Newly uncovered court documents reveal that prior to her arrest for
shooting two lawyers outside a courthouse, Gwendolyn White was stripped
of her mother's guardianship following multiple county investigations
into caretaker neglect.
By Shaun Gallagher, WRAL reporter
Shortly before being arrested for allegedly shooting two
lawyers outside of the courthouse, Gwendolyn White expressed the reason she
continued her legal fight during a hearing over the release of body camera
footage.
“My job right here is to get justice for her, whether you
like me or not,” White can be heard during an audio recording of that hearing.
The court case had nothing to do with White’s mother. It was
part of an ongoing legal battle with Rolesville Police Department over body
camera footage from an incident near White’s home in 2021.
But White’s mother, Elleen, is a heavy focus of her online
footprint. Specifically, her concerns that her mother’s death was caused by
improper care.
But newly discovered court documents show the County
believed Gwendolyn White was the one failing her mother.
Wake County Health and Human Services (WCHHS) filed a case
in 2024 to find a third-party guardian for Elleen White. It cites a specific incident
the month before.
Gwendolyn White dropped her mother off at the hospital in
October 2024 for an issue. Nine days later, it was resolved and she was
ready to be discharged but says White, “was unwilling to allow [Elleen]
to come home and unwilling to work with the hospital on other discharge
options.” The document continues saying, “Gwendolyn White was either
unwilling or unable to
agree to placement options."
Gwendolyn White’s interactions with other facilities
prevented other locations from taking in Elleen according to the court documents.
“No skilled nursing facility is currently willing to accept
[Elleen] as a resident due to Gwen's documented behavior and disruption in
[Elleen's] care," the document reads.
This was the fourth time WCHHS was contacted in a year and a
half over, “concerns about caretaker neglect and the fitness of the caretaker
to continue serving in that role,” according to court documents.
Gwendolyn White has a well-documented social media presence,
claiming her mother’s death was due to poor care, including an online
fundraiser calling for justice for elder abuse and neglect. It’s a fundraiser
that had raised roughly $440 before last week’s shooting. It’s
ballooned to over $6,000 as of Friday afternoon.
The fundraiser reads, “The Daughter has never neglected her
mother period in 39 years and wouldn’t.”
However, the county court's decision indicates it disagrees
with White’s sentiment.
It assigned a third-party guardian to Elleen White’s care,
saying, “Elleen White is at imminent risk of harm given her daughter’s
refusal
to permit mother’s discharge or participate in good faith in planning
said
discharge.”
White’s mental health in a criminal case was also cited in these
court documents related to her mother’s care.
A court order was entered on May 3, 2024, “finding Gwen was
not capable of proceeding to trial” in a misdemeanor stalking case. The court
ordered White to participate in the Community Based Restoration Program at
Elwyn Health Resources for examination and treatment until necessary to help
White gain capacity to proceed if possible.
It’s a ruling White disagreed with, saying her son lied about
her mental health and that “false information was entered into her medical
record,” which she was trying to have removed.
Full Article & Source:
Woman accused of shooting two attorneys failed in caring for elderly mother, court documents show
