Alice's Law to create older adult abuse registry clears Pa. Senate committee

Harrisburg, Pa. — Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver (R-27) to establish a statewide Older Adult Abuse Registry advanced Sept. 30 after the Senate Aging and Youth Committee approved it, as amended.

Senate Bill 807, known as Alice’s Law, would create the registry as an additional safeguard intended to prevent individuals accused or convicted of abusing older adults from moving between caregiving positions, according to a release from Culver’s office.

The bill would amend Pennsylvania’s Older Adults Protective Services Act and set requirements for creating, maintaining and using the registry, the release said.

Alice’s Law is named in memory of Alice Longenberger, who endured abuse while receiving care at a facility, according to the release. Her daughter, Lynn Fiedler, founded Journey to Justice to raise awareness of elder abuse and advocate for stronger protections for older and care-dependent Pennsylvanians.

“Today’s committee vote moves Alice’s Law another step forward and continues the work Lynn Fiedler began by sharing her mother’s story,” Culver said. “Alice’s experience brought attention to gaps in the protections available for older adults and their families. I appreciate Lynn’s continued advocacy and the work that has gone into refining this legislation as it moves through the Senate.”

The amendment adopted by the committee places responsibility for establishing and maintaining the registry with the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), in consultation with the Pennsylvania departments of Aging and Health, the release said.

The amendment also clarifies definitions and the criteria for placement on the registry, establishes reporting requirements related to criminal convictions, and provides notice and an opportunity for administrative review before an individual is placed on the registry.

“The changes made today provide greater clarity around how the registry would operate, the agencies responsible for it and the process for individuals who may be placed on it,” Culver said. “Our goal throughout this process has been to develop a workable system that provides additional safeguards for older adults while establishing clear procedures for everyone involved.”

Senate Bill 807 has bipartisan co-sponsorship and now advances from the Senate Aging and Youth Committee for further consideration by the Senate, according to the release.

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Alice's Law to create older adult abuse registry clears Pa. Senate committee 

Oklahoma Senate study examines barriers for guardians in mental health care decisions

by Kimberly Querry-Thompson 

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — When a person is in the middle of a serious mental health crisis and can’t make medical decisions for themselves, families say Oklahoma’s system can leave legal guardians struggling to get basic information needed to help.

Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt held an interim study at the state Capitol focused on what happens when a loved one is too sick to make medical decisions, but the family member legally responsible for helping them cannot get the information they need. The study examined the role of legal guardians and caregivers in mental health treatment and how Oklahoma’s policies and procedures could ensure patients get the best care.

“The stories I’ve heard from guardians are stark. Caregivers have described not being able to speak to doctors to provide health history or even know where their loved one is,” Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said. “We’ve heard about patients being checked out without the guardian even being told, and loved ones ending up in jail. It’s a huge danger for people with serious mental illness and their families, as well as a huge cost to our communities.”

A central issue raised during the study was the intersection between federal medical privacy laws and legal guardianship. Under federal privacy protections, health care providers generally cannot share a patient’s medical information without authorization. Families told lawmakers that determining who can receive information and verifying a guardian’s legal authority can create significant delays, which they said can have serious consequences for patients and families.

Sarah Smith described waiting for a treatment facility to verify her guardianship on the day her sister was being released. Before Smith could provide health information or participate in the discharge process, her sister was released to a shelter without Smith being notified.

Charla Collins shared a similar experience involving her adult daughter, who has a traumatic brain injury and has experienced multiple psychotic episodes. Collins described repeatedly struggling to communicate with Oklahoma’s mental health system and said her daughter had been discharged from facilities without her knowledge. Collins said her experience was dramatically different when her daughter became involved with the mental health and criminal justice systems in California, where she said her guardianship was recognized and she received a level of communication and support she had not experienced in Oklahoma. Collins told lawmakers that families need greater accountability and that facilities should not be able to discharge patients during a mental health crisis without adequately involving the people legally responsible for their care.

Kirt said improving procedures and closing gaps is critical so guardians can quickly be included in care, kept informed and able to fulfill their legal role.

“When someone is experiencing a serious mental health crisis, their family shouldn’t have to fight the system just to find out where they are or help provide doctors with critical information,” Kirt said. “If a court has determined that a person needs a guardian, we need to make sure that guardian can actually fulfill that legal responsibility. We need to make sure people can thrive with stability and proper medical treatment.”

Kirt said the goal is to identify gaps in the current system while protecting patients’ privacy and rights.

