Paula Deen was so close to Mary Alice White that she's having a hard time dealing with allegations that the former maid stole $100,000 worth of jewelry from her.
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"It was kind of like a death in the family," the Food Network personality told People in a Tuesday report.
"I was so sad and upset because I loved this person and told them every day that I loved them. So it's always sad when someone disappoints you."
White has been arrested twice in the last month on theft-by-taking charges after she allegedly tried to pawn pieces of jewelry belonging to Deen and her husband Michael Anthony Groover.
The couple started noticing that jewelry was disappearing from their Wilmington Island, GA home last August before discovering White was "in possession of a portion of said jewelry," according to People. White was subsequently fired.
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Despite the personal blow Whites' arrests have had on Deen, she's trying to not let them affect her moving forward.
"You just can't be hardened," she told People.
"You can't stop trusting people or giving your love. Or at least I'm not interested in living that way. There's all kind of risk in life and you take chances. Sometimes you're thrilled and sometimes you're disappointed."
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio