Woman Found in FL Freezer

For six years, Allan Dunn kept dodging judicial reviews of how he was caring for his incapacitated wife, over whom he had been appointed guardian.

When forced to account, he painted a bleak portrait of a woman confined to her bed, someone he slavishly tended, including changing her diaper and turning her to fend off bedsores.

For most of that time, authorities think, Margaret Dunn was dead — her body stuffed into a freezer on the porch of the couple's Sun City Center condominium.

Allan Dunn committed suicide in August at age 86.

A body thought to be that of Margaret Dunn was found last month when the woman overseeing Dunn's estate and her sister went to clean the condo in preparation for listing it for sale.

Authorities think Dunn hid the body so he could continue collecting some financial benefit, although they have not specified the source of the money.

A preliminary autopsy determined the woman was about 78 when she died of natural causes, likely in 2000. She was wearing a diaper.

Full Article and Source:
Woman in Freezer About 78 Years Old

'The Adele Chris Act'

Read proposed legislation submitted by Marked for Destruction's author, John Caravella, to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security at their request for a Model Law" to combat abusive guardianships: The Adele Chris Act


View the May 25, 2010 Subcommittee Hearing

Contact the Committee and voice your support

What Adele Fraulen might have thought to be nothing more than a meaningless bad dream one night in 1935 would actually come true. At age 79 she would find herself living a nightmare -- a struggle for her life, simply because she innocently trusted the wrong professionals to help with her portion of a Million Dollar inheritance; they would steal her very existence. Her neighbors, Chris and Patricia Zurillo, would realize that Adele's life was going terribly wrong and dedicate themselves to freeing her from captivity. “Marked For Destruction” is a rare book that exposes an ever-expanding crime against our elderly.

Source:
MarkedForDestruction.com


A Free Gift From Adele's Neighbors - Read 'Marked for Destruction' online

Probate Sharks "Travesty of the Week Award"

Travesty of the Week Award goes to Judge Lynne Kowamoto for "allowing a mentally disabled person to be guardian of a 99 year old disabled ward."

Source:
Probate Sharks

PA Nursing Home Bill Clears Senate Panel

Long-term care nursing homes would have another avenue to challenge state findings of deficiencies or safety violations under a bill approved unanimously Wednesday by a Senate committee.

The measure by Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati, R-25, Jefferson County, gives nursing homes the option to participate in an independent review process to resolve disputes with the Health Department.

Under the bill, a nursing home could hire a firm that specializes in quality monitoring of health care if it wants an independent review. The home would select the firm from a list maintained by the Health Department. The other option is for the nursing home to participate in an existing dispute resolution process run by the department.

Scarnati told members of the Senate Aging and Youth Committee his measure is a "common-sense" proposal that won't cost the state money yet addresses issues stemming from the Health Department having multiple roles in nursing home oversight.

"The Department of Health is both the judge, jury and prosecutor," he added. "It (bill) gives nursing homes a fair shot at addressing the complaint."

Scarnati said any independent recommendations made through this process would only be implemented upon approval of the Health Department. The measure requires the department to provide a written explanation if it disagrees with a recommendation that reverses a finding of deficiency.

Full Article and Source:
Nursing Home Bill Clears Senate Panel

Indiana Supreme Court Removes Convicted Lawyer From Rolls

Convicted of stealing from his clients and sentenced to more than five years in prison, Daniel Serban is no longer an attorney.

The Indiana Supreme Court accepted his resignation from the Indiana bar Friday and immediately removed him from the roll of attorneys, according to court records.

In May, Serban, 54, was sentenced to prison after he admitted to stealing money from his clients’ trust fund accounts. He pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt business influence and theft. Allen Superior Court Judge John Surbeck sentenced Serban to 5 ½ years in prison and an additional 5 ½ years on probation.

Serban will also have to pay $280,000 in restitution.

State Removes Convicted Lawyer from Rolls

See Also:
Ex-Lawyer Admits Bilking Clients

Dear Gus Bilirakis: Do You Remember Adele Fletcher?

To help refresh your memory, as a Tampa area attorney you assisted your client with improperly guardianizing Adele Fletcher, which resulted in your client's conviction for felony scheming to defraud.

You did not come to your client's aide during her criminal trial.

Below are your documents that facilitated this fraud, which may assist in refreshing your recall of events:

[A]summary of the closing days in Adele Fletcher's' life. Please review the information for accuracy and let us know if you have any questions:
Summary

The two documents below reveal what turned out to be implausible reasons for your claimed need to take away a senior citizen's freedom to live:
Incapacity, Page one
Incapacity, Page two

The next two documents below reflect your investigation attested to under penalty of perjury that Adele Fletcher had no money or assets. You may recall that your meeting with Adele, in her home, to discuss what to do with her inheritance, that added an additional tax liability, to her existing income, and existing accounts with her stock broker, was arranged for you and Fran Lang by Adele's stock broker. A reasonable assumption that you did not raise during your investigation is that the mere existence of a stock broker in Adele's life points to the presence of assets.

