She went to check on her elderly dad — he was gone and his caretaker had moved in. How this could happen to you

 by Vawn Himmelsbach

Imagine hiring a caretaker for your ailing father, only to find out your father passed away and the caretaker had moved into his home, leaving no trace of him behind.

While it sounds like the plot to a movie, it’s what actually happened to Nora Rowland, who told Inside Edition that she drove from Baltimore to South Carolina to do a wellness check after not hearing from her father for several weeks.

Her 75-year-old father, Robert, had Parkinson’s and a brain injury.

When Nora arrived, however, her key didn’t work. The doorbell had been replaced by a Ring doorbell camera. When she rang the doorbell, the voice who answered said her dad had passed away three days earlier.

So Nora climbed through an open window to investigate. Her father was gone, but so were all traces of him. A new family had moved in; the walls were painted orange, and the family photos had been replaced by photos of strangers.

But it gets worse: The woman now living there accused Nora of breaking into her house and called the cops. And it was Nora who ended up in custody for three days for alleged trespassing (the charges were later dropped).

The woman, it turns out, is Sarah Smalls, a nurse that Nora had hired three months prior to care for her ailing father.

“I hired her to care for him, not to steal from him,” she told Inside Edition.

Less than a month after Smalls was hired, Nora’s father was moved into a senior living facility. Then, Smalls was named as his power of attorney and the deed to his house was transferred to her for just $5. Bank statements also show money transfers from Nora’s father’s accounts to Smalls, before and after he died.

Now the onus is on Nora to file a civil lawsuit to try to get her father’s assets back.

What is elder financial abuse?

Elder fraud, elder financial abuse and elder financial exploitation (EFE) refer to the abuse of financial control or misappropriation of funds in a relationship with an elderly victim.

This can take several forms. It could be someone the victim knows, like a grandchild ‘borrowing’ money that’s never repaid. Or it could be criminals running an investment fraud scheme.

It could involve tricking, coercing or persuading a vulnerable senior into signing over Power of Attorney, in which the fraudster gains control of the senior’s finances, or signing over a property deed or vehicle title.

While Nora’s case is extreme, it’s not an anomaly. An AARP study found that victims of EFE over the age of 60 lose $28.3 billion in the U.S. each year. And in most (72%) of those cases, fraud is committed by someone the victim knows.

But EFE is “notoriously underreported,” according to Comparitech. Not all victims report EFE, especially if it’s committed by a family member. Maybe they’re ashamed or embarrassed, or maybe they simply aren’t aware it’s happening.

Social isolation and mental impairment — such as Alzheimer’s or dementia — can make an older adult more vulnerable to abuse, according to the National Council on Aging.

And while there are some protections in place — about half of states have “hold” laws in which banks can hold transactions if they suspect financial exploitation — there’s still much that needs to be done.

In the meantime, victims don’t have a lot of recourse.

“Getting restitution is nearly impossible, and re-earning that money takes time, when time is not on an older victim’s side,” according to the AARP report. “Victims often lose not only key resources that can jeopardize their current and future financial security but also a degree of their own dignity.”

How to protect your loved ones

Perhaps one of the most nefarious forms of elder financial abuse is when the victim is tricked into signing over Power of Attorney or property titles — even changing their will — essentially draining them of their assets and autonomy.

Ideally, you want to put protections in place while a loved one is still mentally capable of making decisions. A good starting point is to contact an elder law attorney, who can help set up a durable financial Power of Attorney or trust.

For example, with a durable financial Power of Attorney, Nora could have served as her father’s ‘agent’ to make financial decisions on his behalf, if he was unable to make those decisions for himself.

When hiring a caretaker or home nurse, use a licensed, bonded home care agency, and check their credentials and references thoroughly. Have the caregiver sign a formal contract (with your elder law attorney present) and ensure their access to your loved one’s finances is limited.

For example, rather than giving them access to the elder’s bank accounts, provide them with a prepaid debit card for groceries or other items. You can also arrange for ‘view only’ access to their bank accounts to monitor them for suspicious activity, such as unexplained bank withdrawals or transfers.

If you suspect fraud or theft, contact the police as well as your local Adult Protective Services agency. If your loved one is in a nursing home, call your Long-Term Care Ombudsman to intervene and advocate on your behalf.

In more extreme cases — say, a property deed was transferred or a will was changed while the elder was not of sound mind — that’s considered a form of elder financial abuse. In those cases, hire an elder law attorney. 

