Mary Sykes, now aged 92 years old, during her lifetime was a feisty and active advocate of the virtues of honesty, family, and 'giving to the community.' She was active in her church, garden club and civic affairs. Her husband was a Chicago Policeman, and together they raised two daughters.
In approximately 2006 as Mary was getting Chronologically older, the daughters felt that they ought to step in a make life a little easier for mother. Unfortunately the good intentions quickly dissipated as the older daughter (Carolyn) took Mary to a lawyer. When Mary emerged from the lawyer's office the older daughter was the primary beneficiary of Mary's estate and trust. The older daughter was also the successor trustee on a trust prepared for Mary and possessed a power of attorney.
The younger daughter was busy with her career, and with fighting an insurance claim. The claim settled with a substantial win for the youngest daughter! In the meantime the older daughter was nickel and diming mother's estate and got caught! Mary noticed that $4000.00 was missing from her bank account. She made inquiry of the older daughter was informed by the older daughter that she had invested the money in an IRA account for mother.
Mary was outraged! No one in their right mind invests a 90 year old woman's money in an IRA - she does not qualify!. The prevarication, however, alerted Mary to the fact that something was wrong. She went to her safety deposit box and discovered that it had been cleaned out! All that left was the younger daughter's birth certificate torn and battered!. (This safety deposit box contained @300 gold coins, jewelry, and other valuables - worth almost a million dollars).
Horrified at what happened she requested of the lawyer and her older daughter copies of the documents she signed, and was rebuffed. Mary went to the local fire station to discuss her predicament and the Lieutenant directed her to the Court house. Mary sought an order of protection from her older daughter and sought help from the Illinois Department of Aging. In Court she prepared with the help of a court clerk a verified petition for a protective order. This petition was served on the older daughter.
The older daughter literally forced Mary to accompany her to her (daughter's) home in Naperville, Illinois. What happened in Naperville we do not know, but this act effectively vitiated the domestic violence proceedings. On July 20, 2009 the older daughter filed for a guardianship of her mother Mary. On July 21, 2009, it appears that the proceedings entered and were consolidated with the petition for guardianship.
The Guardianship proceedings were very strange. Two guardian ad litems were appointed, the proceedings were commenced without a 'doctor's certificate.' In fact as late as August 31, 2009 there was no certificate.
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