Welch accompanied by members of the Douglas County Sheriffâs Office.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office |

A Minden psychic, who was arrested in July 2014 and released on probation for obtaining money under false pretenses, did not show up for court on Tuesday.

Helen Welch, 65, former owner of the Little Psychic Shop, was scheduled in court to discuss paying restitution for a vehicle she got one of her victims to cosign for.

“She needs to be able to see enough into the future as a psychic to appear in court,” said Judge Tod Young.

Welch told her victim that she needed to do certain things in order to prevent her son from dying. Welch had the client get a coffin and some of her son’s belongings that they were supposed to bury. Welch had the victim sign a loan on a car, which Welch would then exclusively drive. Welch and the client both cosigned on the loan, but payments have not been made since April.

The case was continued, and Welch was ordered to appear in court on Oct. 27.

Young told Welch’s attorney that the woman would probably have to find work in order to satisfy the requirements of her probation.

■ A former Gardnerville resident entered a guilty plea Tuesday morning regarding the theft of a vehicle earlier this year.

Helen Ann Auth, 51, is accused of taking a car on May 19 and abandoning it in Placerville a few days later.

This is allegedly Auth’s second theft of a vehicle this year, the first being her mother’s on Feb. 19.

Both the defense and the prosecution mutually agreed on 364 days in jail with only 60 days served and the rest suspended, but the judge was not sold on the idea.

“I haven’t decided, and I won’t until your sentencing,” said Young.

A sentencing hearing will be held on Oct. 13.