Lunch Worker Fired After Free Meal Convicted of Prior Theft

POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho cafeteria worker who says she was fired for giving a student a free lunch was previously convicted of theft charges in 2013.

Court documents say Dalene Bowden was ordered to pay $370 in restitution after police found surveillance footage of her removing cash from her employer's cash register and putting it into her tip jar at a Pocatello golf course in 2012. She was later convicted of two counts of theft under $1,000.

Bowden received a termination letter from the Pocatello School District last week after she gave a tray of food to a 12-year-old student who said she didn't have money for a meal costing $1.70. The letter cited theft as the reason for her dismissal. Bowden didn't return multiple attempts for comment.