Elwood Community Schools Superintendent Casey Smitherman faces insurance fraud charges after prosecutors say she used her son's insurance card to get medicine for a sick student.

Elwood, Ind. is about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

"I know this action was wrong," Smitherman said. "In the moment, my only concern was for this child’s health."

Here's everything we know about the act of kindness that landed a superintendent in so much trouble.

What happened

According to a probable cause affidavit, Smitherman was worried about the 15-year-old boy when he did not come to school on Jan. 9. She contacted him and he told her he was sick and had a sore throat.

"After making sure he had eaten, I could tell he had some of the symptoms of strep throat," Smitherman said in a written statement provided by her attorney. "As a parent, I know how serious this illness can be if left untreated, and I took him to an emergency clinic."

Smitherman, documents said, took the boy to St. Vincent Immediate Care in Elwood. She admitted to using her son's insurance card to pay for the care, documents said.

The boy, using the name of Smitherman's son, was prescribed the antibiotic Amoxicillin. Smitherman, documents said, filled that prescription at a CVS in Elwood.

The total bill was $233, documents said.

"The child was very sick and she was just trying to get him medicine," Smitherman's attorney, Bryan Williams, said. "She knew it was probably a mistake. But at the same time she really didn’t know what else to do."

The story:A superintendent used her son's insurance for a sick student. She was charged with fraud.

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The student in need

Williams said the 15-year-old boy lives with an elderly family member who does not have a car. He said Smitherman and her husband have helped the family in the past with clothes, food and Christmas gifts.

Smitherman told police she didn't call the Department of Child Services for fear the boy might be placed in foster care. DCS has since opened an investigation, documents said.

Three felonies and a misdemeanor

She was trying to do something good, Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings Cummings said, but did it the wrong way.

"The other side of it is you have a school superintendent who is demonstrating through her actions that its O.K. to be dishonest and falsify your name," Cummings said. "That was more troubling. I think she realizes that."

Smitherman was booked Wednesday into the Madison County Jail on felony charges of insurance fraud, identity deception and official misconduct and another misdemeanor count of insurance fraud.

She was released the same day after posting $5,000 bond, records show.

Avoiding a criminal conviction

Cummings said his office has agreed to offer Smitherman a diversion agreement, which would allow her to admit to the crime and avoid a criminal conviction. If a judge agrees and she doesn't get arrested again in a year, he said the charges will be dismissed.

The sides were still working out the details, Cummings said. Similar diversion agreements are offered to all first-time, non-violent offenders. Cummings said diversion agreements typically require defendants to take classes or perform community service.

School board backs her

Elwood Community Schools Board President Brent Kane expressed support for Smitherman in a statement provided to IndyStar by her attorney.

"She made an unfortunate mistake, but we understand that it was out of concern for this child’s welfare," Kane said. "We know she understands what she did was wrong, but she continues to have our support."

Call IndyStar reporter Vic Ryckaert at 317-444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.