A woman paid by her elderly former father-in-law to care for him exploited the man by obtaining credit cards using his identification, Volusia County sheriff's investigators said. By the time the fraud was discovered, Santillo had racked up credit card bills totaling $8,500, the report said.Darlene Santillo, 50, pleaded no contest to charges of exploitation of the elderly and fraudulent use of personal identification Tuesday, said State Attorney's Office spokesman Chris Kelly. Santillo faces up to 10 years in prison and is in the Volusia County Branch Jail awaiting sentencing, Kelly said.
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Woman Awaits Sentencing for Elderly Exploitatiom
13 comments:
10 years in prison sounds like a good start.
Volusia County Florida... so glad the State Attorney Generals office is doing something with this one! I'm familiar with the details of a case where a "professional guardian" is exploiting an elderly woman and is being protected by Volusia County Court system.
Volusia County Florida is the wrong place for little old ladies to visit!! They may never go home again.
I'm glad Santillo is going to be held accountable, maybe because she's a family member! There is a "professional guardian" in Volusia County court system currently, 2/10 that is permitted to drug the elderly because she wants to, neglect their standards and quality of life, isolate them intentionally, blatently violate Florida statues and thus far, Volusia County Court permits it.
"Volusia County" in the "Sunshine State" where elderly may go to visit and not be permitted to return home, not permittted by the "Sunshine State"... IF the elderly have assets!
Glad to see the State Attorney's office works toward taking some of those exploitating the elderly off the street in Volusia County.
Good point, Anon1. Florida may be the sunshine state, but there are many elderly and disabled who are isolated in facilities against their will. No sunshine for them!
The Sunshine State... Volusia County, boy have I got a story to share with you about Volusia County's protective system but, will have to come back to it this afternoon as I have an appointment. Please check back to see my story this afternoon or contact me directly at hlpeffer@hotmail.com it's no secret... people's lives are stolen in Volusia County and their assets are wasted and stolen. The thieves are then sometimes protected by their own corrupt system. Based on the anonymous comments, sounds like some folks have already heard about Volusia County. I'm here to tell anyone who wants to know. Just ask me. hlpeffer@hotmail.com
Mother had been living in her home state of PA when she was put on a bus and taken to Florida to avoid a guardianship hearing scheduled on the McKean County, PA court docket. Immediately contacting a lawyer in FL I was advised the easiest, fastest and least expensive way to handle this would be to let a professional guardian, whom he recommended, sort this out and get mom home. My attorney from Daytona Beach and the professional guardian, Ms. Jetta Getty of Port Orange Florida knew mom had no property or debt in Florida. They also knew that mom had been brought on a bus with a small bag of clothes to avoid a hearing in PA. Ms. Getty certified through the National Guardianship Association assured me that she had 90 days to notify the court as to what had happened and to file her report in Volusia County so to just relax and let her work this out.
It has been almost three years now and my mother is still being held against her will in Volusia County Florida. A state where she was not a resident. My husband and I have spent about $35,000.00 trying to get this injustice resolved to no avail. I made 10 trips to the "Sunshine State" last year. I have been in contact with the Attorney General's office in Florida. I've contacted the Adult Protective Services in Florida, they tell me to continue thru the court. Apparently they don't realize I'm not made of money. I've contacted the Department of Elder Affairs in Florida twice because Florida Statues indicate that guardians are under the Dept. of Elder Affairs covering and must abide by certain rule & regulations or loose their licensing yet the Dept. of Elder Affairs has done nothing about Ms. Getty's violations. The National Guardianship Association is apparently just a membership organization charging money for books, CD's, seminars and other things to get you ready to pass the guardianship test but other than that they appear to serve no purpose. After a phone call to the Florida State Guardianship Association I was informed that just because someone is certified through the NGA doesn't mean they are held accountable to follow the "Code of Ethiques" or Rules and Regulations. I'm aware and in receipt of a copy of a detailed complaint sent to the NGA about this same guardian which they appear to have turned a blind eye to. I have given the Volusia County Court numerous documents providing clear evidence that this guardian is lieing and has violated several Florida Statues yet they have done nothing to hold her accountable. In fact they rubber stamped/approved the Annual Financial Accounting prepared by this guardian having complete knowledge and facts in the court file, that my mothers finances are not accounted for properly. I gave them proof. Ms. Getty requested drugs for my mother unnecessarialy which caused further demise. Anti-psychotic drugs are black labeled, NOT approved for patients with dementia, may cause sudden death, stroke, memory loss, confusion, etc. Ask yourself, why would any person who had my mothers best interest in mind allow her to be given drugs like that. I think it was to silence her because mom was very vocal about wanting to come home to PA. There is so much more to this story and numerous documents available. I welcome anyone who wants to know more details to contact me, Holly Peffer at PO Box 206A Derrick City, PA 16727 or by e-mail at hlpeffer@hotmail.com My mothers rights that she maintains as an incapaciated person have been grossly violated and thus far NO ONE in the state of Florida or Volusia County seems to cares. I am glad Ms Santillo is being held accountable but I wonder, if she was a representative of the state as Jetta Getty is, a court appointed guardian, would she be held accountable then? It makes me sick to think I was tricked into this... The entire situtation REEKS of fraudulent and I'm the idiot who believed Volusia County in the "Sunshine State" would do what law required to protect mom and get her home quickly. I was played for a fool and actually petitioned for Ms. Getty being completely unaware of the corruption in the guardianship system. In my opinion, Jetta Getty of Volusia County is nothing more than a professional thief.
I have to wonder why your mother was put on a bus and sent to Florida? Who was supposed to take care of her in Florida when she arrived, and why aren't they taking care of her? How did she end up being under the care of a guardian in the first place?
Possibly the guardian turned in the report and the court didn't like the fact that your mother was put on a bus and sent over 1000 miles away with just a small bag of clothes.
You have told one side of the story, I am sure there is another. I own a cleaning service and have seen some of the worst elder abuse out there. Usually the family calls me to clean up the neglected property that they have let the elderly live in before they call home health care. In my opinion, family is most often the abuser, both physically and financially of the elderly.
Also, a guardian cannot prescribe drugs for anyone. Only a doctor can do that. I would think that a guardian would have to follow a doctors orders.
Dear Last Anonymous:
Not to hard to see which side of the tracks your own...
Never did I say mother was "sent" to Florida as in "traveling alone". I said she was "taken" to Florida to visit by one of her children. She was with her other daughter visiting in Florida when the lying, thieving, court appointed professional guardian, Jeyya Getty hoodwinked this family.
If you REALLY want to know what happened contact me please. I do have ALL documentation to back up my story so I need not hide behind an "anonymous" name.
The truth is an absolute defense to defamation of character so let me say it again, Jetta Getty is a liar and a thief!
Sure hope you come back and read this.
Anon said: In my opinion, family is most often the abuser, both physically and financially of the elderly.
You are seeing only tiny percentage of what is going on.
Many elders are being taken care of by their family members. I am in that situation for the past 10 years and it is hard work but my My parents are FREE and content.
Does anyone know what happened to this woman? all it says is that she was in custody awaiting sentencing.
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