May 20, 2021–11:23 a.m.

STAFF REPORTS/WSB-TV

A 22-year old Cedartown woman has been charged with felony theft by deception after police say she collected thousands of dollars in donations by falsely claiming she had cancer.

Katie Lynn Shellhorse was booked into the Polk County Jail on Tuesday following an investigation that started in April.

Polk County Police told WSBTV in Atlanta that she received nearly $15,000 in donations from her neighbors, churches, and several other fundraising efforts by claiming she needed the money for cancer treatment.

Authorities said Shellhorse went as far as shaving her head to play the part.

Police started investigating after receiving a tip from a family member stating that Shellhorse wasn’t really sick.