Woman believed to have falsified own death and using her deceased sister’s identity

A Kunkletown woman has been charged for falsifying her own death through various fraudulent documents and using her deceased sister’s identity.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Cpl. Mark Kirby of the Pennsylvania State police, Troop N Lehighton Barracks:

On Oct. 18, Trooper Matthew Lento and Kirby responded to a multiunit apartment building on Syracuse Lane for a landlord tenant dispute. The tenant indicated that her documents were located in her vehicle, and then rendered the name of Christin Ball, born in 1971, for which a query of the name and date of birth resulted in a valid Pennsylvania OLN.

However, a query of the state registration revealed that the registered owner of the vehicle was Dawn Ball, 49, of Syracuse Lane. A photograph was also obtained, which appeared to be a match for the tenant.

It was also discovered that an active warrant had been issued for Ball out of Tannersville, and was due to a harassment charge.

The tenant was then questioned about her identity, at which time she said that her sister was Dawn Ball, and that she was Christin Ball, and voluntarily provided a Pennsylvania driver’s license for Christin Ball. But the photograph did not appear to be her, though she attempted to reassure police by providing a Social Security card for Christin Ball.

Police spoke with the other person who was initially involved in the dispute who said that state parole had been there and told them that the tenant residing there was Dawn Ball. Property owners advised the parole agent that they had rented the apartment to her, but under the name Christin Ball.

A query of PennDOT driver records conducted on Oct. 19 for both Dawn Ball and Christin Ball, revealed that Dawn Ball was issued a license on Nov. 26, 2003, and it was continuously renewed until Jan. 8, 2016, with its final expiration of May 19 of this year. The query also revealed a progression of multiple driver’s license photos.

However, the query for Christin Ball was issued on Dec. 15, 2018, with an expiration of June 3, 2022, and there is only one photo presently associated with the license, and no prior records in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

A query of criminal history records was conducted on Oct. 19 for both individuals, and it was revealed that Dawn Ball has an extensive criminal history with multiple Social Security numbers, as well as multiple aliases, one of which was listed as Christin Ball.

Dawn Ball’s criminal history also shows that she used Christin Ball’s date of birth and Social Security number, while a check of Christin Ball’s criminal history reveals that she never had a criminal record, but reverts to Dawn Ball and Dawn Alvarez.

On Oct. 19, Kirby contacted a state police agent and inquired about Dawn Ball, who said that he and another agent had gone to her apartment, where he observed a death certificate for Dawn Ball. Kirby questioned the agent about a Christin Ball, to which he said believed Dawn Ball may have been using as an alias. A copy of the rental agreement for the property was also provided, which was filled out as the lessee being Christin Ball.

Biographical information was obtained for both individuals, and labor and industry records showed no employment for Dawn Ball, but indicated that Christin had just begun working within the area around the time her driver’s license was issued.

On Oct. 20, multiple family members were contacted, and it was found that Christin Ball, born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, died on Sept. 26, 1987, in Union, New Jersey, due to anaphylactic shock, caused by an allergic reaction to penicillin. It was also found that Dawn Ball had made omissions to family members about using false information, identities and Social Security numbers to obtain employment due to her felony record.

Dawn Ball faces charges on six counts of identity theft; three counts of forgery; and one count each of false swearing — mislead public servant, and false identification to law enforcement authority.

She is currently incarcerated in the Monroe County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 bail, and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Friday before District Judge Colleen Mancuso of Brodheadsville.