Sandy police also linked $3,860.13 missing from the aquarium's nightly cash deposits to the woman, Quezada said. Detectives further discovered $698.53 directly deposited from the aquarium into the woman's own account.

The woman was employed at the aquarium for about a month. The missing funds were discovered through an audit, Quezada said.

The aquarium has been open at 725 E. 10600 South in Sandy since June 2006, after outgrowing its location at The Gateway shopping center in downtown Salt Lake City.

The Living Planet Aquarium showcases exhibits of underwater life. The 23,000-square-foot Sandy facility has been billed as a preview of the aquarium's return to downtown, but a $34.5 million bond initiative to build the expanded aquarium didn't make it on the ballot in November 2006.

Carroll said board members had been exploring how to raise money for the proposed downtown facility and whether the aquarium's plan for a government/nonprofit partnership is the best approach. The long-term location of the aquarium also is being discussed, he said.

"Is downtown Salt Lake City still the best location," Carroll said, "or is it in the south valley or some other location? We're putting those questions on the table."

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