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Oklahoma Senate study examines barriers for guardians in mental health care decisions 

Former court-appointed guardian convicted of multiple felonies in Medicaid fraud case

By 10/11 NOW 

YORK, Neb. (KOLN) - A former court-appointed guardian has been convicted of multiple felonies after stealing more than $140,000 from 22 vulnerable adults across Nebraska.

According to the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, Becky S. Stamp of York was convicted on Thursday after pleading no contest to one felony count of theft and 22 counts of financial exploitation.

Stamp was first charged by the York County Attorney’s Office in November 2025, when only one victim had been identified. In July 2026, the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit brought additional charges after a Nebraska State Patrol investigation uncovered 21 more victims.

Stamp is set to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2027. Stamp faces up to 86 years in prison, a $220,000 fine and 33 years of post-release supervision. 

The case was investigated by the Nebraska Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit, along with the Nebraska State Patrol. 

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Former court-appointed guardian convicted of multiple felonies in Medicaid fraud case 

Suspended Jefferson County probate judge requests daytime access to office, claims records were displaced amid state audit

Yashiba Blanchard asking for more time, access to office

By Taylor Pollock 

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - Attorneys representing suspended Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard are asking the Alabama Court of the Judiciary for extended, daytime access to her courthouse office, alleging her records were removed from shelves and shoved into boxes without her knowledge.

According to a status report and motion filed Monday, Blanchard’s legal team is seeking an order granting eight to 10 hours during regular business hours to conduct a page-by-page review of documents needed for an ongoing review by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts.

The filing details a Sept. 23 show cause hearing in which state examiners pressed Blanchard for information regarding the expenditure of more than $500,000 from the State Archival Fund. Blanchard’s attorneys stated they could not fully answer those demands because the supporting records remained inaccessible inside the Jefferson County Courthouse.

Blanchard and her counsel were previously granted after-hours access on the evening of Sept. 16 to gather responsive documents, expecting a review of 60 to 90 minutes. However, her defense attorneys wrote that upon entering, they discovered the office had been cleared out.

“Some unknown person or persons had emptied her shelves of their contents and placed virtually all of the contents of her office into twelve banker’s boxes that were located in a small storage room at the back of the office,” the motion states.

Picture included in motion filed by attorneys representing suspended Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard, that allegedly shows her records stacked in boxes by unknown person(state exhibit)

A letter sent to 10th Judicial Circuit Presiding Judge Elisabeth French on Sept. 22, noted that office furniture had been replaced, family photos and plaques were taken off the walls, and files were packed away haphazardly with personal items. While the defense identified three documents responsive to the audit in one box, they argue that completing an unorganized review after hours would have kept personnel working past midnight.

The filing also raised concerns regarding the chain of custody and potential leaks, alleging that probate court employees adverse to Blanchard have had undocumented access to her office, and asserting that certain details previously reported in the media could have only originated from files stored in her room.

Attorneys said state examiners have agreed to grant Blanchard additional time to produce the records pending the Court of the Judiciary’s decision on her access request.

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Suspended Jefferson County probate judge requests daytime access to office, claims records were displaced amid state audit

See Also:
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State auditors make routine probe of probate court spending as judge fights for her job

Suspended judge spent more than $1 million on PR firms and radio ads from discretionary fund

Suspended Alabama probate judge denies all accusations of bullying and other misconduct

Horrifying details released in case against suspended Jefferson County Probate Judge Yashiba Blanchard

Suspended Jefferson County probate judge accused of election interference in new lawsuit

Jefferson County judge suspended, complaint says she called herself “ultimate authority”

Glamorous judge accused of bullying, intimidation and delaying cases so she could take her DOGS for a walk 

Clay County woman serving as temporary guardian accused of draining more than $100,000 from disabled person’s account

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A Clay County woman is accused of taking more than $100,000 from a disabled adult whose finances she was temporarily responsible for managing, according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.

Inez Sullivan was arrested following an investigation by the sheriff’s Guardianship Task Force.

Detectives were told on Aug. 17 that the victim’s funds were gone. The victim had multiple health conditions and was unable to manage their own assets, the CCSO said.

After the victim’s rights were restored, investigators said they discovered they could not access their money.

Investigators said Sullivan transferred money from the victim’s account to her own account for more than seven years. She also allegedly wrote checks to herself and used the victim’s debit card.

The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation was conducted with the Clay County Clerk of Court’s Office and other partner agencies. 

