I'm weighing in here to lend credence to Mr. Ditkowsky's statements. I've addressed a few specifics below, but what happened was perfectly framed and orchestrated.
My Aunt (Mary Sykes) was placed under an adult guardianship under cover of
darkness. She wasn't informed (i.e. her daughter who applied for the
guardianship had her then attorney send multiple notifications of the
application to Mary Syke's home in Chicago, while forcing her mother to stay
with her in Naperville barring her from access to her own mail or a process
server). In fact when Aunt she heard there was going to be a court hearing, she was told by an employee of Rehab Assist (engaged by the GAL's on behalf of Carolyn Sykes), that it was NOT necessary for her to attend.
The one day she was in court, no one (neither GAL, Judge Connors, or Carolyn Toerpe) told her that she was to be guardianized. Aunt being fully aware that something was afoot, approached Carolyn Toerpe during a recess while Carolyn sat in the back of the courtroom. She scrunched down in front of Carolyn so that she was face to face with her and stated "You're rotten."
Ms. Farenga stated at one point that Mary Sykes was in opposition. Mr. Stern at another time stated that if Mary Sykes was to ever be told about the guardianship, he would suggest that a professional be the one to do it.
When Aunt questioned Judge Connors as to who is fooling who and for what? There was no response from either the Judge or the GAL's.
My mother (Yolanda Bakken) and I were both accused of agitating Aunt. Mom
had leaned over and felt the fabric of Aunt's slacks, asking her as to the
material. (Aunt had just retired from being a seamstress).I asked
Aunt if she would like a glass of water, then took her glass to the water fountain,
filled it, and returned it to her. This was reported by Ms. Farenga as
agitation. Mom was said to the have been 'pulling' at her clothes.
Nothing specific was said as to what I did, but as my ONLY interaction, other
than giving her a kiss Hello that morning, it must have been my intent to keep
her hydrated that was misconstrued.From that day forward, it was all downhill. All of our reputations have been maligned and we been punished for supporting Aunt in what she asked us to do. In February of 2009 my Aunt begged my mother and I to help her stop Carolyn Toerpe from taking over her life.
When Aunt questioned Carolyn regarding the $4000 that was missing from her bank account (Feb 2009), Carolyn's response was that she had invested in an IRA for her. (BTW, Aunt had just turned 90, and as anyone with a little accounting sense knows, she would not be allowed to invest in an IRA at that age.)
I've approached Carolyn Toerpe, Peter Schmeidel, Cynthia Farenga, and Adam Stern on numerous occasions in the hope of arranging visits between my Aunt (now 94) and her sister Yolanda (now 84). The sisters live less than 20 miles from each other, but have only had a handful of visits in the last 4 years.
Telephone calls are not answered and voice mail messages left with the guardian are ignored, and have been since BEFORE the guardianship was approved.
Judge Connors was very specific in her instructions to Carolyn Toerpe regarding contact between Aunt and her family. Aunt was NOT to be isolated. Both GAL's and Mr. Schmeidel are well aware that my aunt has been and continues to be isolated from the family she was so very close to, and yet it continues.
I welcome any and all questions from anyone interested in resolving this situation, and who care about the rights of the elderly.
Sincerely,
~Kathie Bakken
See Also:
NASGA: Mary Sykes, Illinois Victim
Attorney Ken Ditkowsky: The Need for an Honest, Complete and Comprehensive Investigation
Protecting the ward from who? from what? What harm is there in sisters being together? Sisters, daughter, nieces what's up with that?
ReplyDeleteInsight into the scam and scheming all under color of law.
This is not lawful this is lawless probate court who will stop this abuse and torture?
It is so wrong what's been done to Mary Sykes and even more wrong that it continues despite all the publicity on the case.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathie. Your words tell it all from ugly start to never-ending finish.
ReplyDeleteI pray for an end to this abuse.
I'm sorry, Kathie. I'm afraid your Aunt's story follows the typical pattern. And the very worst of it is Mary Sykes doesn't get to see her daughter, Gloria. No matter what else is going on in this case, Mary Sykes should see her daughter. And her sister. And anybody else she wants. Shame on the system rationalizing isolating an elderly person during her final years.
ReplyDeleteMy mother is ward of the Cook County Probate. She was deceived during her temporary guardianship by a nurse who owns her own guardianship company. My mother believed her, fought the guardianship, and her entire estate was subsequently depleted with attorney's fees and guardianship fees.
ReplyDeleteThese guardianship are well-organized; the attorneys know just where the legal loop holes are so they can remain immune to criminal prosecution.
Laws need to be revised, and the disabled in Cook County need to be protected from greedy "professionals" who stop short of nothing to deplete the wards' estates.
Thank you to Ken Ditkowski and Joanne Dennison who are speaking up loud and clear about what is happening in Cook County Probate Court.
May the truth prevail.
Very Sad the cases go on and on and so does the abuse of the wards.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear this case is still dragging on
I'm do sorry for this family. It just makes me sick.
ReplyDeleteI hope justice prevails and in Mary's lifetime.
