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Taylor Rae Johnson, 24, of Columbia Cross Roads, Bradford County, was arrested Tuesday morning on a felony theft by deception charge after she bilked Brandon Barker out of $3,845 in a scam in which she claimed she needed money while her newborn son was getting medical care, Lycoming County Regional police alleged in an affidavit. Johnson and Barker met on the internet, police said, adding that Johnson convinced Barker "to send her money so she could care for her sick child and stay with him while he was was in the hospital." When it reached a point that Barker, an Old Lycoming Township resident, told the woman he had no more money to give her, Johnson became upset and told him "I hope you're happy that I lost my son," the affidavit said.
An investigation began shortly after Barker went to the police early last month. When a detective tracked down Johnson, she told him that "her son was fine, and that she lied to Barker in order to get money so she could get her car fixed," the court document stated. She agreed to pay Barker back, but the felony charge was filed this week after she still had not done so, police said. Arraigned District Judge William Solomon, Johnson was released on $15,000 bail.