Miami Herald - Saturday, December 15 1990
Wendy Bourland, Herald Staff Writer

Jeanette Martinez, whose tragic tale touched the hearts of South Floridians when it appeared Nov. 18 in The Herald's Wish Book, was arrested Thursday night on charges she stole checks from a couple who had taken in her and her daughter.

More than $4,000 in donations from the Wish Book project had been collected for Martinez and her 20-month-old daughter Amorita when she was arrested outside the Check Cashing Store, 850 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale.

Police say she stole 38 checks belonging to the Christian Fellowship Youth Ministries from David and Kathy Coonan, a couple Martinez and her daughter had been living with for four months, said Capt. Mary Grimm of the Fort Lauderdale police.

Martinez also stole eight of the Coonans' personal checks, Grimm said. She was charged with petty theft and forgery, and is being held in the Broward County Jail.

Kathy Coonan said Martinez also left with the $4,000 in cash a relative recently repaid them. She said her husband took Martinez around to several check-cashing stores, paying off most of the checks she had deposited.

The Herald learned of Martinez through Center One, an organization that provides counseling, referrals and financial assistance to people with HIV and AIDS, said Dorothy Klein, Broward editor of the Wish Book.

Civil and criminal background checks made on all Wish Book candidates turned up nothing unusual, she said.

In the Wish Book, Martinez asked for money for a car, a trip to Disney World for herself, Amorita and her 10-year-old son, and three tickets to a Dec. 19 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles concert.

Her son is now living with his father in Coral Springs.

Now the acting executive director of Center One has a wish of his own: that the publicity over Martinez doesn't quell donations to the center.

"The general consensus is, this is a big disappointment, especially this time of year," Gary L. Steinsmith said.

Martinez served as the poster person for Center One's Project Stimulation, a discontinued program that worked with AIDS-infected women and children. She is currently on the HIV Services Planning Council, which decides where to distribute funds donated by the Broward County Commission, Steinsmith said.

Center One has given Martinez money, about $400 in the past year, he said. AIDS patients will still be eligible for financial assistance, but they can expect to get a closer look.

"The scrutiny with which we look at the distribution of our benefactors' money will be enhanced," Steinsmith said.

As for the Coonans, Kathy said they declined to press felony forgery charges against Martinez out of concern for her and her daughter.

"She's done a lot for women with AIDS," Kathy Coonan said. "My main hope is to see her get straightened out."

CAPTION: PHOTO Amorita and Jeannette Martinez (b)

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