Truly sad how we treat our elders.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder they call it Crook County!
ReplyDeleteTHIS HOLIDAYS upons us and for the people my Mother (Mary G. Sykes) loves and trusts -- and for Mother -- there are no words of Cheer or "Here Comes Santa..." romping in our heads or hearts. The last time I saw my mother was June 22, 2013. We made contact and I learned she was hidden in Sunrise Senior Living LLC in Naperville, Il. I, along with dear friends Scott Evans and Doris Evans, and neighbor, JoAnne Denison visited with mother for about 45 minutes -- I can't remember when I was so happy -- and Mother was so very happy. The first words out of my Mother's mouth were, "I knew you didn't abandon me. I knew you'd come to save me". These words will haunt me .... Toerpe disturbed the peace-- marching into the faciity, pushing staff aside and not only verbally and physically attacked mother, but also Doris, who is 92. Mother and I hung on to one another as long as we could, with Toerpe seperating us, as the staff watch the abuse. Mother cried, "When will I see you again, Gloria?: and Toerpe got in her face, and said "Never. You will NEVER see her again". Toerpe then went before Judge Jane Louise Stuart and gave her fradulant affidavits and accused me of "abusing" my mother at the hone.
ReplyDeleteHow does this happen in America? It's a Cottage Industry of attorneys with clout, such as the law firm of Fischel and Kahn: they file fradulant documents with the court and are agressive with smear campaigns and destroy any person who gets in their way. In the process, they make a fortune -- and get off on watching the elderly and disabled die slow, lonely deaths.
This is the holidays season again, and it's very sad that my Mother -- as I am certain many other elderly and disabled people -- is spending alone, in a strange place, with strangers. Thank you Kathie.
I have followed the Sykes case as much as I can. I have a deep respect for Attorney Ken Ditkowsky and for all he has done to help this injustice.
ReplyDeleteI hope and pray Mary Sykes lives long enough to see justice.
I'm sorry Gloria. I hope you'll be spending next year with your Mom.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you NASGA for publishing the truth from first person witness Kathie Bakken.
ReplyDeleteSuggestion: Watch live Chicago WGN's week long series: WHO IS JUDGING THE JUDGES Issues of qualification by Reporter: Mark Suppelsa
"........Nearly 30 years ago, Valukas as U.S. Attorney oversaw the prosecution of one of the largest court scandals in the United States: Operation Greylord. Charges of bribery, fixing a murder case, even a wiretap in a judge’s chamber led to 92 indictments including the conviction of 15 judges. According to Valukas, “All of a sudden everybody got religion, as they say in the trade. So I would say corruption is not the issue right now..........Instead, Valukas says the problem is weak judges created by the subcircuit system.
Valukas called it, “A crisis in your world. They’re before a judicial system asking somebody to make a decision on something that could be incredibly important to them. Anything from a divorce case, a child custody case to a property damage case you name it and they are before someone who may not even know the rudiments of the law and whose temperament maybe an absolute disaster. That’s not a way you have a system.”
None of the judges we identified returned our phone calls. The issue of qualification is only one subject we examined. Tomorrow we’ll look at how a system designed to bring minorities to the bench is being abused."
Read more: http://wgntv.com/2013/12/02/who-is-judging-the-judges-issues-of-qualification/#ixzz2mR4Mljm4
http://wgntv.com/2013/12/02/who-is-judging-the-judges-issues-of-qualification/
Commiserating in sorrow, anger and frustration over Mary Sykes’ guardianship predicaments and praising characters in her drama is certainly thoughtful. On the other hand, did Kathy Bakken step out of the shadows of her great aunt’s travails and into the public domain for sympathy?
ReplyDeleteI’m very grateful for her letter because a few things are clearer after reading it. Events constituting Mary Sykes’ tragedies are interwoven in complex ways and most will not be undone. The most tragic consequence, the heart-breaking ‘abuse’ component, is Mary’s inability to spend time with people she loves and them, with her. The court has not issued an order prohibiting Mary from seeing or speaking with her relatives and friends and probably won't. The guardian is directly implicit in abridging Mary’s basic personal rights and the court, indirectly, for failing to supervise the guardian.
If each person who commented here expressed natural misunderstanding about this conundrum in a letter to Judge Maureen Connor (Cook County Circuit Court, Probate Division) and asked her to restore and guarantee Mary’s visitation rights, wherever she resides – immediately - we might help this family. It’s the least we can do.
(apologies for "Kathy" instead of Kathie)
ReplyDeleteKeep sharing your story to communicate and educate all of us. The probate court judge is involved in the scam to defraud the seniors. This has been happening in Toronto as my mother was targeted by her own lawyers and doctor. Too many greedy players who victimize all of us. They medicate, isolate and steal the estate. Everything is gone including my mother. This is what was in the body of my 83 year old mother weighing only 81 pounds when she died Morphine, Acetaminophen, Codeine, Hydromorphone and Hydrocodone. My mother was mentally competent until her doctor targeted her with narcotics.
ReplyDelete