Indigent,Page one
Indigent,Page two

The document below shows that eventually you found Adele Fletcher indeed had money and assets, but by that time the assets previously hidden from the court's knowledge were securely under your control by way of your client Fran Lang:
Terminate Insolvency

For additional reading about your client's conviction you can review a news article at this web site:
Ex-Guardian Gets Probation

You can also watch a short video at:
YouTube: Adele's Nightmare

An Open Letter To:
The Honorable Gus Bilirakis
United States House of Representatives

Dear Gus:

Please contact us if you would like any additional information to assist with your recall of this case. We feel that you played a significant and indispensable role in Adele Fletcher's demise and the felony conviction of Fran Lang that followed. Our hope, in your current role as a United States Congressional Representative, is that you will clearly and forever remember Adele Fletcher while you profess concern about improving the quality of life for the other senior citizens you now represent.

If you need further assistance please email us at:
AdeleRemembered@gmail.com

Sincerely,
The Friends of Adele Fletcher

Source:
Dear Gus Bilirakis: Do You Remember Adele Fletcher?

New Illinois Law Requires Stricter Guidelines for Nursing Homes

For years, deaths of disabled children at Illinois nursing homes faced little scrutiny. Regulators weren't always informed, coroners weren't notified — even some family members weren't told whether neglect was involved.

But that could soon change as the Illinois Senate on Tuesday joined the state House in passing sweeping reforms to safeguard thousands of children and adults with severe developmental disabilities.

The proposed new laws, sparked by a Tribune investigation, require nursing facilities caring for the developmentally disabled to report all deaths to state regulators as well as to local coroners or medical examiners.

Other reforms include stiffer fines for poor care, a ban on new admissions at troubled homes, stricter rules on the use of psychotropic medications and fewer roadblocks to closing facilities.

State officials and some advocates described the measures as the most significant effort in a generation to help disabled people living in Illinois nursing facilities.

"This is a major victory for people with developmental disabilities and their families," said Michael Gelder, senior health policy adviser to Gov. Pat Quinn.

But some said the legislation doesn't go far enough. For instance, Wendy Meltzer, a leading advocate for nursing home residents, said the state will need more inspectors to enforce additional laws. "Otherwise, this whole exercise becomes pointless," she said.

Full Article and Source:
New Law Requires Stricter Guidelines for Nursing Homes

Couple to Stand Trial in Disabled Woman's Death

A judge on Friday ordered a Kearns couple charged with abusing a disabled woman before her death to stand trial following testimony from neighbors who said they were long worried about her well-being.

Dale Robert Beckering, 52, and Sherrie Lynn Beckering, 50, each face one count of aggravated abuse of a vulnerable adult, a first-degree felony, in connection with the death of Christina Harms

Third District Court Judge Lee A. Dever ordered the pair to stand trial after hearing testimony from neighbors, police and a medical examiner.

Sherrie Beckering’s daughter, Cassandra Marie Shepard, also lived in the Kearns home and was Harms’ legal guardian. While Shepard has been charged with murder in the case, prosecutors said Shepard and the Beckerings "took shifts" watching over Harms and all contributed to her demise in some way.

"Without that constant supervision, it would have never gotten to this point," prosecutor Chad Platt said.

Full Article and Source:
Couple to Stand Trial in Disabled Woman's Death

See Also:
Legal Guardian Charged With Murder

Disgraced Georgia Attorney Working on Possible Plea

A local attorney accused of forging legal documents and practicing law without a license has been in talks with prosecutors in Columbus and Phenix City about a possible plea agreement on charges of theft and forgery, and has begun paying restitution to the clients he deceived, his defense lawyer said Friday.

Elliott J. Vogt, 33, faces new charges in connection with his fraudulent practice in Phenix City, including accusations he forged the signature of a probate judge on an order for an estate. He was indicted recently on four counts in Russell County, Assistant District Attorney Buster Landreau said.

The indictments marked the latest salvo in an unusual case in which Vogt allegedly established a phony partnership and took elaborate measures to fool his clients about the status of their cases. The Georgia Supreme Court disbarred Vogt this week, citing a 2009 case in which he “invented hearing dates” and provided a forged order to a client in a legitimation case involving custody. A 2003 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, Vogt also was disbarred in Alabama last year.

Defense attorney Neal J. Callahan said Friday that Vogt already has made about $25,000 in restitution to his clients.

“I would say that, under the circumstances, he’s trying to get his life back together and trying to come to grips with the new realities that he’s facing,” Callahan said.

Full Article and Source:
Disgraced Attorney Elliott J. Vogt Working on Possible Plea Deal