Full Article & Source:
She went to check on her elderly dad — he was gone and his caretaker had moved in. How this could happen to you 

Law students partner with Charleston Co. Probate Court to protect vulnerable adults

The Adult Guardianship Assistance and Monitoring Program in the Lowcountry is pairing Charleston School of Law students with the Charleston County Probate Court to check on vulnerable and incapacitated adults under guardianship.

By Kavya Ramesh

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — The Adult Guardianship Assistance and Monitoring Program in the Lowcountry is pairing Charleston School of Law students with the Charleston County Probate Court to check on vulnerable and incapacitated adults under guardianship.

Students volunteer as court-appointed limited court visitors, going out in teams of two to visit adults under guardianship in homes and care facilities.

The court conducts specialized training each semester before issuing court orders appointing the students to the role.

Students act as ‘eyes and ears’ of the court

During a training session, Charleston County Probate Judge Irv Condon told students that guardianship in South Carolina applies to more than senior citizens. 

“It’s not all about senior citizens. It’s about incapacitated adults. And a vulnerable adult in South Carolina is anybody over the age of 18. So that could be, uh, any, any of us,” Condon said.

Condon said the goal of the visits is to secure the greatest independence possible for each person under guardianship.

“Our hope is you go there and you start visiting and you have a hard time getting away. They want to hear about you and take an interest in you. That is what we hope occurs,” Condon said.

Students monitor housing safety and basic needs, including glasses, walkers and hearing aids, and report their findings to the court. 

Three guardianship clerks follow up on the reports with guardians or conservators.

Coordinators describe the mission

Jamie Roper, elder advocate and coordinator with the City of Charleston Mayor’s Office on Aging, spoke to students about the responsibility of the role.

“This job is more giving back than you will ever know. But I will tell you this. Sometimes the job becomes very, very hard,” Roper said.

Roper told students to trust their instincts during visits.

“When your Spidey senses go up, listen to them because that’s why we need your eyes and ears. Because some people, they don’t have the ability to speak, so we have to speak for them,” Roper said.

Roper said the work is centered on helping people, not creating obstacles for them.

“You know, these are people’s lives and our job is to help them. Not to be a barrier, not to make it difficult, but to help them. So do whatever you can to help them,” Roper said.

Program history

The program began in 2011, with Charleston as one of two counties in the nation chosen to pilot it, along with Maricopa County, Arizona. 

Condon told students the effort followed news reports by the Los Angeles Times and New York Times documenting courts that were not checking on individuals under guardianship.

Since 2011, more than 1,200 students have participated in the program, visiting more than 1,000 citizens, according to the court.

The court says about 200 of the visits have resulted in direct follow-up actions, including connecting families with caregiver grants, securing housing resources or reporting abuse and neglect. 

Full Article & Source:
Law students partner with Charleston Co. Probate Court to protect vulnerable adults 

Charleston County Probate Court hosts Adult Guardianship Assistance, Monitoring Program

by: Danika Young

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston County Probate Court is partnering with the Charleston School of Law for an Adult Guardianship Assistance and Monitoring Program training.

The training will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Charleston School of Law.

The training allows students to perform assistance and wellness checks by visiting vulnerable adults under guardianship.

“The goal of this program is to ensure seniors and incapacitated adults are receiving proper care. Each semester, Charleston County Probate Court hosts specialized training sessions at the law school to properly train the students to participate in this program,” the Charleston County Probate Court said.

During these visits, the court says students will ask questions about the present living and care arrangements to report back to the court and will follow up on any necessary action required
after the visits. 

Full Article & Source:
Charleston County Probate Court hosts Adult Guardianship Assistance, Monitoring Program 

Cher Seeks to Delay Conservatorship Hearing Pending Guardianship Effort

by Contributing Editor 

Cher is opposing any oversight of her son’s mental health by her daughter-in-law and is asking a judge to delay proceedings in California pending the outcome of guardianship proceedings in New Hampshire.

Cher’s attorneys filed court papers Friday with Judge Jessica Uzcategui stating that she may drop her bid for a conservatorship in California if the New Hampshire guardianship efforts regarding 50-year-old Elijah Blue Allman turn out to her satisfaction.

After Allman’s arrest earlier this year in New Hampshire, Marieangela King Allman filed for divorce because at that time she was “emotionally exhausted, overwhelmed, and believed separation was necessary,” King Allman says in her court papers

However, since filing for dissolution, Elijah Blue’s placement through the New Hampshire court system into structured treatment environment and her continued concern for his well-being caused her to reconsider ending the marriage and drop the idea, according to King Allman.

