On May 5th, 2015, Dubuque Police initiated an investigation into a dependent adult abuse (exploitation) and theft case involving Barbara J. Mills (80 at the time, but now deceased) of Dubuque, and her niece, Molly E. Bodish, 44, of Durango, Iowa.
Bodish had been declared Mills’ Power of Attorney in September of 2010. The 14-month investigation alleges Bodish misappropriated funds far exceeding $10,000 from Mills while functioning as her Power of Attorney from September 2010 to May 2015.
On July 20th, 2016, Bodish turned herself in at the Dubuque Law Enforcement Center after an arrest warrant was issued charging her with Dependent Adult Abuse (Exploitation) and Theft 1st Degree. Bond was posted for Bodish and she was released pending her next court proceeding. Theft 1st Degree is a Class C Felony punishable by a fine between $1,000 - $10,000 and imprisonment up to 10 years. Dependent Adult Abuse (Exploitation) is a Class D Felony punishable by a fine between $750 - $7,500, and imprisonment up to 5 years.
As with any criminal case, the charges filed are allegations and any suspects are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law. If you have any information on this incident or others, please call the Dubuque Police Department at 563-589-4415 or Crime Stoppers at 800-747-0117 or 563-588-0714 (if the information leads to an arrest, the caller is eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000). You can also submit tips anonymously online at www.cityofdubuque.org/police or through the MyDBQ smartphone app available at www.cityofdubuque.org/MyDBQ.