Katherine Leese had issues. Money problems, health worries and the fact that she was facing time in prison for stealing $87,000 from the Fraternal Order of Police while she worked as treasurer for the organization.
The 42-year old former Falls police officer was supposed to be sentenced Tuesday. She faced up to five years in prison. On Monday, Katherine's mother found her dead in her Middletown home.
"She was depressed. That was obvious," her attorney, Robert Elgart, told the Bucks County Courier Times. "I had real concerns about her state of mind. This is very upsetting," said Elgart.
Leese was treasurer of the Bucks County Lodge of the FOP. She took money from a fund set aside to help survivors of deceased police officers. When she was arrested, Leese had a little over $78,000 in debt, according to the Courier Times.
Recently, Leese seemed very worried about her own health and what would happen to her mother and her 10 dogs if she went to prison, said Elgart.
Falls police Chief Bill Wilcox told the newspaper he had only good things to say about Leese.
"Day in and day out Kathy did her job. She had a really good heart and she did a lot of good things for people. Unfortunately, she made a bad decision in life and I just feel that maybe she's in a better place now," Wilcox told the paper.
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The medical examiner has not released the cause of death. An autopsy was being performed Tuesday.
