Guardianship Fraud (Part 1 of 2)

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Knife – "Guardianship Fraud (Part 1 of 2)"

Podcast: The Knife: A True Crime Podcast
Hosts: Hannah Smith & Patia Eaton
Date: July 9, 2026
Guest: Julie Belshee

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Episode Overview

In this gripping first installment of a two-part series, The Knife explores the devastating personal impact of guardianship fraud through the story of Julie Belshee and her family. After her elderly parents mysteriously vanish over Labor Day weekend in 2013, Julie is forced to unravel a web of deception involving a for-profit private guardian named April Parks. Julie's emotional account serves as both a cautionary tale and a window into systemic failures that make such abuses possible.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Julie’s Background and Her Relationship with Her Parents

• Julie describes her upbringing in Los Angeles, her tight-knit family, and her parents’ deep love.
  • "[My parents] were very much in love. And they were together for, you know, a lifetime. Married for, I think, 60 plus years." (03:23 – Julie Belshee)
• After moving to Las Vegas in 1992, her parents followed three years later to be closer to Julie and her children.
• Rennie (Julie’s mother) was diagnosed with leukemia in 1995, went into remission, but relapsed in 2012, requiring significant care.

The Decision to Accept Hospice Care

• The family brings in hospice support as Rennie’s health declines, but she gradually improves and regains independence.
• "She actually wanted to see a movie or go shopping... so, yeah, she definitely was getting better." (07:41 – Julie Belshee)

The Disappearance: Labor Day Weekend 2013

• Julie can’t reach her parents despite multiple phone calls; concerned, she visits their home and finds unusual signs (uncollected newspaper, house closed up).
  • "Red flag to me. I’m like, what’s going on? ... I got in the car, I went to the clubhouse... I know in my heart of hearts they're not there." (10:31–11:49 – Julie Belshee)
• Julie contacts hospitals, her parents’ landlord, and the police but receives no useful information.
  • Police are dismissive: "They're adults, you know, they could have just gone on a vacation." (18:03 – Julie Belshee)
• Only after several days does Julie find a cryptic notice on her parents’ door: “In case of emergency, contact April Parks, CG guardian.” (19:35)

Encountering the Guardianship System

• Julie is stunned when April Parks, a woman she has never met or heard of, claims to be her parents’ court-appointed guardian and refuses to let Julie take them home.
  • “You can go see them, Mrs. Belshee, but you cannot take them. ...I have guardianship of your parents.” (21:36 – Julie Belshee)
• April Parks relocates Julie’s parents to an assisted living facility 45 minutes away—without explanation or family notification.

Visiting the Assisted Living Facility

• Staff treat Julie as a stranger, insisting her parents are “acclimating greatly.”
• A distressed resident, Adolfo, pleads for help:
  • "He’s a little old man...like trying to convey a message, like, help me, help me, this April Parks." (27:44 – Julie Belshee)
• Julie finds her parents in a medicated, distressed, and neglected state:
  • "My mom is sitting in her wheelchair...my dad was on the couch, almost in fetal position. ...They looked horrible, ...pasty...cloudy eyes." (31:09 – Julie Belshee)

How April Parks Took Control: The Guardianship Mechanism

• Rennie and Rudy (Julie's parents) recount being ambushed in their home by hospice workers and April Parks, forced to leave within 10–15 minutes under threat of police intervention.
  • “April Parks tells my father...she's an officer of the court...We’re going to take you for a respite...go to an assisted living facility for a respite...If they did not comply, they could call the police, be separated, or arrested.” (33:53 – Julie Belshee)
• Their cell phones and possessions are withheld; they are taken to the facility with only one rushed bag each.

Legal Justification & Systemic Failure

• Julie learns her father’s doctor had signed a form declaring him mentally unfit; a physician's assistant did the same for her mother. Neither parent had a history of dementia or similar incapacity.
  • "His doctor, his internist, signed a form without his knowledge stating that he needed immediate guardianship and he was mentally unfit...Rudy had no idea." (47:22 – Narrator)
• These forms, without adequate investigation or consent, enable the transfer to a for-profit private guardian via court order with little to no oversight.

Ripple Effects and Systemic Pattern

• Julie’s efforts to consult attorneys and professionals reveal this is not an isolated incident; it's a broader, more pervasive problem.
• Multiple attorneys warn Julie:
  • “You’re going to have to get a really good attorney. Not an attorney on the corner, you know, a kid. You have to get somebody who really knows what they’re doing.” (49:24 – Julie Belshee)
• It becomes clear April Parks has targeted many others:
  • “This was not a mistake. This was intentional. And this was so much bigger than Julie ever could have imagined.” (50:51 – Narrator)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Julie on discovering her parents missing:
  • "Somebody took my parents." (13:30)
• On April Parks’ demeanor:
  • "She's like, talking to me in a condescending way...like a teacher talking down to you." (21:36)
• Julie's realization of the depth and scale of guardianship abuse:
  • "This does happen in America. All over." (25:08)
• Her parents' experience during their removal:
  • "Five people in their living room telling my dad, 'you need to go'...You have 10 minutes. Where are your keys? ...My mom's looking to my dad for, like, help, get these people out of our house." (33:53)