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Clay County woman serving as temporary guardian accused of draining more than $100,000 from disabled person’s account 

Baltimore woman pleads guilty to stealing $70,000 and taking over home of 91-year-old godmother

By Bryan Lynn

A woman has pleaded guilty to stealing $70,000 and taking over the home of her 91-year-old godmother.

The defendant was identified as Shea Green, who pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft scheme and financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, said a statement by the Baltimore City State's Attorney's office. 

Green was sentenced to 10 years, suspending all time but served and three years of probation. The woman had been on home detention for 116 days prior to her trial date. 

The defendant was also ordered to return full ownership of the victim's home after prosecutors said she coerced the victim into transferring the deed to Green in 2018.  

In a statement on the plea, State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates said community members took the right action in helping the victim seek justice.

"The victim's neighbors recognized that something was wrong, spoke up, supported her, and helped ensure she could remain in the home and community she has known for so many years," Bates said. "Their vigilance and compassion were critical to bringing this crime to light and ultimately allowing us to hold this offender accountable in court."

Green admitted in court to stealing $70,000 from her 91-year-old godmother and assuming the responsibility of power of attorney over the victim, the statement said. This enabled her to empty the godmother's savings account within four months.

The godmother was a widowed, retired schoolteacher who had been diagnosed with dementia, State's Attorney's office said. 

The crimes were first discovered when a neighbor found the victim at home with no food in the refrigerator and realized that she had not eaten all day. The community then came together to provide the woman with food and also assisted her in reporting possible fraud to her bank. 

"Today, at 93 years old, the victim is thriving in the comfort of an assisted living residence and frequently revisits her home," the State's Attorney's office statement said.   

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Baltimore woman pleads guilty to stealing $70,000 and taking over home of 91-year-old godmother 

New indictment widens crackdown on Metro Detroit probate court system

by Robert Snell

A guardian and a businessman were indicted in a federal case unsealed Oct. 1 and accused of stealing more than $836,000 from incapacitated wards of the court, marking the second major crackdown this year on fraud within the region's probate court system.

The case against Tri-State Guardian Services owner Kijuana Evans and Lonnie Griffin was unsealed nine months after federal prosecutors charged a group that included probate guardian Nancy Juanita Williams and 36th District Judge Andrea Bradley-Baskin. Bradley-Baskin is accused of spending money stolen from elderly and incapacitated people on a dive bar, a luxury car and a ritzy downtown condominium.

In the case unsealed Oct. 1, Evans, 54, of Clinton Township, and Griffin, 57, of Harper Woods, are accused of enriching themselves and associates by embezzling money from the estate of wards during a conspiracy from March 2024 to April 2025. The 13-count indictment charges the duo with wire fraud and money laundering, charges that could send them to prison for more than 30 years.

Both have been arrested and are expected to make initial appearances in federal court in Detroit on Oct. 1.

The case was filed more than one year after The Detroit News obtained sealed court records that revealed an ongoing investigation targeting the judge and others. The News also revealed that FBI agents had searched Evans' home and seized money from related bank accounts.

At the time, Evans denied any wrongdoing.

"I haven't done anything," Evans said.

Griffin owns Key to Life Transport, a firm that works as a third-party contractor in the probate court system. He previously spent 26 years in federal prison for crimes that prompted one judge to call Griffin "a major cocaine trafficker … adept at creating elaborate schemes to conceal funds earned from his drug transactions."

Evans used to work for Williams at Guardian & Associates and took over the firm's cases after Guardian & Associates were suspended from Oakland County Probate and other courts in early 2024. Griffin, meanwhile, provided non-emergency transportation for wards of Tri-State and Guardian.

Prosecutors allege Evans wrote and obtained unauthorized checks from wards' bank accounts.

Evans and Griffin deposited the checks into accounts they controlled, withdrew the stolen money and spent the cash on themselves, according to the government.

From June 2024 through March 2025, Evans took more than $740,000 from one victim, identified in court records as "M.S.," prosecutors allege.

"Evans and Griffin transferred the funds to other accounts, withdrew cash, or made purchases that were not for the benefit of M.S.," the indictment reads.

In July 2025, the duo took more than $87,986 to buy a Ford Transit van, according to the government. The van was titled in Evans' name and used by Griffin's company.

Oakland County Probate Court Chief Judge Jennifer Callaghan, who oversaw cases involving Evans, did not respond to a message or questions Oct. 1.

