Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward

Joan Brummitt, 65, is accused of stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward under her care.

by Matt Flener

MILAN, Mo. —

A Missouri elected public guardian is now charged with eight felonies in connection with stealing nearly $6,000 from a ward of the state under her care.

Joan Brummitt, 65, public administrator of Sullivan County, is accused in court documents of moving money from the ward’s bank account to her personal bank account on four separate occasions.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol investigator said on Oct. 14, 2025, Brummitt used her personal cellphone and online banking app to send money from the ward’s account through three separate transactions, totaling $999, $1,900 and $1,980.

She made another online $999 transfer on Oct. 16, the MSHP investigator said in court documents.

The total amount came to $5,878.

Brummitt is charged with four felony counts of financial exploitation of an older/disabled person and four felony counts of stealing $750 or more.

Brummitt is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 3.

A judge has recused himself from the case. The judge also ordered Brummitt not to access or make any transactions on any accounts belonging to any of her wards or any person for whom she serves as conservator by order of the probate division of any court.

Brummitt’s attorney, Mark Williams, told KMBC 9 Investigates that he is just beginning his investigation into the case and emphasized that even though charges have been filed, Brummitt is innocent until proven guilty.

In a new series called “Paper Prisons,” KMBC 9 News is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship by highlighting stories of people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders.

KMBC is also seeking answers, perspective and context from those in charge of keeping wards of the state in their care for their recommendations on how to improve the system.

Throughout the next year, KMBC will continue to explore the challenges and opportunities for improvement in Missouri’s public guardianship system.

We need your help.

If you know of someone going through struggles with Missouri’s public guardianship system, or if you have a case to highlight that exposes solutions for Missouri’s public guardianship system that could teach lessons to others, please email investigates@kmbc.com. 

Full Article & Source:
Missouri elected guardian charged with 8 felonies for stealing from ward 

See Also:
Paper Prisons: Missouri woman details struggle to leave public guardianship after husband's death

Paper Prisons: Missouri man continues fight to free his mother from public guardianship 

Sullivan County elected official accused of stealing thousands from disabled person