King Allman is acting as her own attorney. She contends in her Los Angeles Superior Court papers that Cher and her husband’s other “estranged relatives” have “repeatedly attempted to impose a conservatorship or similar restraints” on Allman without her knowledge. She is offering herself as his conservator.

But Cher’s attorneys state in their court papers that King Allman has an ulterior motive.

“Now that a conservatorship is pending, Mrs. King-Allman clearly sees a financial opportunity to control his income and she has attempted to seize the opportunity created by his incarceration to try to reinsert herself back into his life,” according to Cher’s lawyers’ court papers. 

Whether Allman ultimately chooses to be in a relationship with King-Allman is his choice, but given her behavior and indifference to his health and living situation over the prior year, she, in no way, should ever be considered as a viable candidate to serve as a court-appointed fiduciary, Cher’s attorneys further contend in their court papers. 

Former Allman girlfriend Kayti Pease repeatedly requested that King Allman assist her in providing care for Allman, but King Allman “never lifted a finger to help, despite the fact that Mr. Allman was supposedly her spouse,” according to Cher’s attorneys’ filing.

Allman’s siblings, Devon Allman and Chaz Bono, have sought appointment as Allman’s guardians in a New Hampshire court, both Cher and King Allman have noted in their court papers.

If Cher determines the New Hampshire guardianship is permanent and protective enough, then she will file a notice to dismiss the California conservatorship action, her attorneys state in their court papers.

King Allman says Elijah Blue “vehemently opposed” appointment of Cher as his conservator when she sought the role in April only to be denied by a judge.

“I am extremely concerned that appointment of conservator hand selected by (Cher) is equally not in Elijah’s best interests and will be viewed by Elijah as further punishment and an effort to interfere with his autonomy, rather than an attempt to help him,” King Allman says, adding that an alternative solution would be to appoint her as her husband’s conservatory.

King Allman says she and her husband have “experienced challenges within our marriage, many of which were related to his struggles with substance abuse, mental health issues and the consequences that followed.”

The next hearing in the conservatorship proceedings is Tuesday unless the judge grants Cher’s request for a 120-day postponement. Allman is the 80-year-old Cher’s only son with the late Allman Brothers singer Gregg Allman.

Full Article & Source:
Cher Seeks to Delay Conservatorship Hearing Pending Guardianship Effort 

See Also:
Cher’s Son Elijah Blue’s Wife Challenges Singer’s Conservatorship, Asks Court to Put Her In Charge (Exclusive)

 

Alva police officer and wife arrested for exploiting elderly man

Source:
Alva police officer and wife arrested for exploiting elderly man 

Supported Decision-Making Facilitation Model Shortlisted for International Innovation Award!

 

August 26, 2026

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I have some exciting news! The Supported Decision-Making facilitation model has been shortlisted for the Zero Project Awards 2027!  If you are not familiar with Zero Project, it is a global initiative to identify and share innovative solutions that remove barriers for people with disabilities. This year, Zero Project’s call for submissions focused on the topics of Independent Living, Political Participation, and Assistive Technology (AT). After receiving more than 615 nominations from around the world, Zero Project's research team and experts from the global Zero Project Network selected their “shortlist” of 159 solutions.

Supported-Decision Making’s inclusion on this list represents an incredible milestone in OPWDD’s effort to empower people with developmental disabilities to experience the dignity and independence of decision-making with support. It demonstrates that the Project's experts recognize that New York’s Supported Decision-Making facilitation model, which provides a legally enforceable way for people with developmental disabilities to demonstrate their capacity to make legal, financial, medical, and life decisions on their own behalf, is an innovative solution worthy of potential replication.

While this shortlist is only the first step of the award process, I can't tell you how proud it makes me to see Supported Decision-Making on this list. It’s inclusion in this global competition is a testament to the important work we’ve been doing here in New York State under the leadership of Governor Hochul and in partnership with our provider agencies and advocates.  While several other states and countries have laws that recognize decisions made under Supported Decision-Making Agreements, New York is the only state in the nation that supports and funds the facilitation process for people with developmental disabilities.  

While the scope of OPWDD services may be limited to New York, the reach of our work, led by our community that includes our partners and self-advocates, knows no borders.  Freedom from all kinds of barriers is so essential to living a rich, fulfilling life. Because we live in a global environment, it is so important that we continue to work with, learn from, and collaborate with our neighbors across the globe to achieve zero barriers for people with developmental disabilities.

For more information on Support Decision Making in NY, available through AIM Services, Inc, please visit their website.