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Julie's Background, Family History: 02:52–05:16
• Rennie’s Cancer and Hospice: 05:16–08:30
• Discovery of Parents Missing: 08:39–14:25
• Police Response and Lack of Support: 18:03–19:14
• Finding Notice on Door / Guardianship Revelation: 19:35–23:51
• Call to April Parks and Facility Details: 20:56–26:12
• First Facility Visit & Distress: 27:44–33:46
• Parents' Account of Removal: 33:53–41:32
• The Guardianship Legal Process: 43:50–47:22
• Discovery of Systemic Abuse: 49:24–51:12

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Tone and Presentation

Throughout the episode, Hannah and Patia maintain an empathetic and urgent tone, emphasizing the personal devastation and systemic callousness. Julie’s testimony is emotionally raw, oscillating between bewilderment, fear, and resolve.

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Conclusion / What’s Next

The episode concludes with Julie beginning to mobilize a legal fight to return her parents home, only to realize how labyrinthine and corrupt the guardianship system has become. Part 2 will continue the story, presumably focusing on Julie's legal battle and further exposé of guardianship abuse.

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For anyone interested in the realities of elder abuse, legal overreach, and the often hidden world of guardianship fraud, this episode is a must-listen.

Transcript

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[Hannah Smith]

This story contains adult content and language. Listener discretion is advised.

[Patia Eaton]

The claims and opinions in this podcast are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the Knife or exactly right media.

[Julie Belshee]

You can't just walk into my parents house and take my parents. I said I'm picking them up and I'm bringing them home. And she's like, oh no, no, no. Oh no.

[Narrator]

Welcome to the Knife.

[Hannah Smith]

I'm Hannah Smith.

[Patia Eaton]

I'm Patia Eaton. This week we have part one of a two parter. We speak with Julie Belshee. In 2013, Julie was living in Las Vegas with her family. Her parents lived close by and she saw them regularly. That is, until one day when they mysteriously disappeared.

[Narrator]

What began as a desperate search for answers soon became something far stranger. After finding her parents, Julie spent the next 18 months unraveling a complex web of deception and fighting to undo the damage that had been done.

[Patia Eaton]

Let's get into it. Hi Julie, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us today.

[Julie Belshee]

Thank you so much for having me. Patia.

[Patia Eaton]

Yeah, we'd love it if you could Just start off by telling us a little bit about yourself.

[Julie Belshee]

Okay. Well, I am a mother, first of three boys, and I've been married for my God forever, since 1988 to my husband, who's my best friend of an animal person. And I love to cook. I love my family.

[Patia Eaton]

Yeah, you know, we're here to talk about something that happened in your family, and this involves your parents. So could you tell us a little bit about your parents?

[Julie Belshee]

So my parents met at Fairfax High School. My dad was two years older than my mom. I think she was like 14. He was 16 years old. My mom, she was a stay at home mom. Just very supportive. My father was a business consultant. He worked at ktla. He worked for Gene Autry, he worked in the music industry. We grew up in Los Angeles for the most part. They were very old school. My dad put my mother up on a pedestal and they were very in love. It was like my sister and I used to go, oh, like disgusting. Like, they would dance after dinner and put their music on. And they were very much in love. And they were together for, you know, a lifetime. Married for, I think, 60 plus years,

[Narrator]

Julie spent most of her life in the Los Angeles area. But in 1992, she and her husband moved to Las Vegas. This was right before their first son was born. Three years later, in 1995, her parents, Rudy and Rennie, also relocated to Las Vegas to be closer to their grandkids.

[Julie Belshee]

So my relationship with my parents, very, very close. And they're very interactive with the children and with their grandchildren. My dad would go every weekend, take them to Michael's, take them to the. He would bring them back to his house. He had the piano. You step on with them and you put together little puzzles, read to them, get them to think outside of the box creatively. And my relationship with them, exceptionally close. I talked to them, you know, a couple times a day, if not saw them every day. They only live two miles away from me, so they're always picking up the boys and the eel and coming over to eat. All holidays were at our house. So very close.

[Narrator]

Julie's mother, Rennie, was diagnosed with leukemia in 1995. She had treatment and went into remission. Unfortunately, the cancer returned in 2012 and the diagnosis was not good.

[Julie Belshee]

They were living in Sun City Aliante in North Las Vegas, and we were living about 10, 15 minutes away from them. I saw my parents a couple times a week, spoke with them every day. She was determined. When they diagnosed her, they told her, you'll be lucky if you Live until, you know, you see Christmas. And she told the doctor, you're not God. You know, I have grandchildren. Don't tell me what I'm going to do. She had such a strong constitution.

[Narrator]

Yeah.

[Julie Belshee]

One of the strongest women I've ever met in my life. I would go and help them for, like, six months. And I went there six days a week when my mom's cancer was full, like, blown, just to help my dad, you know, and get her out of the house, take her to get her hair done, you know, clean and do things like that. But then after that six months, my dad said that the doctor had told him that we thought my mom should go on hospice. So I was really upset, and I'm like, no, mom does not need to go in hospice. It's her choice. It's her life. Don't let other people tell you, you know, what to do. I can still help. And they're like, no, it's too much. You know, you have the kids and everything. We'll just have a caretaker come in from hospice. So they went ahead and did that and respected their wishes.

