 |
| Bev Cooper & Alice Gore |
Alice Gore was
living in an
apartment building
owned by Mr. Morris
Esformes. The
apartment building
was at Park Plaza,
6840 N. Sacramento,
Chicago. Alice was
required to divulge
her complete
financial
information when she
moved into his
facility.
Alice had previously chosen her daughter, Bev Cooper, to be her power of attorney (POA) for health care and financial issues. Bev, in accordance with Alice’s wishes, had promised her mother she wouldn't place her in a nursing home, and would never make a decision to withhold medical treatment. Bev visited her mom almost daily to help care for her mother’s needs .
Bev has a daughter, Kimberly Cooper, who was born with infantile Autism; she spent her childhood in and out of 54 foster homes; she had well-documented psychiatric illness, and was diagnosed as a child with Schizophrenia and Borderline-Personality Psychosis with Suicidal Ideations. This condition was known by both the Lake County and Cook County courts. During the guardianship proceedings, Bev had provided the Cook County Court with the documentation of Kimberly’s severe mental incapacity, but the court refused to enter it into the public record. Additionally, Bev believes that Kimberly receives disability benefits from the government; this could have been easily ascertained by the court.
Karen Bowes was a business and family attorney for the Cooper family for 27 years. She had represented Kimberly Cooper in the juvenile court of Lake County and was well aware of the psychiatric issues and legal issues that Kimberly Cooper endured during childhood.
After Bev’s mother, Alice Gore, had moved into the Esformes building and divulged her financial records, Karen Bowes approached Bev. Karen told Bev that she should go to court to seek guardianship of her mother, rather than relying on her Power of Attorney.
Ms. Bowes stated to Bev that “Guardianship trumps Power of Attorney”, which is the opposite of what is stated by Illinois law. Illinois law states that if a power of attorney is in place, a guardian is not required.
Bev followed the advice of her long-time attorney. Bev went to court to change her Power of Attorney to Plenary Guardian.
On January 20, 2006: petition for guardianship was entered.
Karen Bowes sent an attorney named Miriam Solo to Alice Gore’s apartment. Miriam Solo is a cousin of Morris Esformes, the apartment building owner who required that Alice divulge her complete financial information when she moved into his building.
Miriam Solo interviewed Alice; Solo did not allow Alice’s daughter, Bev, to participate in the discussion, and closed the door so Bev could not hear the interview. Karen Bowes told Bev that she did not really know Solo prior to these proceedings, and instructed Bev to pay Solo $500.00 for her attorney services. Bev was also instructed by Bowes that she didn’t need to attend court hearings.
On January 24, 2006: Miriam Solo was appointed by Judge Lynne Kawamoto to serve as Guardian ad Litem on the case.
Karen Bowes apparently facilitated the appointment of Miriam Solo as GAL, telling Bev that Miriam Solo was just to be an attorney on the case. It later became apparent to Bev that Bowes and Solo had a business relationship during the preceding ten years, despite Bowes having told Bev that she didn’t really know Miriam Solo.
Most, if not all, of Alice Gore’s financial records disappeared from her apartment building during this time frame. Additionally, Karen Bowes elicited the legal help of Bruce Lange, an attorney/accountant who works for Harris Bank and Trust. Lange and Bowes instructed Bev to make repeated trips to Alice Gore’s bank to secure Alice’s bank statements for them so they could determine Alice’s net worth. Despite the fact that Lange was paid for his services as an attorney, he never supplied the court with the financial information that he and Bowes had obtained from Bev.
On February 27, 2006: Kimberly Cooper, granddaughter was appointed as guardian of the person and estate for Alice Gore.
Bev Cooper’s Power of Attorney was revoked.
The court is aware Kimberly Cooper has a history of psychiatric illness.
Subsequent to her appointment, Kimberly told her mother, Bev, that she intended to place Alice into Hospice, a decision that Alice had many times told Bev she did want not enacted. Alice’s primary diagnosis was arthritis, and she had no qualifying medical diagnoses to support a DNR/Hospice order.
Other medical decisions made by Kimberly were of concern to Bev, including the removal of the Alice’s gold teeth. Additionally, Kimberly authorized the placement of a feeding G-tube, while the patient still had the ability to eat and drink without difficulty.
Alice Gore, the ward, was removed from Esformes' apartment building to the Carlton on the Lake Rehabilitation Center at 725 W. Montrose in Chicago.
Alice Gore was moved into a nursing home with which Esformes had ties, Lakeview Nursing Rehab, at 735 W. Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL. Michael Elkes was administrator at Lakeview Nursing Rehab at that time.
Alice Gore's health declined in this facility. When Bev requested an accurate weight on her mother, Michael Elkes contacted Miriam Solo.
