COLUMBUS — A multi-month investigation into missing school funds has culminated in the arrest of a 56-year-old woman accused of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from a Bartholomew County elementary school.
The Columbus Police Department (CPD) announced the arrest of Lilly Parker, 56, of Columbus, on Wednesday, June 3. Parker faces multiple felony charges following a deep-dive theft investigation that originally began in December 2025.
According to CPD, detectives launched an investigation after irregularities were discovered in the extracurricular accounts at Southside Elementary School, which operates under the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation. Parker, who was an employee at the school at the time, quickly emerged as the primary suspect.
Investigators ultimately uncovered evidence that Parker had allegedly stolen more than $50,000 from the school’s extracurricular account.
Due to the involvement of public school money, the case was brought before the Indiana State Board of Accounts for an audit, as well as the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office. Following a review of the financial evidence, formal charges were filed against Parker in the Bartholomew Circuit Court, and an arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday, June 2.
Parker has been hit with a string of severe charges reflecting the alleged financial manipulation, including theft, a Level 5 felony; forgery, a Level 6 felony; counterfeiting, a Level 6 felony; and official misconduct, a Level 6 felony.
Under Indiana law, a Level 5 felony alone can carry a prison sentence of up to six years, while Level 6 felonies carry a maximum penalty of two and a half years each.
Following the issuance of the warrant, law enforcement officials took Parker into custody without incident and transported to the Bartholomew County Jail.
The Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation has not yet released a public statement detailing Parker’s specific job title or how long she had been employed at Southside Elementary before her termination or arrest. Officials note the investigation remains active as state auditors finalize their review of the school’s financial ledgers.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