[Narrator]

It was an emotional decision for Julie to bring in hospice care. On the one hand, it was good to have some help, but on the other hand, she didn't feel ready for her mom to die. Hospice care is reserved for the end of someone's life. It's focused on making someone comfortable. And pain management. It's typically only offered in the last weeks or months of someone's life. And it can be hard to know when is the right time to make that decision with a loved one. Julie said the doctor recommended it, and although she didn't think her mom was dying, she did think her dad could use some extra help with the caretaking. So a hospice team came into their home several times a week. And as the months went by, Rennie started to get better, not worse.

[Julie Belshee]

She's almost to the point where she doesn't need her chair anymore. I'm like, you know, mom, here's the walker.

[Hannah Smith]

Let's go.

[Julie Belshee]

Like, this is enough. Like, we're not using it as a crutch. I just. We were all trying our hardest. You know, my husband is very athletic. He played football. My kids, same. So, like, come on, Grandma. Like, come on, you know? And it helped her. She didn't want to just sit there and be like a Moby. The physical therapy people are coming out more. The hospice was coming in less. My mom wanted to go and, you know, do things with my dad outside of, you know, taking a walk. Or going to the grocery store. She actually wanted to see a movie or go shopping or, you know, do things with him. So, yeah, she definitely was getting better.

[Narrator]

Things were looking up. Which made what happened Next in late August 2013 even more shocking to Julie.

[Julie Belshee]

So it was August 30th, Labor Day weekend. What led me up to going there was we did have plans. Every year right before the boys summer was going to end. School starts, my boys would go over there, grandchildren get together. We all would take a master dinner. So we had plans on Friday, and I had just talked to my mom on Thursday. Everything was fine. We were going to see them on Friday. So I called in the morning and I figured, okay, well, they just missed the call at first. And, you know, I'm an early bird. They get up a little bit later. So I thought, oh, maybe they just missed the phone. Which is unusual. They'd always pick up for me. So I called, probably I'm neurotic. So I called maybe six, seven, eight times. Okay? Over a course of three hours, I'm calling their home phone, calling their cell phone. Nobody's picking up. I just had a weird feeling, you know, that's if they're not going to be there, they always will call me. We're in communication all the time. So I basically am trying to go through the motions, making breakfast, doing everything I need to do, you know, getting myself ready. We're still gonna go, boys, get ready, get ready. We're going to see Grandma. Well, I just decided, I think it was, I'm gonna say, like, 1030, 1045. Okay? I'm like, I'm going by myself. I don't want to worry them, but I already have a feeling like something. Like, I'm gonna pull up to God knows what. I don't know, something's off. So I got in the car, I pull up to their house. It took me 15, 20 minutes. And the first thing I noticed as I pulled up, the newspaper is on the doormat.

[Hannah Smith]

Was that unusual?

[Julie Belshee]

Very unusual. That was my dad's routine. And he told the paper boy, you know, older people want things done in a certain way. So he told him, leaving on the doormat, wrap it in plastic with the rubber band around it. I mean, no matter what the weather, we. That's how we do it. He was old school. Collect things done a certain way. So his paper was there. Red flag to me. I'm like, what's going on? You know? And so I walked to the side of the house. So I'm looking trying my hardest to look. Usually the blades, my mom always closes up. They're closed down. I can kind of like peek in, but not really. I can't really see anything. I can see a light on. And that was about it. So I go to the back, hoping that, you know, their back, which they had like a little patio. And then the house is literally on the golf course. So then there's the golf course, and it's a sliding glass door. So I go. And I'm, you know, trying to look through the vertical blinds. Nothing. So I picked up the newspaper, I got in the car. I mean, I was screaming their names.

[Hannah Smith]

Did you not have a spare key?

[Julie Belshee]

I did, but I had given it back to my dad not too long before, so I didn't have it. And so I got in the car and I went to the clubhouse. My parents would never go to the clubhouse. But I was thinking, okay, let me go, maybe by chance, you know, and then I'm looking around and I know in my heart of hearts they're not there. Get in the car again. And I'm driving home and I'm like, where are my parents? Where are they?

[Hannah Smith]

When you're thinking, where are they? Because that's such a scary situation. Like, you know, something's wrong. The newspaper is like a clear giveaway.

[Narrator]

What were you thinking?

[Hannah Smith]

Could have been the case.

[Julie Belshee]

My mind was going a million miles a minute. I mean, it was racing. My thoughts were racing. So I tried to calm down and just think, okay, maybe my dad had to take my mom to the hospital. Maybe my dad is sick. That's all I kept thinking. That was the only thing that explained anything because otherwise they would have called me. That are they were taken out of their house. Somebody actually kidnapped my parents. Nothing made sense. I mean, I couldn't think any other way.

[Narrator]

It's a strange thought to have enter Julie's mind and not one that she can really explain. She just had a strong sensation that someone had taken her parents.

