Jan Garwood, a former ward, reacts to the news that her former guardian has lost her registration with the state (WPEC)
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (CBS12) — A
professional guardian featured in a year-long CBS12 News I-Team
investigation is out of job, after the state revoked her guardianship
registration.
The action against guardian Denise Willis comes after years of complaints about the way she managed her wards' money, property, medical care, and more.
The I-Team has been exposing issues within the state guardianship system, showing how easily court appointed guardians can exploit the people they are being paid to protect.
Last year, we brought you the story of Jan Garwood,
a former ward from the Orlando area who a judge decided was
"incapacitated" in 2019. The court appointed a guardian named Denise
Willis to oversee Garwood's care.
Eventually, Garwood was able to convince a new judge that she didn't need to be in a guardianship. By the time she got her freedom back, the damage was done: Willis sold her home and car while Garwood was in the guardianship. She was missing several social security payments and nearly all of her possessions.
Jan tells the I-Team years later, she is still struggling to get back on her feet.
"I get my social security checks but it's not enough to pay the rent," Garwood said.
While she works to rebuild her life after guardianship, she is celebrating one thing: an order from the state revoking Denise Willis' guardianship registration. It means she can never work as a guardian in Florida again.
"That's wonderful. It's a start. But it's just a start. She is just one of many," she said.
Public records show the state investigated Garwood's complaints against Willis and the complaints of several other wards. In the order revoking her license, investigators outline 13 counts against her, including:
- Reimbursing herself for "purchases for a ward" without court approval or receipts
- Failing to provide the court an accounting of ward's assets
- Failing to provide a guardianship plan to the court, which updates a judge on a ward's condition
- Neglecting to visit, or even electronically check in on a ward for more than 13 months
The I-Team reached out to Denise Willis for comment but did not hear back. We were able to reach her lawyer, who said he does not plan to appeal the decision by the Office of Public and Professional Guardians.
According
to an Inspector General's Report, Denise Willis told investigators
looking into allegations against her that she was "tired of fighting,"
knew she "owed the court documents" and did not want to respond to
complaints because she believed she was "going to be removed anyway."
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