Son faked his mother's death to get time off

A man published a fake obituary for his mother so that he could get paid time off work for his "bereavement", police said. Relatives contacted The Jeffersonian Democrat newspaper in Pennsylvania when the obituary was published and explained that the woman was alive. She then visited the paper.

Police have charged 45-year-old Scott Bennett with disorderly conduct.

Newspaper editor Randy Bartley says he accepted the obituary in good faith. He said the woman was very understanding.

Bennett wrote up the memorial notice because he did not want to get fired for taking time off, said Brookville police chief Ken Dworek. AP