[Patia Eaton]

I mean, when all of this was happening, you had initially planned that your kids would go over with you. They don't end up going. But did you tell your husband, hey, I can't reach my mom and dad.

[Julie Belshee]

So I actually wanted to call my husband right away because I was panicking and he always calmed me down. I was like over analytical, and he's very simple. So I had left my phone at home. So when I did get home, I came out in the house and my girlfriend was sitting in the back with my husband. And I said, my parents are gone. And I Said somebody took my parents. And my husband's like, Julie, like looked at me like, you know, you're nuts. Like, somebody did not take your parents. Something happened. Calm down. Very rational, trying to calm me down because I just didn't know what else to think. And yeah, that's all I kept thinking is somebody took my parents, somebody kidnapped my parents.

[Patia Eaton]

What do you do with that feeling paired with that? You literally can't find your parents.

[Julie Belshee]

So I started calling hospitals. I called my parents landlord and it went to his voicemail and I said, you know, Doug, I just want to let you know that my mom and dad are not answering their door. I had plans with them today. They're not answering their phones. Please let me know, you know, if you go by there. Please let me know if you see them. Or could you check because he lived in the same community as them.

[Patia Eaton]

Are you eventually then able to get into the house or how does that happen?

[Julie Belshee]

No, I'm not able to get into the house. And as the day proceeded, it was trying to just keep myself as calm as possible. Say, you know what, they are going to turn up. I called probably six hospitals, different hospitals and they're not there. Neither one of them is checked in there. I did call my mom's sisters. She had two sisters, one's passed away. I called them and let them know, have they heard from my mom and dad.

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[Narrator]

It was labor day weekend of 2013 when Julie Belshee's parents suddenly went missing. They weren't answering their phones, they weren't responding. When she went by their house. Julie's first thought was, someone has kidnapped my parents. She called local hospitals looking for them,

[Patia Eaton]

but that led nowhere throughout the weekend. As this goes on, that you can't find them, you know, how does that feel?

[Julie Belshee]

Feels extremely helpless. And I did call the police, I did tell them, but I called them too soon and they told them that, you know, those are your parents, they're adults, you know, and they could have just gone on a vacation. They're trying to tell me like things that I already know. But being their only child, their only surviving child and being so close to them, I'm like listening to them thinking, oh my God, these people are just stupid. But you know, they're just doing their job, also trying to keep me logical, I guess.

[Hannah Smith]

Did you call the police within the first 24 hours?

[Julie Belshee]

It was within the first 24 hours.

[Hannah Smith]

And what did they say? Did they tell you to call back at a certain time if you hadn't heard from your parents?

[Julie Belshee]

I don't remember them telling me to call back. I just remember that they basically were trying to calm me down because I was frantic at that point. I was so immediately traumatized. I knew in my heart of heart something was wrong. We went back and forth to their house several times just thinking, okay, wait, like are they inside the house? Am I missing something? Did somebody like God forbid, kill them? You know, all these things are going through your head.

[Narrator]

At the time, Julie didn't know that she could have Requested a wellness check from the local police department. And as far as she can remember, the police officer she spoke with did not offer that as an option.

[Hannah Smith]

This was the Friday of that Labor Day weekend.

[Narrator]

And Julie didn't get any information on her parents whereabouts until the following Tuesday.

[Julie Belshee]

So we went back on Tuesday morning, and there was a white 8 by 12 piece of paper, and it said, in case of emergency, contact April Parks and CG guardian. This is on the outside of the front door.

[Hannah Smith]

You're still not able to get into the house because you thought you had a key, but you didn't end up having a spare key. And so you're just showing up hoping you're on the outside of the house.

[Patia Eaton]

Yeah.

[Julie Belshee]

And I also do notice that they had a timer. There's a light that's going on and off.

[Patia Eaton]

And you're noticing that a light has been turning on and off on a timer. That wasn't that way before.

[Julie Belshee]

Right, I noticed there's a light. And again, I can't see through the blinds. I can't see anything inside. So, yeah.

[Patia Eaton]

So strange. I cannot imagine how you were feeling in that moment.

[Narrator]

It was clear to Julie that someone had been inside the house. The light that was on a timer had never been there before. Who put it there. At least Julie now had a clue. The piece of paper taped to the outside of the front door.

[Patia Eaton]

So you get this notice on the door, you see the name April Parks, court appointed guardian. Is there a phone number? Like, what do you do with this?

