HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman has been taken to an elderly memory
care facility against her will and now cannot access tens of millions of
dollars she has in her bank.
This all happened after she was given a guardian, a man she says she doesn't even know.
This all happened after she was given a guardian, a man she says she doesn't even know.
A judge says anyone in Texas can file for guardianship in the interest of a person's well-being.
After someone made this request, doctors tested Monique Mandell and considered her incompetent.
Her lawyers say she's not and want her home.
"I just want this nightmare to be over," Mandell said.
Freedom and nearly $40 million are on the line for her.
Her lawyers say a Harris County probate court allowed her guardian and three police officers to show up at her home and get her while she was sleeping.
After someone made this request, doctors tested Monique Mandell and considered her incompetent.
Her lawyers say she's not and want her home.
"I just want this nightmare to be over," Mandell said.
Freedom and nearly $40 million are on the line for her.
Her lawyers say a Harris County probate court allowed her guardian and three police officers to show up at her home and get her while she was sleeping.
The 54-year-old has been at an assisted living facility for four months now.
Randall Kallinen has been working on getting Mandel back home.
"There's no reason for her to have a guardian. According to experts, there's nothing wrong with her," he said. "She's competent."
However, a court-appointed psychiatrist considered Mandell incompetent shortly after an inheritance case related to the death of her husband.
"She's the golden egg that they've been looking for," said U.A. Lewis, another attorney for Mandell. "She has multi-millions available for them to try to exhaust, and the only way they can do that is if they maintain possession of her."
Her guardian is an attorney appointed by the court.
Randall Kallinen has been working on getting Mandel back home.
"There's no reason for her to have a guardian. According to experts, there's nothing wrong with her," he said. "She's competent."
However, a court-appointed psychiatrist considered Mandell incompetent shortly after an inheritance case related to the death of her husband.
"She's the golden egg that they've been looking for," said U.A. Lewis, another attorney for Mandell. "She has multi-millions available for them to try to exhaust, and the only way they can do that is if they maintain possession of her."
Her guardian is an attorney appointed by the court.
"They want to fight, I'll fight them," Mandell said. "Tooth and nail. I
won't give up. What they are doing is wrong. I don't know these people
from Adam."
Eyewitness News briefly spoke to the judge, Jason Cox, over the phone.
He would not talk specifically about this case, but said the court is not motivated by money in any way.
He added that the sole concern of the court is what's in the best interest for people like Mandell.
"We are challenging this judge to issue an order and stop laying on the request to send her home," Lewis said.
Eyewitness News briefly spoke to the judge, Jason Cox, over the phone.
He would not talk specifically about this case, but said the court is not motivated by money in any way.
He added that the sole concern of the court is what's in the best interest for people like Mandell.
"We are challenging this judge to issue an order and stop laying on the request to send her home," Lewis said.
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2 comments:
The judge says that money isn't the motive for taking away this woman's rights to her fortune. Really? Everybody on the case will now be spending it like there's no tomorrow. This is completely unfair and an outrageous conflict of interest. Her life has been wiped away so that others can make decisions that benefit themselves.
Greedy S.O.B.s. I thought Texas had better laws than most states when it comes to guardianships.
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