Parents Charged with Stealing Lower Moreland Education Respond

The parents who sent their 5-year-old daughter to Pine Road Elementary School while living at a Philadelphia address are pleading for the charges to be dropped.

Hamlet and Olesia Garcia appeared at a press conference and insisted they are not criminals, they are just trying to do what is best for their daughter.

The Garcia's live on the Philadelphia-Lower Moreland border, and by law, their daughter should have attended Loesche Elementary School. The couple claims when they separated, their daughter resided with her grandfather in Huntingdon Valley.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

The couple face charges of theft of services and conspiracy to commit theft of services for obtaining educational services in Lower Moreland Township without paying school taxes. The out-of-district cost for tuition is about $10,752.81 per year, according to the Montgomery County Office of the District Attorney. The Garcia's were offered a deal to repay tutition to the School District.

"We never have an intention to deceive anyone," says Hamlet. "These charges, we believe, are based on a misunderstanding by the authorities."

RELATED: Lower Moreland issues statement on arrested parents

ORIGINAL STORY: Parents Arrested After Child Attends Lower Moreland with Fake Address