ORLANDO, Fla. — Legal guardians are entrusted with the protection of central Florida's most vulnerable residents, but a three-month Eyewitness News investigation has uncovered over-billing and neglect complaints in the statewide guardianship system.
Investigative reporter Christopher Heath has combed through hundreds of pages of documents and learned there is little oversight of professional guardians. He also found out why those working to change the system are running into opposition that stretches all the way to Tallahassee.
Mae Williams, the mother of one ward requiring the care of a guardian, talked to Heath.
"She was real sick, and they got the head man in the place to put her in the hospital," Williams explained.
Williams' adult daughter had been living at a Maitland nursing home when she became ill, but her court-appointed guardian wasn't only unavailable to make a decision for her care, she was out of the country.
The family began a letter-writing campaign, pleading with the court to remove the guardian.
Channel 9 obtained the correspondence sent to Ninth Circuit Court officials. Eventually, the guardian resigned.
Investigative reporter Christopher Heath has combed through hundreds of pages of documents and learned there is little oversight of professional guardians. He also found out why those working to change the system are running into opposition that stretches all the way to Tallahassee.
Mae Williams, the mother of one ward requiring the care of a guardian, talked to Heath.
"She was real sick, and they got the head man in the place to put her in the hospital," Williams explained.
Williams' adult daughter had been living at a Maitland nursing home when she became ill, but her court-appointed guardian wasn't only unavailable to make a decision for her care, she was out of the country.
The family began a letter-writing campaign, pleading with the court to remove the guardian.
Channel 9 obtained the correspondence sent to Ninth Circuit Court officials. Eventually, the guardian resigned.
Full Article and Source:
9 Investigates central Florida legal guardians
6 comments:
Yea for Florida. Exposure is everything!
It looks like there will be more to come. Great reporting!
This is very promising. There are more and more investigations all over the country. I'm encouraged.
Eyes are finally on the G Team very profitable with auto approve can you imagine the creative billing that is contained in those files? Bet my cat, bird and dog there is a lot more to uncover.
I look forward to this series. It's so good to see media covering guardianship abuse and it's happening more and more!
You are so awesome! I do not believe I have read through anything like that before. So nice to find someone with some genuine thoughts on this topic. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This site is one thing that's needed on the internet, someone with some originality!
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