The final Zero Project Awards will be announced on December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Willow Baer 
Commissioner

Source:
Supported Decision-Making Facilitation Model Shortlisted for International Innovation Award! 

Bay Minette cleaning lady booked on felony elderly exploitation in $400k theft probe

BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (NBC 15) — A Bay Minette woman is accused of stealing nearly $400,000 in cash from a private residence over several months while working as a cleaning lady, according to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s office said it received a report on Tuesday about the theft of a large amount of U.S. currency from a home. The victims told investigators that nearly $400,000 in cash had been taken and identified their cleaning lady as the primary suspect.

Investigators identified the suspect as Tabitha White, 28, of Bay Minette, and interviewed her about the theft, the sheriff’s office said. During the interview, White told investigators that over the course of several months, she had taken “handfuls” of cash while cleaning the residence.

As the investigation continued, investigators said they learned White had allegedly used stolen funds to purchase numerous items. That information led to a search warrant being executed at her residence, where investigators seized documents related to the purchases and items believed to have been bought with the stolen money.

The sheriff’s office said evidence seized included vehicles, four-wheelers, electronics, lawn equipment, construction supplies and other property.

White was charged with one felony count of financial exploitation of the elderly. The sheriff’s office said additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues. 

Full Article & Source:
Bay Minette cleaning lady booked on felony elderly exploitation in $400k theft probe 

83-year-old at center of two-state guardianship battle can stay in Colorado — and may not have to return to Dallas

A judge declined to hold Peggy Hill’s son and daughter-in-law in contempt but found they had significantly interfered with her guardianship. 

Author: Tanya Eiserer 

DALLAS — Peggy Hill will get to stay in Colorado — at least until further notice.

A Dallas County probate judge issued an order Wednesday allowing the 83-year-old retired real estate agent to remain in Colorado to undergo brain surgery next month and recuperate there afterward. Hill, who has dementia, is under a court-ordered guardianship. She repeatedly refused court orders to return to Dallas from Fort Collins, Co., where she has been living with her youngest son, Rucker Hill, his wife, Rebecca, and their three young sons.

Under a court-approved settlement among Peggy Hill’s four adult children, she was to spend six months of the year in Colorado and the other six months at a Dallas assisted living facility. Peggy has been in Colorado since October and repeatedly refused efforts to return her to Dallas.

WFAA aired a story Monday night detailing Peggy’s fight to remain in Colorado. "I get up in the morning and think I've already died and gone to heaven living here," Hill said in that interview. She also said that the only way she would return to Dallas was in a “pine box.” On Tuesday, WFAA filed this report on the hearing to determine next steps in Peggy's case.

In a series of rulings following that hearing, Judge Julia Malveaux stayed enforcement of her prior orders that would have required Hill to return to Dallas.

“Ms. Hill is pleased with the Judge’s ruling and appreciates her careful consideration of all the evidence and Ms. Hill’s expressed preferences in accordance with the Ward’s Bill of Rights,” Brian Hill, an attorney representing Peggy Hill wrote in a statement. “Ms. Hill looks forward to remaining in Colorado for the foreseeable future.”

A second order indicates Peggy Hill may ultimately be allowed to stay in Colorado permanently. The judge wrote that pending additional orders from the court regarding transfer of the guardianship to Colorado and acceptance by a Colorado court, Hill “shall be authorized to remain in Colorado.”

The orders came a day after Rucker and Rebecca Hill were forced to testify about whether they had violated the court’s order to get Peggy back to Dallas. The hearing stretched for more than three hours, and the couple faced the possibility of being held in contempt of court.

“The actions of the Colorado family members do not rise to the level of contempt,” Probate Judge Julia Malveau wrote in the order.

But the judge also concluded Rucker and Rebecca Hill had engaged in “significant interference” with the guardianship, including disclosing Peggy’s private health and personal information.

The judge found that the Colorado family members:

• Failed to cooperate fully with the guardian and guardian ad litem.
• Failed to provide care managers reasonable access to Peggy.
• Enabled Peggy’s living situation to become public even though, according to the court, she lacked the legal capacity to consent.
• “Likely” failed to follow instructions from Peggy’s medical providers.

The order requires the Colorado family members to get advance written approval from Peggy’s attorney ad litem (which is akin to a defense attorney and is appointed by the court to represent what the person under guardianship wants), guardian ad litem (who is court-appointed and is supposed to represent what’s in the best interest of the person under guardianship) and guardian before providing any of her health, financial or personal information to a news, internet or other media outlet.