Attempts by Bev to bring her concerns about her mother’s declining condition to the judge resulted in her being restricted from visiting her mother without supervision for a number of years.
Rehab Assist, which is owned by Tom Kleinheinz, was assigned to supervise Bev when she visited her mother. False statements were made by Rehab Assist to the judge about Bev’s interactions with her mother, resulting in further visitation restrictions. Thomas Kleinheinz, owner of Rehab Assist, and his employees, Melody (last name unknown) and Ben Topp were all participants in these actions.
Full Article & Source:Alice had previously chosen her daughter, Bev Cooper, to be her power of attorney (POA) for health care and financial issues. Bev, in accordance with Alice’s wishes, had promised her mother she wouldn't place her in a nursing home, and would never make a decision to withhold medical treatment. Bev visited her mom almost daily to help care for her mother’s needs .
Bev has a daughter, Kimberly Cooper, who was born with infantile Autism; she spent her childhood in and out of 54 foster homes; she had well-documented psychiatric illness, and was diagnosed as a child with Schizophrenia and Borderline-Personality Psychosis with Suicidal Ideations. This condition was known by both the Lake County and Cook County courts. During the guardianship proceedings, Bev had provided the Cook County Court with the documentation of Kimberly’s severe mental incapacity, but the court refused to enter it into the public record. Additionally, Bev believes that Kimberly receives disability benefits from the government; this could have been easily ascertained by the court.
Karen Bowes was a business and family attorney for the Cooper family for 27 years. She had represented Kimberly Cooper in the juvenile court of Lake County and was well aware of the psychiatric issues and legal issues that Kimberly Cooper endured during childhood.
After Bev’s mother, Alice Gore, had moved into the Esformes building and divulged her financial records, Karen Bowes approached Bev. Karen told Bev that she should go to court to seek guardianship of her mother, rather than relying on her Power of Attorney.
Ms. Bowes stated to Bev that “Guardianship trumps Power of Attorney”, which is the opposite of what is stated by Illinois law. Illinois law states that if a power of attorney is in place, a guardian is not required.
Bev followed the advice of her long-time attorney. Bev went to court to change her Power of Attorney to Plenary Guardian.
On January 20, 2006: petition for guardianship was entered.
Karen Bowes sent an attorney named Miriam Solo to Alice Gore’s apartment. Miriam Solo is a cousin of Morris Esformes, the apartment building owner who required that Alice divulge her complete financial information when she moved into his building.
Miriam Solo interviewed Alice; Solo did not allow Alice’s daughter, Bev, to participate in the discussion, and closed the door so Bev could not hear the interview. Karen Bowes told Bev that she did not really know Solo prior to these proceedings, and instructed Bev to pay Solo $500.00 for her attorney services. Bev was also instructed by Bowes that she didn’t need to attend court hearings.
On January 24, 2006: Miriam Solo was appointed by Judge Lynne Kawamoto to serve as Guardian ad Litem on the case.
Karen Bowes apparently facilitated the appointment of Miriam Solo as GAL, telling Bev that Miriam Solo was just to be an attorney on the case. It later became apparent to Bev that Bowes and Solo had a business relationship during the preceding ten years, despite Bowes having told Bev that she didn’t really know Miriam Solo.
Most, if not all, of Alice Gore’s financial records disappeared from her apartment building during this time frame. Additionally, Karen Bowes elicited the legal help of Bruce Lange, an attorney/accountant who works for Harris Bank and Trust. Lange and Bowes instructed Bev to make repeated trips to Alice Gore’s bank to secure Alice’s bank statements for them so they could determine Alice’s net worth. Despite the fact that Lange was paid for his services as an attorney, he never supplied the court with the financial information that he and Bowes had obtained from Bev.
On February 27, 2006: Kimberly Cooper, granddaughter was appointed as guardian of the person and estate for Alice Gore.
Bev Cooper’s Power of Attorney was revoked.
The court is aware Kimberly Cooper has a history of psychiatric illness.
Subsequent to her appointment, Kimberly told her mother, Bev, that she intended to place Alice into Hospice, a decision that Alice had many times told Bev she did want not enacted. Alice’s primary diagnosis was arthritis, and she had no qualifying medical diagnoses to support a DNR/Hospice order.
Other medical decisions made by Kimberly were of concern to Bev, including the removal of the Alice’s gold teeth. Additionally, Kimberly authorized the placement of a feeding G-tube, while the patient still had the ability to eat and drink without difficulty.
Alice Gore, the ward, was removed from Esformes' apartment building to the Carlton on the Lake Rehabilitation Center at 725 W. Montrose in Chicago.
