More details are emerging about the purportedly fraudulent TikTok fundraiser intended to support the family of Mica Francis Miller – the proceeds of which were instead allegedly stolen by an individual entrusted with overseeing the effort. Of the estimated $15,000 raised for the Francis family only $180 was given to them.
A woman who identified herself as Susan Lynn Nelson of Richmond Hill, Georgia admitted to taking the funds for her own personal use during an online chat posted earlier this week.
“I had used the money (for) my own personal situation,” Nelson said. “I’m here to own up to my mistakes.”
To recap: Mica’s body was found with a gunshot wound to the head at 4:23 p.m. EST on April 27, 2024 at North Carolina’s Lumber River State Park – a sprawling 14,000-acre wilderness straddling this scenic blackwater river. Mica traveled to this remote location from Myrtle Beach earlier that day, and her body was discovered by police in a swampy area approximately forty meters away from where spent shell casings and her belongings were recovered.

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Mica’s death was officially ruled a suicide by North Carolina investigators and medical examiners, but the bizarre manner in which her husband announced her passing – and subsequent allegations of harassment and abuse against him leveled in multiple court filings – raised doubts and put him squarely in the public’s crosshairs.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, many people were moved to do something to support Mica’s grieving family. At first blush, fundraising efforts by a TikTok group called ‘So-Called Mess‘ created by Cassie Gainey Mincey of Loris, S.C. looked like such an opportunity – that is until it became apparent that the funds raised did not make it to the Francis family.
In a live session this week, Nelson – who worked as a fundraiser for the group – confessed to taking the money. She initially pointed to financial struggles and the impending foreclosure of her home as the reason for the theft, but later admitted to spending the money on sex workers and alcohol.
“I have an issue and I am seeking treatment,” Nelson said.
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Nelson further stated she will sell her house for cash this week to compensate the family and donors for their losses. Her house is scheduled to be sold at auction on November 5, 2024, according to property records.
Nelson is the owner of Sweet Grace Marketing – a business that was dissolved by the Georgia Secretary of State in September for failing to satisfy annual registration requirements.
Mincey said all of the fundraising activities the group engaged in were Nelson’s idea and all of the money collected went into her account.
“I want to make it clear that every fundraiser was Sue’s idea and every single thing that was done as far as fundraising went only to Sue’s accounts,” Mincey said.
Nelson concurred.
“All the fundraising ideas were my ideas and no one else’s,” Nelson said. “The So-Called Mess crew had nothing to do with it.”
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In the same live session, Mincey said she became aware of the theft last week as group leaders confronted Nelson about the money.
Initially, Mincey and the group moderators defended Nelson.
“Every time we would reach out to her we would get lies from her about situations and we believed her,” she said. “We believed everything that she said and so we did defend her and I do a apologize for that.”
In response to questions about the funds, Nelson presented the group moderators with a forgery – a fake letter from her accountant stating that a check had been sent to the Francis family. But, the date of the correspondence was incorrect. When moderators asked for clarification on the date, Nelson spontaneously confessed.
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FITSNews reached out to Bryan County, Georgia law enforcement to inquire about a potential criminal investigation, but have yet to hear back.
In a social media post earlier this week, the Francis family encouraged anyone who contributed funds through So Called Mess to report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
“If you donated money to the auctions, bid on items purchased tickets or tokens, paid for items and have not received them, or have not received items from the Etsy here is the link if you would like to make a report for theft of money and goods.”
FITSNews will continue to monitor this situation and bring you the latest developments…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Callie Lyons is a journalist, researcher and author. Her 2007 book ‘Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal’ was the first to cover forever chemicals and their impact on communities – a story later told in the movie ‘Dark Waters.’ Her investigative work has been featured in media outlets, publications, and documentaries all over the world. Lyons also appears in ‘Citizen Sleuth’ – a 2023 documentary exploring the genre of true crime.
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1 comment
Maybe delete the previous article based on rubbish?