[Debra208]

IN 2002 my sister (Yolanda) went to court to obtained guardianship of our niece (Lori) who was orphaned upon the death of her mother (my younger sister - Jackie). No one knew that Yolanda had obtained guardianship in 2002 until 2006 when our mother who is Lori's grandmother died in October, 2006. Yolanda forged documents to obtain a hearing without anyone knowing about this with the exception of herself and perhaps our mother. My signature and my brothers signatures were used for the closed and secret hearing. We never received any notification and knew nothing of the hearing.

Yolanda abused the system to obtain guardianship of Lori. She submitted forged documents into court. Her mother did not want her to have guardianship. Lori pleaded with Yolanda, me, and the courts to remove her from this Aunt. Lori is afraid of this Aunt and rightfully so, and Yolanda is emotionally, psychologically, verbally and, recently physically abusive to Lori, in my mind... She legally kidnapped her!


What can I do? Should I pursue guardianship or pursue criminal charges if possible?
If you read the background information you will note two additional cases involving Yolanda and forgery charges.

KINDEST REGARDS AND THANK YOU FOR ANY TIME YOU HAVE TAKEN OUT OF YOUR DAY TO HELP ME! I DON'T TAKE THE GIFT OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE FOR GRANTED!


P.S.: Our mother is deceased and we suspect, but do not know if she was a part of this deception. Everyone, especially Yolanda, knows that Jackie was adament about not wanting Yolanda to have anything to do with her daugther, let alone, have guardianship of her daughter. As our mother aged, Yvonne, a very controlling person had complete control of our mothers affairs and my mother feared her. Lori's father has not been seen since her birth. This happened in the State of Ohio.

Background information:

Lori was 5 at the time of her mother's death in 1998, at which time, our mother was granted guardianship. My deceased sister had wanted me to take guardianship but because l lived in another city, it would have been too traumatic to move Lori at the age of 5 to a new and strange environment so soon after her mother's death . She was closely attached her grandmother and it would not have been in Lori's best interest to relocate her to another city at that time. Thus, Lori resided with her grandmother until the unexpected death of her grandmother/our mother in October, 2006.

After her mother passed, Lori lived with her grandmother. Lori did not move in with Yolanda until December, 2006. The appearance of everything concerning Lori was always that of the grandmother having guardianship.

AGAIN, and I emphasize, during this period 1998-2006 our family, in specific, and our community of friends, church, and school, as a whole were not aware of anyone having guardianship other than Lori's grandmother.

Given that our mother was up in age, we were aware that she was understably giving Yolanda power-of-attorney in order to sign legal documents for Lori relative to school, health, and other issues. Yolanda was closer to our mother and never left the city. As our mother aged, Yolanda had more control. While I was living out of town, I sent my mother money monthly and talked with her just about everyday of my life. Yolanda kept me abreast of our mother's needs and I was always available as needed. My life was not isolated from their's as I visited at a minimum, quarterly for over 25 years.

I am the older sister and live in a different city approximately 150 miles away. To ease the burden on our mother with having to raise our belated sister's daughter we all pitched in. My role was to give my mother a break by taking Lori during Spring, Summer and Christmas breaks. I made frequent visits home. Lori and I both enjoyed the visits and I looked forward to her coming to Cincinnati every year.

She came every year to visit with me from birth (when her mother was alive) continuing to do so when my mother obtained guardianship. We worked cooperatively and without hassels every year to arrange Lori's visits to Cincinnati.

Thus, I had her 3 times a year, at least until 2006 when my mother died. Upon her death, my sister, Yolanda stopped her visits and would not let her come to visit with me in Cincinnati. With her failing to cooperate with me and denying me my traditional visits with my niece, I was left with no other choice but to file for guardianship in March, 2007 at which time I saw and obtained copies of the forged signatures and the 2002 ruling. Our family had erroneously assumed that Yolanda had Power-of-Attorney and the guardianship was not determined. Additionally, my niece contacted me with her fear of Yolanda and because Yolanda slapped her in the face. A Form of discipline that our mother never used against us.


IMPORTANT: Yolanda is abusive. While I can't say this in court, I have every reason to believe that she is an undiagnosed Narcisstic Personality Disordered person. (I share this information not to belittle my sister or lie, because I do love her, but because I need to present all of the facts.). Further, I have come to realize that Yolanda means what she says when she says she cares nothing about us. I base this information on historical behaviorial patterns and incidents that occurred over the years while growing up with our sister. All of her siblings (4) are in agreement.

Lori's mother was verbally abused and harassed for 4 years by Yolanda, and did not and would not want Yolanda to have Lori. Lori has pleaded and pleaded with her and told the court during mediation that she does not want to live with Yolanda. Lori is now 15 AND will be 16 in July, 2008. Lori was appointed a guardian ad litem who testified that the guardianship papers were forged.

I love Lori and want her and she wants to live with me. I am financially able to care for her and have a healthy and safe environment. I/we did not want to move her because of her remaining senior years in high school and she truly loves her high school.

However, Yolanda has taken Lori out of her school and transferred her to a much smaller christian high school. I have every reason, based upon pass incidents and her history of revenge, that Yolanda is getting back at Lori because Lori has stressed that she wanted to live with me. Yolanda is afraid of her. In my gut, I know that she did this as an act of revenge.

Yolanda's rational for moving her is the increase in tuition. I called Yolanda to state that I would pay the difference ($250) or half the tuition, or all of the tuition if she would keep Lori in the private high school that she is in. She said no. I am also in court with this sister with another attorney for concealment of assets, and forgery relative to my mother's Will and money that she took from my brother when she became angry. Both cases showed forged documents. My attorney did not recommend probate court and we are now in juvenile court just to reinstate visitations. We had court ordered mediation but I am now of the correct but unfortunate mindset that my sister is not going to change and is still manipulating all of us. She has forged bank documents and both she and the bank falsified documents to take money out of my brothers account. As she also had power-of-attorney over him ( he is handicapped from a car accident) that she obtained when our mother passed. He had her removed.

I am almost out of money and my attorney in the guardianship case has been helping me pro bono. I do want to find a way to pay him but I don't want to waste the money if there is no hope of getting my niece. Please help.

[Fr_Chuck]

1. Power of attorney only allows them to sign for people, are you sure it is not guardianship, since if they are handicaped they will have to have guardianship to make choices for them.

And if the paper work used was forged, then merely prove that and ask for a new hearing,
And if they are a senior in high school, there is also only one year left before they will be grow and free to move anyway??