Mother must repay donations she received for ‘dying’ son

ST. CHARLES, Ill. – A woman who falsely claimed her 7-year-old son was dying of cancer and took thousands of dollars in donations from neighbors has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor theft charge.

As part of a plea deal with Kane County prosecutors, Lisle Undesser, 36, avoided jail time but agreed to repay more than $6,000 that was raised for her son.

Judge Grant Wegner on Thursday sentenced Undesser to two years’ probation. He also ordered her to write a letter of apology to her son’s school, which hosted fund-raisers for him, and to continue to attend counseling.

“She’s very sorry for what occurred,” said Undesser’s attorney, D.J. Tegeler. “She’s thankful she’s been given a second chance.”

Undesser began telling people last spring her son had a cancer that was spreading from his eye into his brain and probably would kill him within about six months, Tegeler said.