Police: Special Olympics Coordinator Never Ordered Medals She Claimed Were Stolen
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BEAVER FALLS (KDKA) -- A simple mistake and alleged cover-up has led to charges being filed against the organizer of the Special Olympics in Beaver County.
The chance to win a medal at the Special Olympics means a lot to the young people who work hard and compete in the events.
However, last week, the organizer of the Beaver County Special Olympics told police someone had stolen hundreds of the award medals the night before the competition.
According to initial reports, the medals had been placed at Reeves Stadium on the Geneva College campus the night before the event.
"How can you take away from someone who really needs to be acknowledged?" said India Caracter, of Beaver Falls.
On Thursday, police in Beaver Falls charged that organizer, identified as Dena Timper, with filing false reports to police and unsworn falsification to police. Investigators say she never ordered the medals.
"She didn't order them in the first place? Well, if that's true, that's horrible," said Amy Bliss, of Ohioville. "You made a mistake, own up to it."
According to police paperwork, Timper showed investigators a receipt for the medals dated March 30, almost a month before the event. But when police talked to the company responsible for making them, they said Timper didn't try to order the missing medals until days after they were reported stolen.
KDKA's Lynne Hayes-Freeland tried to call the office for the Special Olympics and the phone was disconnected. Then, KDKA went to address listed as the office only to find that Dena Timper was running the Special Olympics from her home.
KDKA went to the house and there was no answer at the door.
Police expected to serve Timper by summons on the related charges. She will be arraigned sometime next week.
