Serial wedding crasher is jailed for three years after admitting plot to target 12 couples and stealing cash raised for one bride’s disabled daughter while her child was sitting next to her in a wheelchair

• Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, admitted to her crimes yesterday in Lauderdale County court
• She had been accused of pretending to be a wedding guest and stealing thousands in cash and gifts from two Alabama weddings in 2019
• Henson was sentenced to 31 months with the Alabama Department of Corrections

A Mississippi woman who spent the last six years pretending to be a wedding guest and stealing thousands in cash and gifts has admitted to her crimes. 

Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, who had been dubbed a ‘serial wedding crasher’ appeared in Lauderdale County court yesterday for stealing gifts and money from two Alabama weddings in 2019. 

She had been charged with one count of third-degree Theft of Property and one count of fourth-degree Theft of Property for both weddings. 

Henson agreed to a plea deal yesterday and confessed to her crimes.  

‘I am so sorry,’ she said. ‘I know you don’t believe me, but I’m sorry,’ 

She was sentenced to 31 months with the Alabama Department of Corrections to pay restitution and court fines.

But much to her attorney’s joy, who argued that Henson suffered from severe medical issues, she will not have to serve most of that time in prison.

The judge ordered Henson to spend two weekends in jail for a total of 48 hours. ‘One for each wedding you crashed,’ he said.

Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, who had been dubbed a ‘serial wedding crasher’ appeared in Lauderdale County court yesterday for stealing gifts and money from two Alabama weddings in 2019

She was sentenced to 31 months with the Alabama Department of Corrections to pay restitution and court fines

One of the victims of Henson’s Alabama heists appeared in court to provide her victim impact statement. 

Anna Perez Todd had been robbed of the money she and her husband had raised at their wedding to donate to foundations researching cures for FOXG1 Syndrome, a disorder that her daughter suffers from.

‘We had asked for donations to be made for the foundations that are researching a cure for FOXG1 Syndrome, because our daughter has a very rare genetic disorder,’ Todd said. 

‘She is only one of about 1,000 people in the world with the disorder that we know of and we had wanted donations to be made in her honor, for our big day and that is what was stolen.’

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Todd further accused Henson of meticulously planning a route to steal from her and other brides on the same day. 

The victim said she had a ‘spreadsheet of at least 12 weddings’ that Henson had stolen from. 

Todd told News 19 that she doesn’t think her wedding was the last that Henson crashed.

‘This was not an isolated incident; this was not one moment of temptation,’ she said. ‘This has been a methodical, thought out process where she has gone for years in multiple states and stolen from families.

FOXG1 syndrome is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects young children. Symptoms of FOXG1 syndrome usually begin in infancy and those affected cannot sit or walk independently, talk or feed themselves, and require the use of a wheelchair. 

Some may have scoliosis, visual impairment, gastrointestinal difficulties such as reflux and constipation, and sleep problems.

Anna Perez Todd had been robbed of the money she and her husband had raised at their wedding to donate to foundations researching cures for FOXG1 Syndrome, a disorder that her daughter suffers from

The victim said she had a ‘spreadsheet of at least 12 weddings’ that Henson had stolen from

Henson was last caught red-handed stealing money at a September wedding. 

During the nuptials, the bride’s sister first noticed Henson alone during the reception. 

When the groom’s sister entered shortly after, she saw Henson looking through some of the purses that were left behind. 

When she asked the stranger who she was, Henson replied ‘I’m here for Lexi,’ but when she grew more suspicious she contacted other family members. 

Henson eventually confessed to the theft after initially disputing it.

While being confronted, Henson allegedly removed $200 from her bra that she had swiped from the wedding planner’s purse, according to the groom’s other sister, Kristian Joshlin.

Henson pleaded with the family not to call the police, saying she didn’t want to ‘go back to jail’. But the family notified the Pontotoc County police shortly after.

Joshlin said she ‘apologized’ and said she had been ‘going to church and doordashing’ and doing well lately.

Henson is seen dressed in a dress with black sweater wandering around an Alabama wedding reception in 2019. 

Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, was arrested on September 30 at a wedding ceremony taking place at Lily Creek Farm in Belden, Mississippi. She was charged with petit larceny, trespassing and disturbing the peace. She has since bonded out of jail, Pontotoc Sheriff Leo Mask said

The sister believes Henson may have got the information about their wedding from social media. Henson also had a notebook on her that listed seven other weddings in the area. 

The family was further shocked once they searched her name on the internet and found all the other crimes she committed. 

The bride’s family had kept the incident from her and her new husband until the police arrived on the scene. But, the family was happy about how it all ended. 

‘The day was about me and Brady getting married and we had the best day ever,’ Butler said.

According to Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office, Henson has been arrested in Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi for crashing weddings and stealing money and cards from purses.

In 2021, Henson crashed a wedding in Marshall County, Alabama. She reportedly took the bride and groom’s gifts guests had given them, including, money, cards and gifts. 

The sheriff’s department identified her after seeing her steal the items off the gift tables. The devastated bride told WREG that Henson had ‘ruined her special day.’ 

During their investigation, Alabama authorities discovered that Henson had stolen items from nine other weddings in their state.

Henson was sentenced to prison in 2021 for her thefts, but was free on probation at the time of the latest alleged heist

Police say Henson has targeted weddings in Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi for years

At one of the ceremonies, Henson was caught on video walking around the party during the reception.

She was indicted on a grand larceny charge in Mississippi after she stole wedding gifts, cash and gift cards estimated to be over $1,000 the same year.

According to the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Henson was sentenced to jail in 2021 for burglary and grand larceny before making parole. Henson has not commented on her string of thefts.

However, the wedding planner who had $200 allegedly stolen by Henson said she doesn’t believe the thief plans to end her ways. 

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