My maid played the same trick like yours.... she told me her mother was dying (she had only worked for me for 2 weeks at that time) and must go home ... but got no money to buy air ticket .. so I bought her the return air tickets ...
I told her that she must return on time (I let her took one week off), then she said she need to buy inland ticket or else she would need to take longer leave ....but again no money ... so I lend her money again to buy..