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Mother, uncle of burn victim accused of theft

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Oct 26, 2011 at 9:08 am

HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) - The mother and uncle of a St. Paul teenager who was intentionally set on fire are accused of stealing money donated to help him recover.

Forty-three-year-old Jeffrey Stewart of South St. Paul and 40-year-old Jodi Ann Stewart are charged in Dakota County with one count each of aiding and abetting theft by swindle.

They are accused of stealing $2,500 last August from a relief fund set up for 19-year-old Antoine Willis.

Jodi Stewart's boyfriend, Curtis Reed, is accused of setting Willis on fire while he slept last July because the teen had tried to break up a fight between his mother and Reed.

The Star Tribune reports the money allegedly taken from the benefit account was about half of the money collected for Willis from members of the public.