SANDPOINT — Credible doubts are being cast on an Oldtown woman’s purported cancer diagnosis.

Veronica Chinn’s diagnosis was drawn into question, which prompted a welfare check conducted by Bonner County sheriff’s deputies and an office manager from Mountain View Family Medicine on Sept. 20.

A deputy’s report indicates members of Chinn’s family requested that she be placed in hospice care, which can only be done at the direction of her primary care physician.

Erin Bonine, the office manager, advised deputies that she had gone to see Howard and had concerns about the validity of her cancer diagnosis claim, according to a report by Det. Aaron Walker that was obtained by the Daily Bee.

Bonine contacted Chinn’s doctor in Spokane, but was told she was not a patient. Bonine conducted further research using the woman’s date of birth, Social Security number and insurance information but could find nothing which corroborated Chinn’s treatment for cancer.

“This brought more questions than answers to Bonine, and she called law enforcement for assistance,” Walker said in the report.

That assistance came in the form of a welfare check at Chinn’s home. Chinn was found in bed with a feeding tube taped to her cheek and inserted into her left nostril, the report said. However, the tube was not connected to anything. The report further noted that there was a medical or catheter port in her right bicep, which drew suspicion because such devices are typically affixed to interior elbow joints or on hands and wrists.

Deputies attempted to determine who was treating her, although Chinn admitted providing a false name and date of birth for her doctor’s appointments but declined to elaborate, the report said. She also said she had no records documenting her appointments or any medications on hand.

Chinn’s husband was questioned and he told investigators that he had never seen any medical paperwork, bills or medication, according to the report. He understood Chinn’s doctor was responsible for the feeding tube, although he said he never spoke with her doctors and spent time during appointments waiting in the lobby or the parking lot.

Bonine told the detective that Chinn admitted seeing a cancer specialist in the past, but a biopsy determined the growth was benign, the report said.

It was determined that Chinn was a threat to herself, although the report did not specify what informed this conclusion. Chinn agreed to commit herself to Kootenai Behavioral Health in Coeur d’Alene.

“I later confirmed that Chinn had self committed at KBH and she, in fact, does not have cancer,” Walker said in the report’s conclusion.

Chinn, 27, declined to comment on the allegations or provide any form of proof that she was indeed diagnosed with cancer.

“There are a lot of rumors going around town and none of them are fact-based,” said Chinn.

Miranda Foley, who has known Chinn since 2012, said Chinn’s intent on privacy is being misconstrued as dishonesty about her condition and that her sarcasm during the welfare check was misinterpreted by the deputies.

“She’s not faking this. This is real,” said Foley.

Efforts to reach Bonine on Friday were unsuccessful and a message sent through a family member was not immediately returned.

Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall said the matter remains under review by sheriff’s officials.

“The case has not yet been submitted to my office for a charging decision,” Marshall said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.