One of the cases Callaghan oversaw was that of 92-year-old dementia patient Mary Spinney, a former Berkley resident. Her initials and details of her case match the case of the victim "M.S." in the indictment unsealed Oct. 1.

The News reported about Spinney's probate case last year and revealed how her care and finances had become a focus of the FBI during what was at the time an ongoing investigation.

Spinney has big bank accounts and big health problems.

Williams and Guardian & Associates had been her court-appointed guardian since early 2023 after Spinney was found at home suffering from "mental deficiency," according to Oakland County Probate Court records.

Spinney's home was a bungalow along Catalpa Drive in Berkley, west of Woodward and two blocks from the Vinsetta Garage restaurant.

The Berkley home owned by dementia patient Mary Spinney was sold in 2024.

In 2023, the bungalow was worth $309,940 and was one of Spinney's most valuable assets. In all, the estate was worth $1.12 million.

After Williams shuttered her guardianship company, Tri-State Guardian Services was appointed as the new guardian of Mary Spinney in March 2024.

In July 2024, four months after taking over the case, Evans asked a Wayne County probate judge for permission to sell Spinney's home.

Liquidating the home would raise money to pay for Spinney's care, according to the petition.

Evans proposed selling the home for $204,500 in July 2024 despite the market value of the bungalow being $327,080.

Callaghan approved the sale in August 2024.

Evans' firm also was appointed to manage the finances and property of a second victim, referred to as "M.M.," who had been hit by a car. The victim received more than $67,000 in a settlement that was deposited into Tri-State's bank account, according to the government.

"The funds from the two settlement checks for M.M.'s lawsuit that were deposited into Tri-State's Chase bank account were not used for the benefit of M.M.," the indictment reads.

The indictment contains similar allegations as those in the Bradley-Baskin indictment.

In that case, the judge was charged alongside her father, lawyer Avery Bradley of Detroit; Juanita William of Detroit; and Williams' boyfriend, Detroit businessman Dwight Rashad.

Bradley-Baskin was booted off the bench and suspended with pay from her $186,164-a-year job after being indicted. She is accused of helping loot dead people's bank accounts during a conspiracy involving more than $2.9 million.

Prosecutors say she helped her husband acquire a dead person's home and lived a life of luxury in an automotive executive's townhouse after years of financial problems, federal court records show.

The case threatens to strip Bradley-Baskin of her law license and send her to federal prison for 45 years if she is convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of money laundering and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: New indictment widens crackdown on Metro Detroit probate court system

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New indictment widens crackdown on Metro Detroit probate court system

‘I Was Crushed’: How a Grieving 14-Year-Old Turned Rejection Into a Lifesaving Senior Movement

After losing her grandmother, 14-year-old Jiya Joshi found healing by bringing friendship to seniors

By Bill Holton

Key Takeaways 

• Teen turns personal grief into a statewide movement connecting students with seniors. 
• Young and Old United has mobilized over 500 student volunteers to visit nursing homes. 
• Intergenerational visits bring joy, decrease isolation, and revive cherished history. 

After losing her beloved grandmother, 14-year-old Jiya Joshi decided to volunteer at a nursing home — and it sparked a movement uniting generations through friendship, compassion and caring. Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World. 

After being on hold, Jiya Joshi finally reached the nursing home volunteer coordinator. “I want to volunteer and visit,” she explained. 

The administrator was welcoming until she learned Jiya was only 14. “We don’t allow volunteers under 18,” she declared. “Our staff doesn’t have time to care for both children and our seniors.”

Jiya was crushed, and not just because of the rejection. There was also the lingering grief for her grandmother, “Dadi,” who had passed away that year.

Jiya was only two when her grandparents came from India to help care for her while her parents were at work. Her grandmother, Saroj, drove her to school and cooked up the most delicious snacks they’d share over long conversations about life, school and friends. Even after her grandparents returned to India when Jiya was in the third grade, they spoke on the phone once a week.

But now, at 14, Jiya had lost her Dadi, and the aching void left her lonely. She had her friends and her mom and dad to talk to, but it wasn’t the same. They didn’t have Dadi’s wisdom and gentle kindness.

A heartfelt idea

That’s when the idea struck.

“What if I visit a nursing home? Maybe the residents would enjoy a visit as much as I would?” 

After several more refusals to volunteer, Jiya tried something different. 

“Could I come just once — a trial visit?” she asked Sharon Williams, Activities Director at Houston’s Landon Ridge Assisted Living. “If it doesn’t work, I won’t bother you again.” 