“They shall not engage in any act or omission that might reasonable be interpreted as interference with Ward’s guardianship, protection and safety,” the judge wrote.

The judge also ordered that Peggy receive examinations and treatments recommended by her medical providers. The order prohibits the family from interfering with the guardian’s access to medical providers or Peggy’s medical and health information.

Rebecca and Rucker Hill have previously said they did everything they could to get Peggy to return. They also denied in court testimony interfering with her care.

The judge’s order applies to all family members, not just Rucker and Rebecca Hill.

Brian Hill, the attorney representing Peggy, also has asked the court to direct the bank managing Peggy’s finances to end lease at an assisted living facility, which has been costing her estate $6,000 a month. The motion asks that her “personal effects” be sent to her in Colorado.

In a separate motion, he asked that the court approve transferring her guardianship to Colorado. 

Full Article & Source:
83-year-old at center of two-state guardianship battle can stay in Colorado — and may not have to return to Dallas

‘Menace II Society’ Star Samuel Monroe Jr.’s Wife Fights Mother’s Conservatorship Bid

As the actor remains hospitalized, Shawna Stewart says he chose her to manage his affairs — and accuses his mother of seeking control of his finances.

By Bernadette Giacomazzo

Key Takeaways

• Samuel Monroe Jr.’s wife, Shawna Stewart, is fighting his mother Joyce Patton’s conservatorship bid, saying the actor wanted her to manage his medical and financial decisions.
• Stewart denies misusing GoFundMe donations or Monroe Jr.’s film residuals and accuses Patton of seeking control of his finances, while Patton questions whether the couple is legally married.
• The Menace II Society actor remains hospitalized after meningitis spread to his spine and brain, leading to MRSA pneumonia, seizures, brain swelling, life support, dialysis and multiple brain surgeries.

Samuel Monroe Jr.’s months-long medical crisis has now spilled into court, with the Menace II Society actor’s mother seeking a conservatorship while his wife pushes back against the effort.

According to TMZ, Monroe Jr.’s mother, Joyce Patton, has petitioned to establish a conservatorship over her son as he remains hospitalized and unable to manage his own affairs. His wife, Shawna Stewart, is challenging the move and says Monroe Jr. had previously made it clear that he wanted her — not his mother — to handle his medical and financial decisions.

Stewart also accused Patton of being motivated by money rather than Monroe Jr.’s care. Patton’s court filing reportedly raises questions about a GoFundMe Stewart established to help cover medical expenses and whether Stewart has access to Monroe Jr.’s film residuals.

Stewart denied taking any of his money and told TMZ she believes the conservatorship effort is instead aimed at gaining control over his finances.

The dispute also extends to the status of Stewart and Monroe Jr.’s relationship. Patton has questioned whether the couple is legally married and claimed they have not lived together in approximately 15 years. Stewart disputed that account, saying she and Monroe Jr. have two children together, have maintained an on-and-off relationship in recent years, and lived together during portions of that time.

Asked about proof of their marriage, Stewart declined to provide documentation to TMZ but said Patton “is in for a surprise.”

The case has already moved deeper into the probate process. According to court documents cited by TMZ, an attorney has been appointed to represent Monroe Jr.’s interests, while his medical records have been ordered released to a probate investigator.

A conservatorship could give a court-appointed person authority over some or all of his personal, medical, or financial affairs if a judge determines he cannot make those decisions himself.

The legal fight comes as Monroe Jr. continues to battle severe health complications that began months ago. The actor was hospitalized in April after a prolonged case of meningitis that Stewart previously said had gone undiagnosed for months. She said the infection eventually spread to his spine and brain.

He later developed MRSA pneumonia and required life support, dialysis, multiple blood transfusions, and several brain surgeries.

His condition has fluctuated sharply during the hospitalization. At one point, Monroe Jr.’s kidneys improved enough for doctors to stop dialysis, and he was able to breathe without a ventilator for several hours.

By August, however, Stewart said he was again in a medically induced coma, suffering seizures and brain swelling, with doctors warning that he could remain in a vegetative state.

Monroe Jr., whose credits also include Set It Off, Tales from the Hood and The Players Club, remains hospitalized. 

Full Article & Source:
‘Menace II Society’ Star Samuel Monroe Jr.’s Wife Fights Mother’s Conservatorship Bid 

Update: 

Quick Facts about Samuel Monroe Jr.

• Born: November 28, 1973, in Los Angeles, CA

• Died: August 26, 2026, in Burbank, CA