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Xiomy Auqui De La Cruz, age 28, of Hartford, was arrested on Thursday, Aug. 3, by inspectors from the Statewide Prosecution Bureau of the Office of the Chief State's Attorney on a warrant and charged with larceny.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Auqui De La Cruz operates a home daycare called So Cute Daycare 1 in Hartford and owns the business.
In January 2023, the Office of Early Childhood received a complaint alleging Auqui De La Cruz opened home daycares using relatives’ names but the relatives were not operating the programs, the affidavit said.
Additionally, the complaint alleged that Auqui De La Cruz forged the signatures of parents on Care4Kids documents. In turn, Care4Kids referred the matter to the Department of Social Services which prompted the investigation into Auqui De La Cruz’s personal receipt of Care4Kids benefits.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Auqui De La Cruz received $127,461.73 in benefits from the Care4Kids program that she was not entitled to receive from May 2021 to April 2023 because she intentionally failed to accurately report that her husband resided in the home as he was a legally liable relative.
At the time of Auqui De La Cruz’s Care4Kids application, had she included her husband in the application, his income would have been considered and Auqui De La Cruz would have been ineligible for Care4Kids benefits, said the Chief State Attorney's office.
When Auqui De La Cruz submitted a redetermination form she requested her Care4Kids benefits to continue, she again failed to list her husband on the form, the arrest affidavit said.
Auqui De La Cruz was released on a $60,000 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 9, in Hartford.
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