Caregiver facing abuse charge after missing Cranston woman was found in back of parked car
Mar 24, 2025
CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — The caregiver of a missing Cranston woman found Sunday appeared in court Monday.
Roberta Gerard was charged with abuse and exploitation of an adult with severe impairment, which is a felony.
Cranston police said nearly a week after Linda DeLomba was reported missing, she
was found safe.
Cranston Police Chief Michael Winquist announced the 45-year-old autistic woman was huddled in the rear of a parked car in a residential neighborhood.
“We’re just ecstatic that she was found alive,” Winquist said.
Officials said the investigation started last Tuesday when Gerard stopped by the Cranston Police Department.
The caregiver told officers she lost DeLomba inside Burlington Coat Factory.
“We wasted valuable time and assets and resources and learned that Ms. DeLomba and Ms. Gerard never entered the Burlington Coat Factory,” Winquist said.
Police followed up with Gerard, at which point they say she came up with another story, telling detectives that DeLomba climbed out of her car while she was inside her home heating up food.
The search came to an end when a Cranston resident on Pond Street found DeLomba in the back of a car he was working on.
“I grabbed the jump box, I opened the back door, put the jump box down, looked back and noticed there was a person laying down in the back of the vehicle,” Savong Sam said.
Police responded and took DeLomba to the hospital, where they said she is doing well.
Winquist said police are unsure of how she got in the back of the car, but added that they believe she had been there for several days.
As a result of her conflicting reports, Gerard is also charged with obstructing an officer.
“When somebody gives you a bunch of incorrect stories, red flags are raised,” Winquist said. “As investigators you have to wonder why somebody wouldn’t just give you the correct information, we probably could have found her within a few hours.”
Winquist said police are reviewing surveillance footage in the area.
Gerard did not enter a plea in court Monday.
Her bail was set at $5000.
Categories: Cranston, News, Rhode Island
...read more read less
