A 43-year-old employee of a South St. Paul nursing home has been charged with stealing nearly $63,000 from two vulnerable adults in her care, authorities said Tuesday.

Lisa Marie Blair of Circle Pines allegedly used the victims' funds for her and her family's personal expenses, including her daughter's college tuition, according to an arrest warrant. Blair appeared in court Tuesday and posted $10,000 bail.

Authorities did not disclose the name of the nursing home. Another employee discovered that one of the victim's checks had been written out to Blair.

Blair has been charged with four counts each of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and theft by swindle.

Prosecutors said the financial losses to the two vulnerable adults from March of 2009 to November of 2010 totaled $62,994.80. Most of the losses were in the form of checks written to Blair from the victims' checking accounts, prosecutors said.

JOY POWELL