Clay County launched a task force Tuesday to investigate guardians who exploit elderly residents and children. Sheriff Michelle Cook and Clerk of Court and Comptroller Tara Green announced the multi-agency effort at a joint news conference.
The Guardianship Task Force brings together the sheriff's office, the state attorney's office and law enforcement partners from surrounding counties, Action News Jax reported. The goal is to centralize investigations that were previously split between the clerk's office and sheriff's investigators.
Cook said complaints had been handled piecemeal, with administrative reviews and criminal probes pursued separately. The task force changes that.
"From the origination of the complaint all the way to the outcome of the investigation, we're all on the page," Cook said at the announcement.
Case Exposed Financial Abuse of Elderly Woman
The effort was prompted by a case auditors in the clerk's office uncovered last year. A family member serving as guardian depleted an elderly woman's bank account, took her monthly pension, sold her property and left her without personal effects while medical bills went unpaid, according to Green. The woman had inherited a large sum of money. Green said the guardian took "hundreds and thousands of dollars" from her.
State Law Requires Annual Guardian Audits
By state law, reports submitted by court-appointed guardians are audited annually by the clerk's office. Those audits examine wards' physical well-being, financial accounts and asset status. Green said hundreds of children and vulnerable adults in Clay County receive services through court-appointed guardians.
Green said most guardianships are handled legally and with compassion. But when a guardianship is mismanaged or conducted illegally, she said, the results for vulnerable people can be severe. Legal guardians can be family members, court-appointed professionals or members of the public approved by the state.
Officials Vow Accountability for Bad Guardians
Cook warned that the new task force will be watching. She said anyone taking advantage of a person under guardianship will be held accountable.
Resources Available for Reporting Suspected Abuse
Officials urged residents to ask questions before appointing or hiring a guardian and to report suspicious activity. Resources are available at clayclerk.com/departments/civil-court-services/guardianship/.
Residents who suspect exploitation can call the Florida Department of Children and Families Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE or the court-appointed guardian ethics hotline at 1-855-305-3030.