Sharon was touched by the girl’s sincerity. 

“Let’s give it a try,” she said, and Jiya was over the moon. 

Jiya arrived for her first visit with a box of art supplies. She approached a group of seniors in a recreation area, put on a smile and introduced herself. 

“I’m Jiya. Would you like to paint with me?”

“I love painting!” exclaimed a woman named Betty and soon she was regaling Jiya with incredible tales of her years as a nurse in Vietnam. 

After losing her beloved grandmother, 14-year-old Jiya Joshi decided to volunteer at a nursing home — and it sparked a movement uniting generations through friendship, compassion and caring.

Young and Old United has helped spread love and support to hundreds of seniors across Houston.

“I was a pilot fighting the Germans in World War II,” said a second resident, and a third rushed off and returned with a chunk of concrete. 

“You mentioned Germany — this is part of the Berlin Wall — a piece of history,” she explained. 

As word of the youthful stranger spread, residents who rarely left their rooms emerged to see what the excitement was about. By the end of her visit, Jiya had a dozen new friends. 

“I’ve never seen them so active,” Sharon marveled as she helped Jiya pack up. “You’re coming back — right?”

Making memories 

Jiya returned every Saturday that summer. The residents adored having such a lively young person around, and Jiya loved their stories and hugs.

When school started, she invited friends to join her, and several said yes. The teens visited in pairs, and after just a few outings, many told Jiya, “This is the most fun I’ve had volunteering.”

As interest spread, Jiya founded Young and Old United. In two years, more than 500 middle and high school students began making regular nursing home visits across the state. 

“Their eyes light up when they see her coming,” says Sharon.

For Jiya, the benefits flow both ways. 

“Our seniors still have so much to offer,” she insists. “My grandmother taught me that. I can feel her smiling down on me!”

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‘I Was Crushed’: How a Grieving 14-Year-Old Turned Rejection Into a Lifesaving Senior Movement 

Man jailed for stealing $16k of mother’s money for ‘hotels and alcohol’

by: Sorina Trauntvein

This report contains mentions of abuse of a vulnerable older adult. If you or a loved one is experiencing neglect or abuse, contact Utah’s hotline to report abuse/neglect of seniors or adults with disabilities at 800-371-7879.

GRANTSVILLE, Utah (ABC4) — A Grantsville man is behind bars after he allegedly spent more than $16,000 of his elderly mother’s money on hotels and alcohol, leaving her unable to afford necessities.

47-year-old Joshua Duane Dean was charged with financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and theft valued at more than $5,000, both second-degree felonies.

According to court documents, the Grantsville Police Department was contacted on Sept. 27 by the president of a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grantsville. He reported that an elderly resident had asked the Church for help with paying bills and buying food.

The Relief Society President was helping the woman go over her finances to determine how much funding she would need, and found that a large portion of her money was being spent by her son on “hotels and alcohol.”

This was leaving the victim with only $700 to pay her rent and little or nothing for food and other necessities.

In speaking with police, the woman explained that her son uses her debit card with permission, but not for “spending of that amount or frequency.” The victim provided bank statements for September 2025 through March 2026. 

A Grantsville Police officer made contact with Dean and found he was “gathering his belongings to leave.” He said he overheard the conversation and stated, “I am a piece of sh—,” before admitting to using his mother’s card.

Across the seven bank statements, Grantsville Police found that more than $1,000 was being spent on hotel stays every month, and sometimes over $3,000 in a single month.

• September 2025 — $1,708 on 10 hotel stays
• October 2025 — $1,255 on 15 hotel stays
• November 2025 — $1,914 on 19 hotel stays
• December 2025 — $2,014 on 21 hotel stays
• January 2026 — $2,765 on 15 hotel stays
• February 2026 — $3,098 on 11 hotel stays
• March 2026 — $3,298 on 16 hotel stays

In total, Dean allegedly spent more than $16,000 on 96 hotel stays using his mother’s money.

Police say additional months of financial records have not yet been reviewed, and they could possibly show more theft.

The victim is over the age of 65 and requires assistance with doctor visits, grocery shopping, and managing her finances. Documents say her son used his position of trust to use her funds for personal benefit and leave her unable to buy food and other necessities.

While being transported to the Tooele County Jail, Dean allegedly said he “did not realize it had gotten that bad.” He is being held without bail.

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

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Man jailed for stealing $16k of mother’s money for ‘hotels and alcohol’