$65K wedding ring stolen from woman, 93, in Winona nursing home

A 93-year-old woman in a southeastern Minnesota nursing home last had her wedding ring on her hand on Valentine's Day. Now police say that the ring, valued at $65,000, was stolen.

Police said Thursday that the theft occurred at St. Anne Extended Health Care of Winona sometime between Feb. 14, when the ring was last seen on the woman's hand, and on Monday, when it was reported missing.

The ring is described as having three platinum bands with a 4-carat diamond in the center and more diamonds around the stone in all three bands.

Police distributed a photo to the public as part of their effort to locate the piece of jewelry.

Janis Hooey, spokeswoman for Duluth-based Benedictine Health System, which operates the center, said there are safeguards in place to protect residents' valuables.

"At the time of admission, residents and their families are advised against keeping valuables with them in the facility," Hooey said. "Residents and their families are also offered the opportunity to have their valuables secured by the facility ... in a vault."

Anyone with information about the theft is urged to call police at 1-507-457-6492 or the Winona Area CrimeStoppers at 1-507-457-6530.

In January, a onetime assistant at a nursing home in Red Wing, Minn., admitted that she stole a wedding ring worth thousands of dollars from the finger of a severely ailing 93-year-old resident, then pawned it while on her lunch break.

Erin K. Russell, 24, of Red Wing, acknowledged taking the $4,000 ring in July that belonged to Alice Tackaberry, who was in hospice care at the time of the theft and "unable to communicate," read the criminal complaint against Russell. She has a settlement conference scheduled next month in Goodhue County District Court, where she hopes to have the felony charge reduced and avoid jail time.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482