The court trusted Cindy Laws to look after the lives of incapacitated and vulnerable people. Now she's charged with exploiting one of them.
Laws is accused of felony "abuse, exploitation or neglect of a vulnerable adult" for allegedly stealing more than $6,000 from a 93-year-old woman with dementia.
Laws was a member of the Twin Falls County Board of Community Guardians, and court records show the court appointed her guardian of at least three incapacitated people. The court has since removed her as a guardian.
Twin Falls County commissioner George Urie, who serves on the board said that an "indirect effect" of the case against Laws filed this week in Twin Falls 5th District Court was that the county's board stopped taking new clients.
Three people who were recently under Laws' guardianship are unable to care for themselves and live on Social Security payments from the government.
The criminal case against Laws unfolded after an adult protection investigator with Area IV Office on Aging asked Laws to sign a "release of information" on Jan. 7. "The release was obtained in connection with an investigation of possible wrongdoing."
The probe turned to Laws when investigators discovered the 93-year-old victim got billed for cell phone service that she is not receiving, along with other questionable charges.
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Guardian accused of exploiting elderly woman
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S. Idaho guardian charged with exploiting woman
Laws is accused of felony "abuse, exploitation or neglect of a vulnerable adult" for allegedly stealing more than $6,000 from a 93-year-old woman with dementia.
Laws was a member of the Twin Falls County Board of Community Guardians, and court records show the court appointed her guardian of at least three incapacitated people. The court has since removed her as a guardian.
Twin Falls County commissioner George Urie, who serves on the board said that an "indirect effect" of the case against Laws filed this week in Twin Falls 5th District Court was that the county's board stopped taking new clients.
Three people who were recently under Laws' guardianship are unable to care for themselves and live on Social Security payments from the government.
The criminal case against Laws unfolded after an adult protection investigator with Area IV Office on Aging asked Laws to sign a "release of information" on Jan. 7. "The release was obtained in connection with an investigation of possible wrongdoing."
The probe turned to Laws when investigators discovered the 93-year-old victim got billed for cell phone service that she is not receiving, along with other questionable charges.
Full Article and Source:
Guardian accused of exploiting elderly woman
More information:
S. Idaho guardian charged with exploiting woman
8 comments:
It's good to see acountability when the professionals get caught stealing!
It's also rare!
Guardianship/conservatorship financial abuse of their wards has been and will continue to expand.
It is time for mandatory bonding of professional fiduciaries, with NO judicial discretion.
Volunteer guardians are very risky; one would think a person with 1/2 thinking process the first question would be:
M O T I V E
I recall a recent post regarding "volunteers" guardians and the first thought and questions that came into my mind was:
W H Y ?
The court entrusted the wrong person, volunteer guardian, guardian for profit or a lawyer arrows point to one conclusion: $
"The court trusted Cindy Laws to look after the lives of...."
Not true. The court doesn't trust these people. Sadly, the elderly are mere chattel.
I hope she gets what she deserves and she deserves to have the kitchen sink thrown at her.
Further, Twin Falls County Board of Community Guardians should have a thorough investigation to be sure all the victims are discovered.
It's important to remember that the professionals "steal" - and larger amounts - than those few family members who steal.
Articles like this are valuable to guardianship victims as evidence to show that the professionals who claim to be protecting are also abusers.
It's good to see evidence in print of the professionals stealing and abusing. So often the family is maligned and this article proves those maligning aren't clean like they say they are!
BEWARE of a system turned into a racket under court approval with no consequences or accountability for decisions that turn tragic.
BEWARE of the guardianship racket - the judges enjoy IMMUNITY - no accountability - no consequences for their actions = DISASTER FOR SOCIETY!
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