[Julie Belshee]

There is a phone number. So I got back in my car and immediately came home. And I called my husband. He came home. And then I called her right away. And I introduced myself. I said, you know, I'd like to speak with Mrs. Parks or April Parks. My name is Julie Belshay. I'm Rudy and Rennie North's daughter. And they said, hold on, please. I hold on. She gets on and she's like, oh, hi, Julie. And I'm like, hi, April. I don't even remember what I said, but I know I was like. My blood was just, like, fuming, and I'm, like, shaking. And I said, who are you? And she said, oh, my name is April Parks and I'm a private guardian. And I said, okay. I mean, I didn't even know. I'm like, not even clicked. Don't know what you're talking about. I know I'm a guardian. I know I'm a mother of three boys, but I know nothing of this. I'm a private guardian. Nothing conservatorship. Guardian did not register my brain. I'm like, okay, so where are my parents? And she says, oh, oh. Like, she's like, trying to calm me down, almost like talking to me in a condescending way. She's like, oh, you're the daughter. I'm like, yes, I'm the daughter. Where are my parents? And she goes, oh, your parents are fine. They're at Lakeview Assisted Living Facility. And I'm like, april, I said, you cannot do that. You can't just walk into my parents house and take my parents. And I said, I'm going to go see them. I'm picking them up and I'm bringing them home. And she's like, oh, no, no, no. Oh, no, no, no. Like a teacher talking down to you. I'm like, okay. She goes, you can go see them, Mrs. Belshee, but you cannot take them. And I'm like, okay. And she said, I have guardianship of your parents Again. Don't know what this is. Okay, so, like, you own my parents now. I don't understand. She's acting like she's got full control over my mom and dad. I could go visit them, but I have to leave. And I got their address and my husband came with me, and we got in the car and we drove out. It was in Boulder City, and it was like, probably, I would say, a mile away from, or maybe two miles away from Lake Meadows. It's a drive. So she didn't take them anywhere close or convenient for them? I'm like, yeah.

[Hannah Smith]

Had you ever heard of this person before? April Parks?

[Julie Belshee]

Never.

[Hannah Smith]

You never met her?

[Julie Belshee]

Never met her, never heard of her,

[Hannah Smith]

Never heard your parents talk about her?

[Julie Belshee]

Never.

[Hannah Smith]

Nothing. So you have this conversation. It's like your parents are missing. Suddenly this random lady you've never met is saying, I have legal guardianship and I've actually moved them from their house to this facility. And how far away is that facility from where you were living at the time? Like, how long is that drive?

[Julie Belshee]

It's probably 45 minutes an hour, depending on the season.

[Hannah Smith]

Was your husband Scott also on this phone call, or were you, like, telling him about it?

[Julie Belshee]

I had her on speaker and he kept quiet. You know, listened. I mean, red flags going off everywhere. Everywhere. I just knew. I knew, like, okay, I've got to, like, remain in control here somewhat and be professional still and be calm in front of these people. But behind the scenes, I'm like, literally crying. Are so angry. I'm like, it's very traumatizing.

[Hannah Smith]

What did that conversation between you and Scott look like on that 45 minute drive to go see your parents?

[Julie Belshee]

How could she have taken them? You know, this is like in violation of their constitutional rights. This is America. I mean, like, we're in disbelief. I start looking up on my phone. Guardianship, start seeing these nightmare stories. This does happen in America. All over we're talking. I'm multitasking, looking at the phone. I want to just see my mom and dad. That is the most important thing to me. I want to make sure my mom and dad are okay because I didn't know where they were for so long. And just those few days actually seemed like an eternity. The unknown. I knew something was wrong, you know, from the very beginning. Yeah, Yeah.

[Patia Eaton]

I mean, I think it's amazing how quickly you acted and knew that something was wrong. So on that drive, this is your first opportunity to even research what the heck guardianship is. And then where do you go to see them?

[Julie Belshee]

We went to Lakeview Assisted Living Facility.

[Patia Eaton]

Are you able to then walk in and see and speak with your parents?

[Julie Belshee]

I am. So we pulled up and it looked like like a Marriott or Residence Inn turned into an assisted living facility. And we walked in and there was an older woman, a receptionist, and I told them our names and we'd like to go and see Rudy and Rennie north, and I'm their daughter. And we signed in, my husband and I signed in. And as we were walking towards the elevator, there's like the dining room area and the elevator to the right. I said, I just like to know if I'm going the right way to the elevator. And I said, I'm here to see Rudy and ready noor. And this woman says to me, oh, my name's Joanne and I'm the director. And your parents are acclimating greatly. They're doing really well. And I'm looking at her like, okay, I don't have to be a certain way in front of these people. So I said, oh, good. You know, good. I'm glad that they are. It was just like kind of being like in the Twilight Zone. So we're walking down the hallway and this man grabs me and he's a little old man. And I wasn't intimidated. Like he was scared, like trying to convey a message, like, help me, help me this April Parks. And I'm like looking at him like, okay.

[Hannah Smith]

He said, april Parks?

[Julie Belshee]

Yeah.

[Hannah Smith]

He said, help me, help me.

[Julie Belshee]

Yes.

[Patia Eaton]

What are you even making of that in the moment?

[Julie Belshee]

Well, I took my arms back away from him. I'm like, okay, I said, you know, calm down again. I'm mindful of people. Enough. He's in trauma. He's like trying to convey something. I don't know what's going on. I know I want to see my mom and dad. So I said, okay. I said, hi, my name's Julie, you know. And I shook his hand and he said, hi, I'm Adolfo. And he did calm down a little. And Scott talked to him a little little like I'm talking maybe a minute. And I just wanted to see my mom and dad.

[Patia Eaton]

And then you continue on down the hallway.

