A paraplegic adult requires daily home care. The caregiver takes cash from a dresser and leaves. What crime occurred?

• A. Theft
• B. Dependent adult abuse
• C. Embezzlement
• D. Burglary

Answer: (B)

Financial exploitation of a dependent adult by someone in a caregiving role is a form of dependent adult abuse. Here, a caregiver trusted with daily care takes cash from the adult’s dresser, exploiting the vulnerable person’s trust and property. The act isn’t just stealing; it’s abuse tied to the caregiver–recipient relationship and the exploitation of a dependent adult’s finances. That’s why the appropriate label is dependent adult abuse. Burglary doesn’t fit because there’s no breaking into a building, and while theft or embezzlement describe taking money, this scenario is categorized specifically as abuse of a dependent adult due to the caretaker’s position and the financial exploitation involved.