Last week, Marianna Monticalvo was arrested in Kensington, near Berkeley, for identity theft and cruelty to a child, after her landlord saw her picture on the news and turned her into police.
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Parents all over the Bay Area, who have interviewed and hired Monticalvo to care for their children, tell ABC7 that she used multiple phone numbers and fake names to land nanny jobs.
EXCLUSIVE: Bay Area 'fake nanny' nabbed by police for alleged identity theft, cruelty to a child
"The name was Ali, on the post," explained a Bay Area mother, who considered hiring Monticalvo last September, after she saw a post on Nextdoor from a woman claiming to be Monticalvo's previous employer.
"I was like, oh this is the type of nanny I'm looking for and it was this really long post about this wonderful amazing nanny," she said.
But this mom is now so afraid of Monticalvo, that she does not want to be identified.
She says Monticalvo was aggressive and pushy during the initial email and phone interview process and that there were red flags when she called Monticalvo's references.
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"The first person sounded like her with an Australian accent."
But she thought the second reference she called, was okay because she heard two kids in the background. After all, this mother was anxious to find childcare for her toddler and soon-to-be-born twins, so she really wanted Ali to be the nanny she claimed to be.
So, she invited Monticalvo, who she still thought was Ali to her home for a trial day, which didn't last long.
She says that Monticalvo, "put a tub of whole grapes in front of" her toddler son, which is a choking hazard, "so I automatically felt that he is not safe around her." The mother added that Monticalvo, "didn't actually know how to install the nipple on the sippy cup, so he was soaked in water. He didn't have a changed diaper."
So, after three hours, she paid Monticalvo and told her to leave. But she says Monticalvo then badgered her with texts, messaging things like, "what are you concerned about?" and "thanks for wasting my time."
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Then, her friend showed her a 2004 article about Monticalvo's previous theft and fraud charges, with a photo of Monticalvo, who she knew as Ali.
"It was her when I opened up the article, I couldn't believe my eyes."
"How I could I let somebody in my house that was a criminal, around my children. I felt just really vulnerable and very scared. I could not believe that I fell for that scam," she said. "Taking advantage, whether it be new moms or second-time moms with young children. Vulnerable women that want somebody to care for their children so they can go back to work and feel comfortable and there is somebody out there messing with that."
The East Bay mom spoke to police.
Monticalvo is due in court on Thursday in Oakland, for separate, but similar childcare related cases.