News

Daughter of 'official witch' accused of 'conjuring' check

By Julie Manganis
Staff writer
Published: September 22, 2009

SALEM — The daughter of Laurie Cabot, Salem's "official witch," is now wanted on a warrant after defaulting in a court case in which she's accused of stealing money from her mother.

Jody Cabot, 49, who now lives in Hull, was supposed to appear in Salem District Court yesterday for a status hearing in her case, which involves charges of larceny and forgery dating to 2007.

Laurie Cabot had gone to police after learning that her daughter had deposited a $3,750 check drawn on her mother's account and purported to have been signed by her. Laurie Cabot said she never signed any check to her daughter and added that she had been forced to deal with similar incidents in the past, according to a police report.

By the time Laurie Cabot's bank rejected the check as forged, Jody Cabot had allegedly made $3,200 worth of purchases from Target's Web site with the money, according to a police report.

Last year, Jody Cabot was granted a general continuance in the case on the condition that she pay restitution of $1,328 to her elderly mother. Had she done that, the charges would have been dismissed. But earlier this year, Jody Cabot defaulted on the agreement and the case was put back on the court's docket, where it was heading for trial.

Attorney Steve Reardon tried to convince Judge Richard Mori not to issue a warrant for his client, saying she had stayed home because she had a severe headache that was a result of a past head injury.

But Mori noted that not only does Jody Cabot have a history of defaults in the case, but "normally, headaches are not a good reason to miss court."

When her lawyer continued to argue against a warrant, Mori added that he recalls telling her himself that she cannot skip court dates, something she has done in the past.

"I told her she had to be in court," Mori said.

If Jody Cabot does not turn herself in at court, she faces arrest. Mori also added a condition that if she is arrested, she cannot be released on bail.