Home health aide accused of burglarizing dead patient's home, committing financial fraud

CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. —

A home health aide was arrested on Monday after being accused of robbing the home of a dead patient and committing financial fraud.

According to the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office arrest report, deputies responded to a home on Oak Road in Punta Gorda on Oct. 18, 2025, after a neighbor reported that the garage door was open.

The resident of the home had been transported to the hospital on Oct. 13, where she died. She had been in hospice care, the report said.

Deputies entered the home and found the master bedroom ransacked. Drawers were open, a jewelry box was emptied, and a gun safe was left open. The daughter of the deceased confirmed to deputies that the room was in a state completely inconsistent with how her mother kept it.

Deputies said that the items stolen included a Rolex watch, two tennis bracelets, a diamond engagement ring, two cocktail rings, a Taurus M605 firearm, a coin collection and an unknown amount of cash.

Ring Doorbell camera footage was reviewed, which showed a woman in dark red nurse scrubs entering and exiting the home on Oct. 13 and 15, the report said. Investigators learned that the resident of the home had been receiving home health aide services through a company called Honey's Life Yahi, based in Naples.

Further investigation revealed that the last aide assigned to the deceased resident was Lisandra Cardenas Gomez, 33, who had clocked in at the home at 8:41 a.m., the report said — the same day that the resident was taken to the hospital and died. The home health agency owner told deputies that Cardenas Gomez had been notified of the death and that her services were no longer needed.

On top of the burglary, deputies then discovered financial fraud. A subpoena to Truist Bank revealed 22 transactions totaling $2,010.17 made on the deceased's debit card after her death, from Oct. 14 to 23. Thirteen of the transactions were made through Klarna and were shipped to an address on Santa Barbara Boulevard in Cape Coral, the report said.

The Cape Coral address was discovered to be Cardenas Gomez's address, deputies said. The stolen gun was found by the FBI during a separate search warrant.

By the time investigators attempted to arrest Cardenas Gomez, she had moved from her Cape Coral address. The report said that Customs and Border Protection informed investigators that she may have fled to Mexico.

On March 24, 2026, FBI agents received intelligence from Cardenas Gomez's social media, showing her tagging her location in Hollywood, Florida, the report said.

An arrest warrant was issued on March 26, and Cardenas Gomez was booked into jail on Monday. She faces charges of burglary of a dwelling while armed and criminal use of personal identification of a deceased person.

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