Rarely is there so much tension — or so much at stake — around giving someone hope for a family reunion as in the case of Dominic Pantoni.
Every month, Dominic intently waits at the door of his group home for his mother to arrive, and he immediately asks her, “When’s the next hearing?”
A court hearing, in Dominic's eyes, means going home, or at least leaving a place that he calls prison, said his mother, Nancy Pantoni. She has been trying since 2010 to change legal guardianship of her 27-year-old son, who has intense special needs because of a genetic disorder.
However, it’s that obsession with going home that his guardian, a caseworker with Jewish Family & Children's Service of Pittsburgh, asserts in court record may be holding back the young man from coping with the 24-hour care he needs and taking opportunities to work or to socialize.
As a result, Pantoni’s interactions with Dominic have been restricted by the guardianship agency, which declined to comment on the specific case because of privacy concerns.
She can visit for one hour a month. No phone calls. And she said she’s not informed when he’s admitted to the hospital or his medications have changed.
"His health has significantly deteriorated so much that I’m concerned for his life,” she said. “I’m on a mission to save my son’s life, I really am. I’ll do anything.”
The tug of war over Dominic’s fate highlights the challenging dynamic of court-appointed guardianships, which often pit an unknown third party assigned to make decisions in the best interest of a ward against family members who inherently feel they know what’s best for their relative.
Full Article and Source:
Who Knows Best?
6 comments:
Family shut out again. It's criminal in my opinion.
I'll tell you who knows best 9 times out of 10 --- FAMILY!
Isolating a ward from family is torture.
Despicable. Please note this sentence: "Advocates in this realm also say few guardians are replaced unless there is an outright wrongdoing, such as theft."
This guardianship agency has stolen a child from his mother. This guardianship agency has stolen a mother from his child. This guardianship agency has stolen any hope this young man has for a normal, happy life. All of these things are worth far more than money.
One would expect a Jewish agency to follow a higher ethical standard. Unfortunately, these agencies hide behind their name, and answer to no one.
Shameful.
slapping up some links here that will be helpful for anyone ANGRY ENOUGH AND NOT AFRAID OF THESE SUBHUMANS TO AT THE LEAST start the complaints -
1.http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/color_of_law
this is vioations under color of law,
and here is the form to simplify the reports to them or simply attatch it with the bare bones facts to your FULL statement-
http://famguardian.org/TaxFreedom/Forms/Emancipation/col.pdf
I went through this crap with my disabled son the SAME and started with APS reported them all=held against his will,no treatment,exploitation,etc then all any any rights groups WHICH DID NOTHING beyond acknowledging what they were told as FACTUAL,called my congress_critter and filed the violations,each and every one was reported-WE GOT HIM out and will get rid of this bs gUardianship somehow as well-
I AM FILING on the violations of rights,denial of rights in regard to the bs kangaroo court that DID RESULT IN DAMAGES and removal of property etc etc
c'mon guys --THEIR house IS a house of cards ready to topple and when ENOUGH FILE simply along the lines of 42 USC 1983 IT WILL COME CRASHING DOWN.
http://www.constitution.org/brief/forsythe_42-1983.htm
PLEASE print it all out and study it and FILE.
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http://www.conservapedia.com/42_U.S.C._%C2%A7_1983
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I am simply looking for equitable relief and reimbursement of all legal costs. If people would do it,the abuses would end.
Great post! Been reading a lot about guardianship disputes. Thanks for the info here!
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