Davina Gilroy, 46, of Amanda Park, has pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in Grays Harbor County Superior Court in a case involving the theft of about $400,000 from Grays Harbor Community Hospital.

The plea was entered Oct. 8, according to Det. Jeff Weiss with the Aberdeen Police Department.

Gilroy was sentenced to a year in jail and will have to pay an undisclosed settlement to the hospital’s insurance company, according to Weiss. He added Gilroy will be allowed to participate in work release so she will have means to pay the restitution.

Gilroy’s mother, Gloria Gilroy, 65, also of Amanda Park, was also arrested and charged in the theft during the initial investigation. Deputy Prosecutor Richard Peterson said at that time it was believed the younger Gilroy was the principal in the case, and court records show the charges against the elder Gilroy were dropped in an order of dismissal signed by Judge David L. Edwards Oct. 15.

Both were scheduled for a jury trial Oct. 30.

According to Weiss, his department was called to investigate an internal theft in April 2017 from the hospital district. In July 2017, a forensic accountant audited the payroll for the district and found more than $390,000 had been taken through direct deposits and fraudulently written checks.

Weiss said bank records indicate the thefts started in September of 2015, when Davina started making direct deposits and depositing checks written to herself that she had access to through her payroll controller position.

The thefts continued into April 2017, when Davina was confronted by staff about not paying taxes for the hospital and the police were contacted. The two were arrested and arraigned in April of 2018 and had remained free on their own recognizance throughout the proceedings.