A woman has been apprehended in Phoenix, according to investigators, for allegedly taking jewelry from the homes of people in hospice care.
According to court documents, the suspect identified is Latisha Amina Ladell, 40. She was detained on January 8.
According to police, Ladell was recruited as a hospice caregiver and was visiting a Phoenix house on July 26, 2025, when she reportedly grabbed jewelry from a dresser drawer.
“While [Ladell] was in the bedroom with the patient, a family member walked in and found [Ladell] going through a dresser drawer while holding jewelry in her hand,” investigators wrote in court documents. “[Ladell] commented, ‘it’s nice to look at the things of the people you love before you lose them.'”
Thereafter, detectives say Ladell was told to leave the house, and police were informed. The jewelry is estimated to be worth $10,000.
“A records check of [Ladell] revealed she [had] sold approximately 130 items to a pawn shop between [May 22, 2024]-[Sept. 5, 2025],” read a portion of the court documents. “All items were jewelry, with the exception of a few firearms.”
Investigators claimed Ladell, who was fired on August 1, 2025, had access to a large number of patients. The investigation also discovered that Ladell sold valuables to a pawn shop in Phoenix on July 26 and 28, 2025.
Police claimed during a post-Miranda interview with Ladell, she admitted to caring for a patient at his private house when she discovered a ring on the toilet floor and another in a box in the closet. Both were taken and then sold at a pawn shop.
“[Ladell] explained she needed money, and has a Percocet addiction,” read a portion of the court documents.
According to investigators, Ladell is suspected of one offense of theft, two counts of trafficking stolen property, and one count of possessing narcotic substances.
A judge has granted Ladell’s release on her own recognizance. According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, this indicates that a person is freed pending trial without being required to post bond.
The preliminary hearing has been scheduled for January 27.
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