Texan Trista Joy Lathern has been arrested for a faking breast cancer hoax. Apparently, she sought donations for assistance while she struggled with the disease that she didn’t actually have. Instead, it’s being reported that she planned to use the money she raised for breast implants.
At least two dozen people donated to help Trista Joy Lathern get treatment for breast cancer. The Texas woman held fundraisers, sent out fliers and received donations from family, friends, co-workers and strangers. All those who donated were told she had breast cancer and no health insurance. They were told the 24-year-old mother of two needed live-saving surgery. Instead, the money went towards breast enlargement surgery in a sad attempt to save her failing marriage.
Lathern, whose maiden name is Trista Joy Fabianke, had gone to great lengths to perpetrate her ruse, including shaving her head to make it look like she was undergoing chemotherapy. It was working quite well for her. When her scheme was finally exposed, she had raised close to $10,000. The tip-off that something was amiss with Lathern’s story came from a plastic surgeon she had contacted about getting breast implants. He reported that her breast augmentation surgery down payment of $3,509 was paid in cash that he was concerned was stolen money.
It probably started when an exam found a small benign growth in her breast last February. The mass was removed and that was the end of that, medically. However, since Lathern’s seven-month marriage was falling apart, she told her husband that she had breast cancer. In court affidavits, she said she thought he wouldn’t leave her if he thought she had cancer. From there it went on to the fliers, fundraisers, charitable events and donations.
As the money flowed in, she apparently decided to get bigger breasts for $6,800 in an attempt to save her marriage. When investigators questioned her, she confessed her faking breast cancer hoax. She was arrested for theft by deception charges and booked into the McLennan County Jail with her bond set at $7,500.
Lathern’s husband, William Lathern, filed for an annulment on the day she was arrested and is seeking custody of their two young children. In his petition for annulment, he claims that she used ‘fraud’ to get him to marry her. The couple were married in April 2009 and have two sons together ages 5-years and 3-years.
Here’s a video about Trista Joy Lathern and the faking breast cancer hoax.
What are your thoughts?
November 13th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Having breast cancer myself, I am beyond disgusted. Seems this is happening more and more..people claiming to have cancer that don’t. Why? Why would anyone want to pretend or put their family and friends through this horror..and it is a horror.
I wonder how she was able to fool so many… there is more to chemo than going bald. She should be forced to do community service at a Cancer center for at least a year…and apologize to every cancer patient.
I really hope she gets more than a slap on the wrist.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I have lost 2 sister’s and a husband to cancer and pretending to have cancer just to save a marriage is just horrible. Someday she will have to face her maker and I know that she will have to pay for a long time for this line of lies. What she has done is a disgrace in everyone’s eyes and I think she should have to work side by side with cancer paitents and she should have to be by their side when their hollering out in pain from the pain caused by the cancer. I have to just pray that God has mercy on her because I don’t believe anyone else will. Trista I pray for you child that your life is spared and that you meet the Lord and let him come into your life and be saved, as far your heart, as it is hardend and only Jesus Christ can heal it. God bless you child, I am praying that your road ahead is a turning point for you.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
I can not believe Trista did this. Her grandmother just died in Sept. of cancer while thinking her grand-daughter had breast cancer. I hope she told her grandma before she died that she really didn’t have cancer. I used to work at the day care that her boys go to. I had her youngest and I remember so sorry for him because he was three years old and his mama had cancer. I remember thinking if i had cancer I would cry everyday just thinking about having to leave my baby behind. but she has two babies to leave behind and it was all a lie for implants! I believe I even prayed for her because she had cancer. I would show her son extra love because his mama had cancer and I figured he needed it. and it was all because she wanted the money. well I’m now going to pray for her because somethihng is not right with this woman. and I’m going to be praying for her sons. THIS IS JUST SAD!
November 19th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
O MY I cant believe she did that, Why would people do that? thats is horrible after hearing about this i just shook my head and prayed for her kids, There had to be soemthing worong with her to do soemthing like this
November 20th, 2009 at 8:31 am
It’s not that she just shaved her heaed. She pulled her hair out by the roots and scattered it in her shower, bathroom, bed, etc. to make it look as if it were falling out, then shaved her head. She really thought this all out. I wonder if the authorities have confiscated her computer to see how much studying she did. She’s a good actress.Had everyone fooled into believing her twisted lies. She needs the Hell beat out of her!!
December 11th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Absolutely disgusting! This woman has no sense! How could you even THINK its a good idea to fake an ilness such as cancer! What a shame these kids have such a low life for a mother! Shame on you!!!!