Prosecuting Attorney

County of Summit

NEWS                                                                                     CONTACT:  April Wiesner

For Immediate Release:                                             Phone: (330) 643-8386

Thursday, October 13, 2011                                      wiesner@prosecutor.summitoh.net

Akron Woman Claims More Than $8,000 in Unclaimed Funds

Many More Still Owed Money

AKRON, OHIO – October 13, 2011 – On yesterday’s episode of “Good Morning America,” Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh presented a check for $8,249.50 to an Akron woman. The money is a lump sum of monthly child support payments the Summit County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) had been holding after the woman moved without notifying the agency. Although child support payments were being made, the agency was unable to send the woman those payments until she could be located. CSEA employees have found a number of other individuals owed back child support in recent months.

Many times, a CSEA client will neglect to notify the agency of a new address or bank account because they have not been receiving their child support. When the absent parent begins making payments but the money is returned because the payee either no longer resides at the address on record or has closed their direct deposit bank account, CSEA must hold all payments until the payee is located.

“I want every one of the more than 400 people on our unclaimed funds list to receive their money, whether it is one penny or thousands of dollars,” said Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh. “CSEA is working hard to find each person, but we need the public’s help.”

CSEA continuously searches for people on its unclaimed funds list, which can be viewed on the agency’s website at: http://www.co.summit.oh.us/prosecutor/unclaimedmoney.htm. Individuals who believe they are on the list should contact CSEA at 330-643-2765 or 800-726-2765.

About CSEA

The Summit County Child Support Enforcement Agency collects nearly $86 million annually and handles more than 58,000 child support cases. Each year it establishes support orders for approximately 4,000 children. Since its inception in 2001, the Criminal Non-Support program has collected more than $24 million through its aggressive prosecution of individuals neglecting to pay child support. You can learn more about CSEA on its website: http://www.co.summit.oh.us/prosecutor/childsupp.htm.

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