Guardianships: A Broken Trust: Lorraine Hilton: Son Accused of Abuse Gets Money From Savitt

In the case of retired decorator Lorraine Hilton, Savitt’s actions benefited Hilton’s son Robert, who was accused of physically abusing and stealing from his mother, according to court documents. [Elizabeth] Savitt’s attorney Hazeltine persuaded Hilton herself — who had advancing dementia — to agree to a guardianship.

Her other son, James Hilton, learned in March 2013 that Savitt had taken control of his mother’s assets, though Lorraine Hilton had a living trust established in 2007. Lorraine Hilton in a declaration for a preneed guardian explicitly stated that she didn’t want her son Robert taking care of her.

James Hilton sought to intervene as an emergency guardian. He also wanted a restraining order against his brother, Robert. James Hilton cited incidents such as an “accident” in which Lorraine Hilton broke her hip and Robert left her at the hospital and left the state, court documents say.

“I am truly alarmed that a judicial process has been put in place there without me having been duly contacted,” wrote James Hilton, who died in February.

Robert Hilton declined to comment. Billing documents in the case indicate his many demands on Savitt, such as for $20,000 of his mother’s money to buy a warehouse.

Billings from Savitt and Hazeltine memorialize phone messages from Robert Hilton left for Savitt in which his mother can be heard weeping in the background. On another, she called when all of sudden Lorraine Hilton let out “a blood-curdling scream and cuts off.”

Savitt resigned after James Hilton came forward. James Hilton objected to Savitt’s final accounting, accusing her of funneling money to Robert Hilton.

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Guardianships:  A Broken Trust:  Lorraine Hilton:  Son Accused of Abuse Gets Money From Savitt