Alice Gore was moved into a nursing home with which Esformes had ties, Lakeview Nursing Rehab, at 735 W. Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL. Michael Elkes was administrator at Lakeview Nursing Rehab at that time.
Alice Gore's health declined in this facility. When Bev requested an accurate weight on her mother, Michael Elkes contacted Miriam Solo.
Attempts by Bev to bring her concerns about her mother’s declining condition to the judge resulted in her being restricted from visiting her mother without supervision for a number of years.
Rehab Assist, which is owned by Tom Kleinheinz, was assigned to supervise Bev when she visited her mother. False statements were made by Rehab Assist to the judge about Bev’s interactions with her mother, resulting in further visitation restrictions. Thomas Kleinheinz, owner of Rehab Assist, and his employees, Melody (last name unknown) and Ben Topp were all participants in these actions.
New Illinois Victims and their Stories
This is outrageous. The visits I get, they do this to everyone. But appointing the granddaughter with medical problems. How did that come about? Bev sure must have gotten blind sided by this one. Some where down the road the long time attorney must have really bonded with Kimberley. Why would attorney's with long standing relationship sell you out? There must be some ethical violations here, but if its in Cook County this sounds like Nashville Randy Kennedy's court room.
ReplyDeleteA psychiatrically ill daughter is set as guardian?
ReplyDeleteSmells like a case of control from above.
This is all so unethical!!! What has been done to Alice Gore is inhuman...
ReplyDeleteIt is totally shocking that the granddaughter would be appointed guardian.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in how this case started:
ReplyDelete#1 why did Mrs. Cooper's attorney suggest guardianship while Mrs. Cooper had been acting as Power of Attorney?
Praying for the Gore family.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of educating the people so they don't fall into lawyers self serving profit trap.
ReplyDeleteLawyers know there is profit in guardianships and if there are any contests well that means more billing billing billing gee isn't that why lawyers are open for business? Remember this is business deals being conducted in a courtroom - period.
Education is power, power to better protect yourself, your loved ones and their hard earned savings.
We have a choice and we better do it now get your advance directives in order and update as circumstances arise so you are ready if and when it's needed or you are guaranteed to be on the probate conveyor belt til death do you part with all of your income and assets in control of the court appointed friends of the court.
This is a no brainer and my heart aches for Alice Gore who made her intentions known yet she got sold out by long time lawyer who knew exactly what she was doing.
I can imagine the daughter Bev will never be the same this is a life changing situation. God Bless.
This case exemplifies how the predators are lying in wait on the vulnerable. It's a terrible and tragic story and I know how helpless Bev had to have felt. I'm so sorry, Bev.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bev and NASGA for sharing this tragic story. My loved one was also a victim of Judge Kawamoto; she moved to public aid and her entire estate went to guardianship fees.
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope that state and federal investigators can prosecute.
another case of court ordered hell that's waiting for you me everybody i can see the writing on the dirty walls where those who profit financially and for those dependent on cases for job security via the public guardians if this doesn't scare the pants of you then nothing will think the terrorists from outside our borders are our biggest threat --- not nearly as lethal as a petition for guardianship which will result in life as you knew it is over may alice gore rest in peace knowing her daughter is shouting out loud we hear you bev
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for what Alice Gore went through. Clearly her life was shortened and the fact that she couldn't see her daughter had to have made her completely miserable.
ReplyDeleteWhy would the granddaughter be appointed guardian? Why? I can't get over that.
It appears as though Alice Gore's granddaughter Kimi was exploited as well. With her long-standing history of mental illness, it was apparent to Miriam Solo et al, that Kimi would be easy to manipulate.
ReplyDeleteKimi appears to have been a pawn who was used to enable the unethical players in this case to drain the estate dry with their fees. The entire family has been victimized by the Cook County Probate Court.
My heart and prayers goes out to this family.
I am so sorry all that you and your mother have gone through, Bev. These unethical/unprofessional tactics by all parties is a reflection of the state our society is in which is truly asking for higher consciousness and healing. It appears that all of these people have serious mental health issues themselves to resort to such abuse. I continue to pray that they wake up from their deep seated self projection of dysfunctional abuse towards others.
ReplyDeleteAnother elderly person suffering at the end of her life instead of enjoying herself in the comfort of her family.
ReplyDeleteSo many of these things are standards throughout the country: the supervised visits and false reports from the supervisors; attorneys who mislead or even lie to their clients, etc. The year my mother spent in memory care made me realize how many of these patients partially revert to childhood in both memory and lack of inhibition. I think a strong argument can be made that the guardianship industry are no better than child predators. I hope they all end up in jail and suffer the same fate there that other child predators suffer. To think that so many of their targets are our country's greatest heroes.
ReplyDelete