Faking a Death to Avoid Paying Bills?

This unbelievable story, happened right here in my hometown of North Charleston, SC. To keep the bill collectors at bay, Melanie Grant submitted a fake obituary to a funeral home that was published in the local newspaper The Post and Courier. In the obituary, Melanie Grant said her daughter Melissa Grant a US Airforce officer was killed in Iraq. The problem is not only didn't Melissa Grant die and was not a US Airforce officer, Melissa Grant DOES NOT EVEN EXIST!!!! From The Post and Courier:

Melanie Grant, 39, said she thought she could buy time with creditors if she told them her daughter had died. A paid obituary published Thursday and Friday in The Post and Courier stated Lt. Melissa Hope Grant, 24, died May 11 in Iraq. "I just made it up. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking," a tearful Melanie Grant said. A photograph accompanied the obituary. Grant said she tore the photo from the pages of a bridal magazine.

This is who the obit named as the relatives of the imaginary Melissa Grant:

"...the beloved daughter of Mrs. Melody Grant and Mr. Michael "Candy" King,step-daughter of the late Mr. Marcus Grant; sister of Kelondria Pendergrath, Kelvin Pendergrath, Raheem Brown, Akhaeem Brown, and Becole "Cola" Scales; granddaughter of Mrs. Darnell Grant and Mr.Henry "Muffin" King; niece of Shirline Denise Wright, Quindella "Que" Simmons, Meka Butler, and Marvin "Butter" Myers; cousin of Xavier D. Stewart, Sr., Karin L. Bland and Mercedes A. Jones."

Take a good look at those names. Now here is the picture that was printed in the paper as "Melissa" that was taken from a bridal magazine.



Now Ms. Grant's race wasn't mentioned in the article but names like Kelondria, Raheem, Akhaeem, Becole, Quindellla, and Shirline don't necessarily conjure up images of white folks. If anyone knows any white people by those names please email me. Apparently the funeral home director never met the mother and only spoke to her on the phone. He did meet with two women who claimed they were the aunts of "Melissa". Maybe he thought the white girl in the picture was biracial, adopted, or REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, light-skinned.

Ms. Grant claims to be on disability and raising two grandchildren and one stepgrandchild. However, Ms. Grant has a criminal record (Of course) that includes convictions on "loitering for the purpose of prostitution" and a pending fradulent check charge.

I am sorry to hear about Ms. Grant's financial difficulties, but claiming your imaginary child died in the Iraq war just to get out of paying some bills is taking it a bit too far.(source)