[Essefsbyday]

Judge: $178,000 found in abandoned safe in Mass. belong to state for owner's medical bills

LAWRENCE, Mass. - A Massachusetts judge has ruled that the more than $178,000 stashed inside a safe found in an empty lot belongs to the state.

The 2,000-pound safe was dumped in Lawrence, Mass., in November 2008 by a tow truck driver. The driver had hauled it away from a shoe store once owned by Sally Daher, who died in 2001. The store's new tenant wanted it removed because he thought it might attract burglars.

A judge ruled the safe's contents belong to the state's Division of Medical Assistance for bills Daher incurred while in a nursing facility for five years prior to her death.

State law allows for health care costs to be recouped from a person's estate.

One of Daher's children tells The Eagle-Tribune (http://bit.ly/uiGlqA) he's "ecstatic" the money will settle his mother's debt.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/136258768.html


Wonder who's lot it was dumped on, and who 'turned it in'? With or w/o opening it?

Also sounds as if the debt collectors are still after her kids 10 years after the Mom's death... what a tangled mess.

[kvitacencia]

I live 10 minutes away from where this happened. Lucky for the state, I didn't find the bread. Rest assured they would have never seen a penny of it.

dys

[BegeMoT]

Curious what else besides shoes were sold at that store. Otherwise there might be some degree of profit margin in shoes.

By the way, the state and the government are two separate entities. If the "his honor" ruled that the state gets it then the government had best keep its' paws off.

If I were there I believe I would show up and identify myself as "the state".

[CindyLavender]

How many people saw or knew about the safe and never thought to open it. Someone is kicking themself.

[Intockatt]

and since it ended up in court, I'm guessing there was more than 1 claim to it once the contents were revealed.