Dixie County couple accused of faking son’s cancer diagnosis to collect fundraiser money
Deputies say teen was never diagnosed with cancer
DIXIE COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - Dixie County Sheriff’s deputies say a couple collected money through fundraisers by falsely claiming their teenage son had cancer.
Edward Downing and Stephanie Skieris raised funds by repeatedly telling community members, businesses, and media outlets that their 15-year-old son had cancer.
Investigators say after reviewing medical records and speaking with healthcare providers, they learned the boy had never been diagnosed with cancer.
Among those who contributed was Papa Luigi’s in Old Town, which donated profits to the family last March. TV20 featured the fundraiser in a news report where the family told us their son had cancer.
“It helps tremendously to pay for his doctor visits, so it’s not so hard on us and everything else,” Stephanie Downing, the boy’s mother, told TV20 in March 2025.
Sheriff’s deputies say they identified a bank account to which the donations were being funnelled. The money was supposed to be used for medical expenses; however, financial records show payments for retail transactions, fuel, restaurant meals, and cash withdrawals.
Investigators, medical professionals, and child protection services reportedly became concerned about the 15-year-old’s well-being, and he was placed into protective care.
Downing and Skieris were both charged with a scheme to defraud, communications fraud, and child neglect. Both have since been released on bond.
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