PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Police say a New York woman who lived in her elderly father’s home as his body decomposed there stole close to $20,000 in benefits from his bank account after his death.

Tina M. Cummings, 55, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and arraigned in Plattsburgh, New York Town Court before Justice James Joyce that evening on two counts of third-degree grand larceny, a felony, and one count of punishable false written statement, a misdemeanor.

Her father, 91-year-old Ralph F. Tefft, had been dead for three months before a welfare check by Clinton County Adult Protective Services revealed his remains under several blankets on a daybed in his home, State Police Capt. Robert LaFountain said.

During that time, between Feb. 1 and May 3, he said, “State Police established Cummings received $4,647.20 in Social Security benefits and $15,065.13 in veterans retirement benefits,” he said, “all belonging to Tefft, which were directly deposited into a bank account that Cummings had access to.”

The extensive financial investigation was done in conjunction with District Attorney Andrew Wylie and required issuance of subpoenas, LaFountain said.

Cummings lived with her father and was his primary caregiver.

“(She) failed to report the death,” LaFountain said.

An autopsy determined Tefft’s cause of death to be age-related infirmity, the State Police captain continued.

“The coroner ruled the manner of death to be natural,” he said. “There is no evidence of foul play.”

In Town Court, Cummings stood straight, wearing a red New York Giants shirt, black pants with blue leaf designs and yellow-green flip flops.

She did not speak to the judge, only whispering a few times to her court-appointed attorney, Patrick J. McFarlin.

McFarlin waived formal readings of her charges and entered pleas of not guilty on her behalf.

Cummings was taken to Clinton County Jail on $10,000 bail/$20,000 bond. Her next court appearance is set for July 17.

Tefft was a veteran whose military career included service in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Air Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.

He enlisted near the end of World War II, then served in the Korean War and Vietnam War. According to military records, his decorations included Air Force Good Conduct Medals, Air Force Longevity Service Awards and a Small-Arms-Expert Marksmanship Ribbon.

Chapman writes for the Plattsburg, New York Press Republican.