Mom accused of stealing from son's Little League

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A mother and treasurer of the New City Little League was arrested after a search warrant on her New City home was given.

"It's just sad, how do you take away from little kids?" said one parent.

Especially considering the countless hours the New City Little League baseball players put on the field and the hard earned money their parents spend to keep them there.

But, prosecutors say 57-year-old Joyce Bidnick put her wants in front of their needs.

"It's a learning experience they set us up for high school and college baseball. When we have distractions like that it really hurts our season," said Zac Arlon, a little league's first baseman and an 8th grader.

Zac Arlon and his family have been through it.

Last year, their Stony Point little league treasurer stole more than $150,000.

"We had to cut back on the night games and it was just a real shocker because everybody knew her. It's just really low," said Zac's mom.

"You hear it once in another town and now are you kidding here's another again," said another little league mom.

This time, Joyce Bidnick is accused of stealing more than $100,000 from the New City little league organization's bank account.

She allegedly wrote and deposited league checks to herself.

No one answered the door at Bidnick's home Wednesday afternoon when Eyewitness News tried to get her side of the story.

To maintain a certain lifestyle is why Joyce Bidnick allegedly starting stealing money from the kids.

But in her defense, prosecutors say she started paying the money back before she was caught.

Of course the investigation continues because they're not 100% sure how much she got away with.

"They had one bad apple here who had complete control," Rockland County District Attorney Tom Zugibe said.

Zugibe warns organizations need an audit process including multiple signatures on all outgoing checks.

"It's very typical of these types of sports organizations, your volunteer people step up and are given a great deal of authority with very little checks and balances to make sure it doesn't happen," Zugibe said.

Bidnick was arraigned in the Clarkstown Justice Court. Bail was set at $100,000 cash or bond.

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