MIAMI – Miami-Dade County prosecutors introduced an arrest Tuesday in what they described as an aged exploitation case concentrated on a visually-impaired sufferer.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle mentioned at a news convention that the 81-year-old sufferer’s imaginative and prescient is so dangerous that her motive force’s license used to be revoked. That’s vital, she mentioned, as a result of she didn’t have a required id for lots of the unlawful transactions investigators say Gladys Smith performed.
“For elder exploitation to succeed, the exploiters need to gain the victims’ trust. that’s why this case is so important,” Fernandez Rundle mentioned. “She wasn’t suffering from dementia. She had her wits about her. But she had confidence in this person as a caretaker.”
The sufferer, Miriam Fernandez, additionally owned two rental structures in Miami-Dade County — which made her a goal, Fernandez Rundle mentioned. But government mentioned Fernandez had buddies having a look out for her.
Investigators mentioned the ones vigilant buddies who had been power in serving to Fernandez get out of a foul scenario, ultimately contacting the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Elder and Vulnerable Adult Task Force.
Investigators say Smith has now been arrested in Tallahassee for grand robbery, aged exploitation, fraud and forgery.
They say after Fernandez rented a room in Smith’s Margate house, Smith went to paintings. In not up to two months’ time, Smith had energy of lawyer for excess of simply scientific causes.
Prosecutors allege she were given two quitclaim deeds at the sufferer’s source of revenue properties. Investigators say she took a loan out on one, all with out the sufferer’s wisdom or consent.
“We can win. We won here, she won. She went through a lot, but she’s sitting here a victorious lady because of caring friends, watchful friends, eyes and ears,” Fernandez Rundle mentioned.
At one level, the Florida Department of Children and Families were given concerned on this case, following an nameless grievance referring to elder exploitation.
Police went and performed a welfare take a look at, and that’s how they mentioned the sufferer came upon her properties have been transferred to the defendant.
Fernandez Rundle mentioned the case stays underneath investigation.
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