[Julie Belshee]

Yes.

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[Narrator]

Julie and her husband Scott arrived at Lakeview Assisted Living facility, about a 45 minute drive from their home. They had been told that Julie's parents had been relocated there and that Julie could visit but would not be permitted to take her parents out of the facility. She said the whole thing felt like a bad dream.

[Julie Belshee]

So I go to open the door and the door opens. And so when you walk in, there's like a little kitchenette. There was a refrigerator, sink, microwave. And then the bedroom was on the left. It was a model unit and the mattress was so thin. And I'm just trying to take it all in, but I want my, I want to see my parents. And it is very cold feeling in there. And I look to the left and my mom is sitting in her wheelchair and she's like kind of just slumped over and I'm like, like, mom. And she goes, julie, honey, honey, you know my mom and I just gave her a big hug and just told her, it's going to be okay, mom. It's going to be okay. We're going to do this, Mom. And my dad was on the couch and he's like almost in like a fetal position. He's kind of just like coward on the couch. Not usually my dad, like my dad used to on the couch reading a book, listening to the news or has his music playing, sitting there like he's the king, you know, just different the whole. So, you know, I watched over my dad. I said, hi, dad. And they looked horrible. They were like pasty and their eyes looked very cloudy. And I was just so happy to see them. Just, I mean, so relieved that they were alive.

[Hannah Smith]

When you describe them in their cloudy eyes, did you get the sense that they were medicated?

[Julie Belshee]

Oh, yeah, I got the sense that they were overtired, they were dirty, they're unkept. My parents were immaculate people.

[Hannah Smith]

Did you get the sense that they were in distress?

[Julie Belshee]

I got the feeling that they were definitely in distress and they were definitely. My father was ashamed, was emasculated, was embarrassed. His dignity was taken away. So as his daughter was really hard for me to see that and try to act normal, like everything's gonna work out because I didn't even know what was going on. And then my mom, I could see, like, she was mad at my dad, like, old school again. Like, rudy, how could you have let this happen to us? I got all these different vibes, you know, like, we should be in our home, you know, And I'm looking and I'm just trying to, like, tell them everything's going to be okay.

[Patia Eaton]

Do you say to them, though, in this visit, what happened? Like, why are you here? Who is April Parks?

[Julie Belshee]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, after we hugged and I just calmed him down and, like, cleaned my mom up a little bit because it really bothered me. You know, she had stains on her shirt. Is just so, like, surreal to see her not kept, like, the way she liked to look. She was very proud woman. So, yeah, I asked them what happened? Tell me, dad, what happened? You know? And he said, you know, honey, he goes, we were sitting at home, and he said that the caregivers from the hospice company came first, and they weren't supposed to be there that day. But they, you know, of course, let them come in. And they were having coffee. They said they were just there to help us. And he said then they had a little coffee, and he was on the couch, and they said they were going to help my mom go in and take a shower or get dressed. So my mom was in the bedroom, and he said he went from after eating breakfast to go onto the couch, watch the news and read more of the newspaper. My mom was getting dressed. Well, there's already two people there from the hospice company. And there's a knock on the door. And so my father, it's up. And the people from the hospice committee are like, no, no. Well, we'll get it, Rudy. Well, my dad was behind them, but they opened up the door and there was April Parks. And basically the introductions are made, and April Parks tells my father that her name is April Parks and she's an officer of the court. So my dad says, okay, I'd like to see your documents. What is your business here? And, you know, she's like, oh, well, we're going to take you for a respite. You and your wife. We're going to take you to an assisted living facility for a respite. Meanwhile, my dad is, like, being guided to go sit back down comfortably, like, so now he's got five people in his home. Four in the living room, right? My mom's in the bedroom getting dressed, she thinks, for the day. So they told my dad. My dad's. He said, I'd like to see the papers, because she's telling him, we're taking you to an assisted living facility. You know, you guys need some help, and it'll only be for two weeks, and then you'll return home. And my dad's like, oh, no, no, you're not taking us. And he's got these people standing around him like, oh, Rudy, Rudy, you. Like, you need to listen to her. You need to listen to her, Rudy. You'll only go away for two weeks, you know, and then my mom comes into the living room, and she sits on the couch, and this woman comes over to her, and she touches on her knee. My mom made a point, just told me this. It's like, do not touch me. Get out of my house. Get out of my house, Rudy. And then April's like, rudy, like, already trying to, like, warn her, like, you better get your wife in control. You know, my mom's looking to my dad for, like, help get these people out of our house. And my dad's, like, you know, asked April for the papers. She said she would have them to him within two hours, that they were going to go away for the two weeks. And if they did not comply, this is where they, you know, got them to all of a sudden switch gears. They did not comply. That, number one, they could call the police, and they could be taken to a psych ward and be separated, or they could look at this like a respite and go to this home, or they could call the police, and they could possibly be arrested. So the whole entire time this is going down, my mom's looking at my dad like, get these people out of my house. There's five people in their living room telling my dad, you need to go. And then Parks is a monster. Like, she's just telling them, okay, well, you have 10 minutes. You have 10 minutes. Where are your keys? I mean, it's that fast. And they're still trying to understand, wait a second. You're in our house. What's going on? So my mom did ask, you know, I want to call my daughter. I want to call my daughter. You do? And, oh, don't worry. Like, they. I. You know, she already knew that was going to come up. Don't worry. We'll call your daughter for you, Rennie. And my mom was in just utter disbelief. She told him, you have 10 minutes. Go get your things together. Go get your belongings. You have a bag. What do you want to take? My mom went into her bathroom and, you know, just this big closet full of creams and creams and creams and cream. You know, and all her little ointments. And all of a sudden that's what she went to go do. And my dad's like, ready, you've got to take some clothes, you know, too it. So they were basically rushing them through it. I wasn't there. But this is what they're telling me and I know it's the truth. And they're both like, it was unbelievable. And, you know, within 10, 15 minutes, they are out of their house, put in a car. This is in the daytime. This is not at night. They just come during the day. It's total strangers and they're leaving with them.

