Incapacitated man's home was stolen and sold by Detroit woman, prosecutor says
Shagwendola Jerna Crawford
FOX 2 - A Detroit woman is accused of embezzlement from a vulnerable adult $100,000 or more, among multiple felony charges.
The backstory:
Shagwendola Jerna Crawford was allowed to live with a man at his home in Warren in 2018, but in 2024 the man suffered a fall resulting in a head injury requiring 24-hour care.
He died in an assisted living facility in 2025 - but his siblings, who were appointed his legal guardians, discovered after his death, that his house had been sold out from under him.
It is alleged that in 2018, a man permitted Crawford to reside with him at his home in Warren.
Crawford, 43, is alleged to have forged a quitclaim deed transferring the man's property to herself - and then recorded the deed with the Macomb County Register of Deeds.
She then sold the property the following month while falsely claiming to be the lawful owner, investigators say.
Crawford was arraigned on Feb. 27 with the following offenses:
- Embezzlement from a vulnerable adult - $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony.
- False pretenses $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony.
- Forgery of document affecting real property, a 14-year felony.
- Uttering and publishing a document affecting real property, a 14-year felony.
"It is alleged that the defendant falsified a document to take the property of an incapacitated individual. Exploiting the vulnerable is unacceptable, and our office will vigorously pursue accountability to protect those who cannot protect themselves," said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
Crawford’s bond was set at $25,000 and she must wear a tether if released. She is scheduled for a Probable Cause Conference on March 9.
The Source: Information for this report is from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.