Woman who faked son's cancer sentenced

CENTENNIAL, Colo. -- A suburban Denver woman who lied about her son having cancer to collect tens of thousands of dollars in charitable contributions will serve five years of probation and spend 90 nights in jail on work release.

She must also log 125 hours of public service, reports CBS Denver.

Sandy Nguyen of Aurora pleaded guilty in September to one count of charitable fraud and one count of child abuse.

Police say Nguyen convinced her 6-year-old son, family and others in the community that the boy had cancer and had been receiving treatment since about September 2012. Various community and school fundraisers raised some $25,000 for the family, and police say Nguyen took at least $16,000 of that money to pay for a trip to Disneyland with her family.

At the sentencing hearing Nguyen's defense said the scam began after her son was diagnosed with a skin condition and that she did not set out to deceive people, reports the station. But she failed to stop the situation when donations started pouring in.

Nguyen's victims also testified. One woman said she organized a 5-K run to raise funds for medical expenses, reports the station.