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Woman charged with collecting federal assistance on dead child

A Philadelphia woman faces federal charges after she intentionally failed to report her child's death so she could continue to collect federal assistance payments, according to court documents.

A Philadelphia woman faces federal charges after she intentionally failed to report her child's death so she could continue to collect federal assistance payments, according to court documents.

Nakia Calicat, 38, illegally collected roughly $26,224 during a four-year period on behalf of her deceased daughter, identifed only as F.K., according to her indictment, which was released late Monday by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

Calicat filed for the Supplemental Security Income program - which, funded by federal taxes, is intended to provide assistance for citizens with disabilities or considerable need - in March 2007. F.K. was born in December 2006.

Calicat's daugher died at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on July 6, 2010; however, the Social Security Administration did not learn of the death until August 2013.

Upon learning that the federal assistance payments would cease, Calicat told a Social Security Administration employee in October 2013 that her child was still alive to continue to receive payments. Her alleged attempt was successful.

She allegedly lied to another federal employee in August 2014 in an attempt to continue the federal assistance payment; however, she was unsuccessful.

Calicat was charged with 10 counts of wire fraud, one count of theft of government money, two counts of false statements, and one count of Social Security representative payee fraud.

If convicted, Calicat faces up to a maximum sentence of life in prison.