TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida woman’s good luck ran out shortly after she won a recent lottery prize.
NBC Miami reports that Amanda Walkes, 37, of Coral Springs, was arrested on multiple charges, including child neglect, just days after she cashed a lottery ticket worth $50,000.
According to an arrest report, Walkes tried to force a minor to falsely change their story about being sexually abused by Walkes’ live-in boyfriend, Earen Huings.
The Florida Lottery website shows Walkes won $50,000 from the 2023 CASH BLAST scratch-off game. The ticket was purchased at a Publix store in Fort Lauderdale.
Walkes claimed the prize on Jan. 5, and she was arrested Wednesday.
Walkes’ arrest comes shortly after her boyfriend Huings was arrested on sexual assault charges.
According to an affidavit, Huings was accused of sexually abusing a minor over the course of five years. Authorities said Walkes threatened the minor and tried to pressure them into recanting their claims and dropping the charges.
Authorities said Walkes had several phone conversations with Huings while he was in jail, and they discussed ways to convince the minor to lie.
She was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm, tampering with a witness and criminal conspiracy. She was being held at the Paul Rein Detention Facility on a $50,000 bond, the same amount she won.
