Dear Justice System

Please note: This is a letter that is NOT directed at any one person or field within the law. It’s just the cry of my heart after seeing a crap show of events that have continued after multiple attempts to see redemption and justice for my aunt and parents.

Dear Justice System,

There are many moving parts to you and I’m thankful that you’re there but over the last year I’ve wondered where you really are. I need you to get yourself together. For the last 8 months I have seen my parents selflessly take care of my aunt because her son was stealing from her and taking advantage of the fact that she has Alzheimer’s. Her husband passed away in 2014 but he left her set up to be taken care of for the remainder of her life. My family has since learned that her son had her sign a Power Of Attorney not long after she failed a memory test and from then on, he has run the show and used her money for drugs, booze, and who knows what else. He continuously stole money from her and didn’t pay her bills, taxes, or other insurance fees. Since bringing her to Georgia, they have learned that her son has built up hundreds of thousand dollars of debt in her name. Had my parents not brought my aunt home in July of 2020, I am certain she would be dead by now due to malnutrition or violence. Where were you?

Her son was arrested in June for assaulting his girlfriend. He violated the order of protection put into place MULTIPLE times since that initial arrest. He was also charged with possession and in December of 2020, a plea deal was done for deferred sentencing as long as he minded his manners for 18 months. He and his girlfriend have lost temporary custody of their shared child because of an incident on September 11, 2020 involving drugs and because that was one of the times they both willingly violated the order of protection, resulting in their son being injured. Then in January of 2021, he strangled his girlfriend and was caught with another possession charge. Where were you?

During this process I have called clerk officials to get case updates regularly, called the probation office to confirm information, and checked in with multiple people because no one else was doing it. When I called the probation office after his sentencing, I found out he hadn’t even been assigned to a probation officer so they had that done. From there, he missed his first two appointments with his PO. He wasn’t even on probation for 2 months before he was arrested again for domestic assault - strangulation and possession of hard drugs. Where were you when all of this was happening? Every time I’ve asked that question, another department or organization has placed blame on it not being their problem or jurisdiction. Our family has banded together through this to try and lean on each other as caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is not an easy task. I am thankful that it’s been possible to protect her but it breaks my heart for those whose families aren’t around or don’t protect them. Where are you for those people?

My aunt is terrified of her son. Just this week she was served with court documents regarding the case for guardianship that my parents are still striving to get. She panicked because she was afraid her son sent them here to get her. She doesn’t want to see him again and that’s clear, even when her sense of time is no longer there. Due to her memory issues, she often panics out of concern and fear of why that officer was here. You have continued to let him out of jail until this last month. My concern is that he won’t stay there and that he and/or his girlfriend will get custody of their child back.

My aunt’s step children have gone to her home and taken pictures. There are drawers filled with used needles, tinfoil, and one even has a spoon that looks like it was heated and used for melting a substance to shoot up. Why didn’t you ever search that home? Those needles didn’t just appear there. It’s ongoing usage that I’m sure has taken place around the child. Where were you?

My parents have been troopers and have been striving to take care of her the best they can and are preparing to go to court again for guardianship. I hope you follow through with your promises this go round because seeing them have tolls taken on the time that is supposed to be their golden years breaks my heart. They’ve worked so hard to be where they are and they don’t ask for much. Yet I’m asking you to just do your damn job. Where are you?