My older brother Ross spent thousands throwing an extravagant New Year’s Eve party, complete with catered food, champagne, and a spectacular chocolate fountain. Meanwhile, my twelve-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter sat outside his house in freezing 29-degree weather. Their grandfather never arrived, and Ross knew they were waiting. The worst part? His celebration had been financed with money from a family account I controlled. At exactly 7:30 the following morning, I sent our mother one short message. By breakfast, Ross was pounding on my front door, demanding his money back.

My name is Dana Haskins, and I work as an overnight radio host in Wichita, Kansas. That morning, I discovered my children had been rescued by a neighbor after spending nearly three hours outside. My daughter told me she’d watched guests enjoying strawberries from the chocolate fountain through the window. I hugged both children, opened my banking application, and examined the account. What I discovered made my hands tremble. Click continue reading below.