By Christi Carras
The daughter of actor John Amos says that her brother no longer has
the authority to make medical decisions for their father, who was
recently hospitalized.
On Friday, Shannon Amos issued a press
release defending herself and speaking out against her brother, K.C.
Amos, as the Custer County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado continues to
investigate allegations of “elder abuse” involving their 83-year-old father.
Shannon Amos previously claimed on Instagram that John Amos was “a victim of elder abuse and financial exploitation.”
“My priority has always been the safety, stability, and well-being of
my father,” Shannon Amos said Friday in a statement provided to The
Times.
“Removing Mr. Kelly K.C. Amos as medical power of attorney
is an important step in the healing of my father and family. While I had
hoped that this family matter could remain private, recent allegations
accusing me of elder abuse and other false statements have forced me to
take legal action.”
K.C. Amos did not immediately respond Sunday to The Times’ request for comment.
In addition to announcing that her brother is no longer acting as the
medical power of attorney for their father — “who is now recovering
under the care of other family members” — a rep for Shannon Amos said
she has filed a cease and desist against K.C. Amos “to demand that he
stop making false statements on public platforms which have caused
defamation to her reputation and harm to her business.”
The press
release also notes that — while “an active investigation is currently
underway” in Colorado — Shannon Amos “did not publicly name ... K.C.
Amos as a suspect, despite his reaction as such.”
“My family and I
continue to be united in the recovery of my father and I hope this
matter will be resolved soon through the proper authorities,” Shannon
Amos said.
Much of the uncertainty surrounding John Amos’ health and well-being stems from a June 8 Instagram post
in which Shannon Amos claimed that her father’s life was “hanging by a
thread” after he had allegedly been placed in an intensive care unit in
Memphis, Tenn. She leveled the “elder abuse” and “financial
exploitation” allegations in the same post.
At the time, Shannon
Amos also encouraged her Instagram followers to donate to “a trust fund”
she had set up for her father through GoFundMe.
Later that day, however, the former “Good Times” star
told TMZ that he was not in the ICU, his life was not in danger and he
was not suffering from abuse. The “Roots” alum said he didn’t know why
his daughter had launched a GoFundMe campaign for him.
In a phone conversation with The Times earlier this month, John Amos’
longtime publicist, Belinda Foster, echoed that the veteran actor was
doing just fine. She said that her client was in the hospital recovering
well after doctors successfully drained some fluid from his lower body.
“He
said to let everyone know he is with his son and he is OK,” Foster told
The Times. “They are going to share more information at the appropriate
time.”
Meanwhile, K.C. Amos has been discrediting his sister with social media posts
reiterating that her GoFundMe campaign was “not authorized” by their
father. He also shared a video on June 15 of John Amos in a hospital bed
telling someone over the phone that he has had “ongoing issues” with
his daughter.
Shannon Amos “has taken advantage of me,” John Amos says in the
video. “She’s one that I would attribute my elderly [sic] abuse to.”
John
Amos states in the same clip that all of his previous medical issues
“had been corrected, or at least addressed” and that he is “confident in
the doctors” who have been caring for him.
On Monday, a
spokesperson for GoFundMe confirmed in a statement provided to The Times
that the fundraising platform had removed Shannon Amos’ campaign “upon
being informed that Mr. Amos wished to decline the funds raised on his
behalf.”
“All funds remained safely held by payment processors
during our review and all donors have now been refunded,” the
spokesperson said.
As for the Colorado investigation, the Custer
County Sheriff’s Office confirmed June 9 in a press release that it was
looking into an allegation indicating that John Amos “could be a victim
of a crime” — with the words “could be” emphasized in bold type.
While the state of Colorado does not have a specific charge for elder
abuse, the sheriff’s office said that crimes commonly committed against
the elderly include criminal negligence, assault, robbery, theft,
caretaker neglect, sexual assault and exploitation.
“Mr. Amos has been a beloved member of our community for many years,” the Custer County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
“We want to send our well wishes to Mr. Amos and hope that he has a speedy recovery.”
The
Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which is collaborating with the
Custer County Sheriff’s Office on the John Amos case, told The Times
there were no updates as of Sunday afternoon.
Full Article & Source:
John Amos’ daughter speaks out against her brother amid elder abuse investigation
See Also:
John Amos' Son Removed as Medical Power of Attorney
CBI investigating allegations of possible elder abuse against actor John Amos
John Amos, 83, 'is doing well' following elder abuse allegations
John Amos Accuses Daughter of 'Elder Abuse' After Denying Her GoFundMe Health Claims: 'She Would be the Primary Suspect'
