Woman arrested in connection with mistreatment, theft

ARKANSAS City, Kansas — A Burden woman was arrested Tuesday by the Arkansas City Police Department in connection with the mistreatment of elders and the theft of nine firearms.

Mary Elizabeth English, 38, was arrested on suspicion of felony theft, possession of drug-use paraphernalia and six counts of criminal use of a financial card. Additional charges of both felony and misdemeanor mistreatment of a dependent adult since have been added to her booking.

English was transported to and booked into the Cowley County Jail in Winfield in lieu of $18,000 bond through Cowley County District Court in Arkansas City. She remains in custody at this time.

English was providing care for two elderly people in the Arkansas City area. A police investigation found that while providing this care, she allegedly stole nine firearms from one of those people.

The theft initially was reported April 12 in the 600 block of North Third Street. Police were able to recover three of the nine firearms that had been taken.

They also determined that English allegedly stole a financial card from the other individual she cared for and used it to make purchases on several occasions.

The victims are both females in their 80s.