Mother coached kids to fake retardation

[guitar man]

TACOMA, Washington (AP) -- A woman admitted Monday that she coached her two children to fake retardation starting when they were 4 and 8 years old so she could collect Social Security benefits on their behalf.

Rosie Costello, 46, admitted in U.S. District Court that she collected more than $280,000 in benefits, beginning in the mid-1980s. Most was from Social Security, but the state social services agency paid $53,000.

Linky: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/02/27/washington.faked.retardation.ap/index.html

Damn, what a racket. I bet a daily dose of Limpballs and Hannity could get a kid ready in no time :rofl:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. What a great mom.

:eyesroll:

[Katina]

2. $280K???

and she taught her children how to be theives in the process? charming. She should be made to pay it back AND to do community service working in a home for developmentally disabled individuals.

[KamaAina]

3. Did Trey and Matt (South Park) know about this?

Remember when Cartman was gonna scam Special Olympics out of a thousand bucks, by claiming he had a cognitive disability (people who have one view the word "retarded" as an offensive slur)?

He finished dead last in every single event, thereby earning a food-related gift certificate as the (literally) booby prize!

[Shine]

4. Yeah, I read this one. What an unbelievable story!

what kind of mother is that woman?!?

My sister was born profoundly mentally retarded. I've experienced, first-hand, the heartbreak and challenge of having a family member with extreme special needs.

To think that that woman convinced her kids to "act retarded" in order to get money....it's incredibly shocking and it makes me sad for the kids.

Furthermore, imo, that's some serious bad ju ju to be having them act that way. Heaven forbid anything should happen which has them not having to "act" anymore....ie, brain damage from an accident, or whatever.

It's just a terrible terrible thing that she did. :thumbsdown: Shame on her!