[Hannah Smith]

What about their cell phones? Did your parents try to get their cell phones or was there any conversation around their cell phone when they were

[Julie Belshee]

leaving, I was calling and my dad said to my mom, that's probably Julie, I have to go get my cell phone. And April said, oh, no, we'll get it later for you. We'll get it for you. Like, hand your keys over, we've got control. You're nothing. Get in the car and do as you're told.

[Patia Eaton]

And how. Not to justify any of this, but for context, how old are your parents in 2013? About, or if you don't know their exact ages.

[Julie Belshee]

I do. 74 and 76 years old. That's young. Yeah.

[Patia Eaton]

And so they're out of the house within 15 minutes in broad daylight. Are they being told where they're being taken? I mean, respite care for the elderly. I just looked it up. Provides temporary relief for primary caregivers offering short term support. Is this something you'd ever heard your dad ask for?

[Julie Belshee]

Never. Never, Never. He would have told me. Never.

[Patia Eaton]

And so they're put in this car. Are they told where they're being taken?

[Julie Belshee]

They're told they're being taken to a place that they can relax and everybody will be doing things for them. Maybe, she said, a nursing home, I'm not sure. But yeah, they were driving and driving. My mom did say, you know, where are you taking us? Like, you're taking us so far from our house. Julie's going to be so worried. And my dad's like, oh, we can't tell Julie. We don't want to worry her. You know, my dad's very protective of me, always has been. And I thought, you know, okay, maybe this is just two weeks. I can call Julie when I get there and we'll be back home. That's what she said.

[Hannah Smith]

Did they get paperwork as promised?

[Julie Belshee]

No, they didn't get their paperwork.

[Narrator]

When Julia had finally located her parents, Rudy and Rennie. She could hardly believe what had happened to them. While it was true that her mother had been ill for the past year, there had never been any question about her parents ability to live in their home. In fact, they hadn't even talked about moving into an assisted living situation because it seemed completely unnecessary. So it was a shock for Julie to discover that this had happened. And even more shocking was the scene state that she found her parents in far worse than they'd been just a few days earlier. Living at their home. They were in a medicated daze and clearly unkempt. And no one had bothered to explain to them why they were there and how it was legal. Julie also said she got the distinct feeling that she was being watched by the staff the whole time she was there. Julie's name, phone number and address was always clearly posted on her parents refrigerator in their home.

[Hannah Smith]

And it was there the day that

[Narrator]

April Parks came to their house and took them away. But no one had bothered to call her. Not April Parks, not anyone from the Lakeview Assisted Living Facility and not any of the hospice care workers who knew that Julie lived in town and just a few minutes away and was very close with her parents. Rudy and Rennie had not been permitted to bring anything from their home with them except one bag each packed in a rush. Their room at Lakeview Assisted Living Facility was small and looked like a hotel room. There was a landline telephone in the room, but they had not called Julie either. And Julie thinks this is because they didn't want to worry her and they hoped the whole nightmare would be over soon. They would be returned to their home and everything would be back the way it was. Now that did not seem likely. When Julie and Scott left that day, Julie's first order of business was to find an attorney and get her parents back.

[Julie Belshee]

I've got to speak to somebody who knows about guardianship. I've got to figure out how to get them out. So it was Tuesday. By Thursday I was at an attorney's office with my husband getting all the papers.

[Hannah Smith]

Were they able to explain to you what happened?

[Julie Belshee]

So they did tell me that April Parks was a private for profit guardian. That she is within her legal rights, that what happened to my parents happens to elderly people that cannot take care of themselves, disabled people. It could happen to children, could happen to anybody that's vulnerable. He even told me you could fall and hit your head, you could go to the hospital and nobody's there and social worker can come in and put you In a guardianship, if you do not have anybody that can care for you.

[Hannah Smith]

So can you explain exactly how April Parks was able to legally do this with your parents? Did your parents signed something at some point that they didn't realize?

