Woman Faked Birth Of Son To Collect VA Benefits for 17 Years

A woman faked the birth of a son to collect the veterans benefits for 17 years, according to court documents.

The man who the woman claimed was the father of the child was killed in High Point in 2006.

Elizabeth Hayes Cox, 60, claimed she gave birth to the son of Randall Cox, who was a military veteran receiving Veterans Affairs benefits, according to an indictment. Records show she claimed Randall Cox’s benefits should be paid to her for child support, and she fraudulently collected $103,000 in benefits from March 2000 through May of this year.

Randall Cox was killed in High Point, North Carolina, on March 6, 2006. His body was found in his 2344 W. English Road apartment with a gunshot wound to the head.

Police arrested a suspect on a charge of first-degree murder in July 2006. However, prosecutors stated in court records while there was probable cause to make a case against the suspect, the state lacked sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt he killed Randall Cox. The suspect was released and the case remains unsolved.

High Point police Lt. Curtis Cheeks III said because the investigation is ongoing police are not releasing additional information.

According to a High Point Police Department report, the investigation started in 2006 when Elizabeth Cox lived in High Point. She later moved to Fort Bragg where she was arrested in Oct. 23 by Army officials and the State Bureau of Investigation.

When authorities arrested Cox, she had her bags packed at the door, $500 cash and tickets to go on a cruise, according to court documents. Records stated Cox also had $20,000 in a savings account.

A grand jury on Nov. 13 found there was enough evidence to support prosecution and issued a true bill of indictment on a charge of felony obtaining property by false pretenses for more than $100,000. She was given a $1 million bond and is being held in the Guilford County Jail in High Point.

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©2017 The High Point Enterprise (High Point, N.C.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.