney although you are not responsible for the debts of your mother unless you were also signed on to her credit cards, etc. I would want to know if I could press charges, if you can prove it was indeed the caregiver.

I had rings stolen and went to the police and they told me there was nothing they could do unless I visually saw this person pick up my rings and walk out with them. They told me to file a claim via the home owners insurance. Without visual evidence they say you cannot PROVE they stole anything. Bad part was it was my cousin and her boyfriend and they pawned my jewelry. I begged them to tell me where they had taken it so I could go and buy it back. 10 years later she admitted what she had done.

Did this person come from an agency? If she did you need to let them know what happened, she should never be allowed to work as a caregiver again. This is what happens in NH as well, everything you provide for your loved one gets stolen...why are there no cameras?

I am sorry for what you are dealing with, but you are not liable. You will have to probably answer a lot of questions from people so I would write up a letter telling what has happened and save it on my computer to print off and send to everyon that contacts you regarding an outstanding debt.