Possible Will/Estate swoop and possible elder abuse
Location: VA, USA
Possible Will swoop and possible elder abuse
Hi Reddit!
In a big need of advice. Not a native english speaker or writer so bear with me. Also a quite long story but I feel that the background on this is important.
The background: My great aunt moved to the US in the late 60s or early 70s she is orginally from a northern european country. She quickly met a local guy called Butch (fake names all around). Butch was an all american over achiever. Graduate from West Point, a Pilot, a Hockey player and a rigorious trainer. They hit it off quite well and got married. My great aunt "Sarah" got citizenship and they built a life together. Aunt worked jobs as lab assistant and Butch did work for NASA and also did contract jobs all over the world after the military service and Vietnam War. During this time they managed to build a small fortune with investment properties etc.
They never had any of their own kids. Thats when I come play.
My grandmother took me to visit them in 1993 when I was 4 old. Since that I spent every summer with Sarah and Butch. They even tried to adopt me but my father denied their request after talking to other relatives. Those summers were the best time of my life and I consider their home the only thing that was a constant in my life. They also thought me a lot, they though me how swim, how to ride a bike, how to train at the gym and more importantly, they gave me good advice on how give yourself goals in life and how to succeed. Yearly visits lasted until I was about 13. When I got to my teenage years my interests were somewhere else. We stayed in touch thru the years and I managed to visit one time before Butch passed away from complications of throat cancer and old age in 2018. Hes ashes were buried in Arlington the next year, I was at the funeral with my girlfriend.
After that I did my best to visit Sarah regularly 1-2 times a year. During those times she was quite lonely and with that combined with old age she started to show some gongnitive decline. After funeral of Butch some other relatives from New York started to show up on the radar (Sarahs nephew and his family) Once I visited Sarah at thanksgiving and the relatives were there with their whole family. Sarah was quite pissed at their behavior and was very happy when they left. Sarah talked a lot on how the husband of the family walked inside the house and said "This is my house". Butch would've thrown him out in a second. I think Sarah just accepted it beause she was scared to be alone all the time.
Last year I got information that Sarah had fallen in her house and during the wellfare check they found her laying on the floor lucid. The NY family called in the wellfare check. Sarah got to hospital and about a month later ahe was moved to a assisted living facility in Alexandria, VA. She is there currently. I got word of this about a month after the fall which I find strange that nobody saw no reason to inform me sooner. When I got the information, I contacted the Sarahs nephew. He did not answer my first message and the next the day I sent another message where I brough up some issues which conserned one of Sarahs neighbors and the behavior of Sarahs nephew himself. The nephew(now POA) Had not answered any questions from my sister who was also inquiring about Sarahs wellbeing
To this mesage he replied on the same day. He told me about Sarahs gognitive problems, signs of dementia and minor heart issues. He also raised conserns that my sister may be financially abusing Sarah because there was couple bank transfers from Sarahs account to my sister. He was especially worried because my sister has a sealed juvinile record that he somehow found online. Had to google My sisters name and the record did actually pop up.
My sister gave perfectly fit answers for the transfers and I informed the POA of this. During this exchange I also asked if he looked at all the bank transfers with the same thought knowing that the POAs own mother taken money from the account about 5 years back to fund the POAs sisters rehab without Sarahs permission. No criminal charges were filed on either one.
I also asked that did they try to find same kind of information of me. He said that he is not looking for dirt. Found it quite strange if he had googled my sister and the word crime together.
It took three days and many straight questions until I finally got the location of the assisted living facility from the POA. Since then he has blocked me on messenger and does not answer my messages. I really have no clue how Sarah is doing as the staff working at the assisted living facility can't tell me anything because of HIPPAA. I have called the facility about 50 times and got Sarah to the phone twice, last time she could not even hear anything. They tell me to be in contact with the POA which is impossible as I am blocked or he does not answer.
I do feel that our communication has been purposefully blocked or atleast made really difficult. It seems that my only option is visiting her.
I myself live in northern europe and plan on visiting soon.
My worries:
This has happened before with the same family. Sarahs other sister passed away in 2018 I think. She was closest to one my sisters and magically just before the death she had changed her will to profit the other family. Even Sarah talked about this and was pissed on how it went.
For me this seems to be text book swooping in to claim the prize on the premesis of helping. These people were not around ever before. Now suddenly they are when the end is near.
I also heard rumours that the POA organized a yeard sale at Sarahs house. During that he allegetly said "I sell them because I don't like them". Sarah has stated that certain stuff should go certain persons. Now the POA is selling them. Also atleast one oline search shows that the POA is now a former resident of Sarahs house. Did he get himself on the deed? House is currently valued at Zillow appprox. 1,7 million dollars.
My questions:
Is any of this legally considered in bad faith?
What are my legal options?
What is the average cost of legal proceedings?
What is my standing as great nephew and me living in europe? Can I take over?
Sorry for the long read and spelling errors! Any help will be deeply appreciated.
Update: Her house is currently pending sale. No contact from the POA.
At a loss. There goes my childhood home.