[Julie Belshee]

So how it's legal in this specific instance is the guardians are getting. It's called a mini mental. So what happened was with my dad, his pain doctor had signed a form, a letter, stating that my dad did not know where he was, who he was, did not need to go to court, and needed a guardian. On that same day, a physician assistant came into my parents home, met my mom for a half hour and declared her incompetence. And from there, once they had those letters, those letters went to the public guardian. Once the public guardian has it, then she distinguishes if she's going to take it or she's going to give it to a private guardian, a guardian that has an llc, a private party. So they decided to give it to April Parks. That's how April Parks got brought entry.

[Hannah Smith]

But as you're in this attorney's office just trying to understand how this happened, the basic pieces that you first start to put together are that your dad's doctor has signed a document saying he doesn't know where he is, and then a physician's assistant has come in seeing your mom, and they've both signed documents essentially saying that neither of your parents are either physically or mentally fit to be taking care of themselves. This happened about a month before your parents were taken. And there's this document. You find out about that. This same doctor had signed a document saying your dad didn't know where he was and was not mentally fit.

[Julie Belshee]

Right. He's incapacitated. He does not need, and he does not need to go to court. He needs an emergency temporary guardian. I mean, like right away, he cannot take care of himself, he can't take care of his wife.

[Hannah Smith]

And had your dad had any signs of any of that? Just, you know, just for the podcast, like, had your dad ever been diagnosed with anything like dementia? Was he having trouble knowing where he was, anything like that?

[Julie Belshee]

Never. My dad had one time when I was helping them when my mom had her cancer, was full blown. He had a uti, so it had remnants of the same thing because the white blood cell count was super high. So it had resembled like stroke, like things. So then I thought, oh no, my dad's getting like onset of dementia. And then we, you know, nipped it in the butt, took care of him and he was fine.

[Patia Eaton]

And that's by the way very common for elderly people to experience severe symptoms from a UTI.

[Julie Belshee]

Absolutely, yeah. Even you know, people in their 60s, if they UTIs, they very common and very treatable.

[Narrator]

Julie's father Rudy told her he'd seen his doctor a while back and he'd been particularly tired that day. He confided in his doctor that caring for his sick wife had kept him up all night. But at no point did he say that he needed help or that their living situation was unmanageable. What Julie found out later was that after that doctor's visit, his doctor, his internist, signed a form without his knowledge stating that he needed immediate guardianship and he was mentally unfit so he would not be able to appear in court. That this decision needed to be made for him. Rudy had no idea any of this was happening and he never consented to it.

[Hannah Smith]

What's very odd is that about one

[Narrator]

month before Julie's parents were placed into this guardianship without their knowledge or consent, Julie got a phone call her mother saying that this same doctor, Rudy's internist, had just stopped by their house unexpectedly. And the visit was very strange.

[Julie Belshee]

This doctor came to my parents house about a month before this all happened with her husband unannounced and said they just so happened to be in the area and they're walking into my parents house and the husband is looking in my parents artwork. And I only know this because my mom called me right after they left and said that was so weird. This doctor just came to her house with her husband and he was like looking at her artwork and like with a microscope and like that was just very strange, like looking for signatures or whatever. They had, you know, a couple of nice pieces of artwork.

[Hannah Smith]

Wow. So you're finding this out in the attorney's office and it's not adding up to you because this, this doesn't seem like a document that should have been signed. Like it just wasn't true. Like your dad was not actually incapable of speaking for himself or going to court or taking care of himself. And so what do you do with that information?

[Julie Belshee]

Well, first I take it to my parents and you know, I let my mom and dad physically see it so they can start to understand what's going on too. But I also have to be really careful with them because they're in a fragile state. State. And again your dignity is taken away in a matter of minutes. You know, you're, you're out of your house, you're out of your element. You know, you're used to your same environment. They didn't even have really that many clothes. So what I did with those papers was I asked the attorney. Well, originally I had, you know, asked him if he can help me. I want to get my parents back home. This is wrong. This is wrong. They have made a mistake. They're not incapacitated. And he basically talked to me for a while. He was my grandmother's attorney for a long time and he told me that he could not take the case. He said that I was going to have to find a really good attorney. I got told this several times by other people. I mean, my dad knew people that had worked in government and prominent people. And so I called everybody and they told me the same thing. You're going to have to get a really good attorney. Not an attorney on the corner, you know, a kid. You have to get somebody who really knows what they're doing. And I'm thinking, oh my God, like, what is going on here?

[Narrator]

What Julie was about to find out is that what happened to her parents was not an anomaly. There were many others under the guardianship of April Parks. This was not a mistake. This was intentional. And this was so much bigger than Julie ever could have imagined. She geared herself up for a fight.

[Patia Eaton]

That's it for part one. We'll be back next week with part two. If you have a story for us, we would love to hear it. Our email is thenifexactlyrightmedia.com or you can follow us on Instagram, henifepodcast or Bluetooth. Guy at the Knife podcast.

[Hannah Smith]

This has been an exactly right production. Hosted and produced by me, Hannah Smith

[Patia Eaton]

and me, Patia Eaton. Our producers are Tom Breyfogel and Alexis Amorosi.

[Hannah Smith]

This episode was mixed by Tom Breyfogle.

[Patia Eaton]

Our associate producer is Christina Chamberlain.

[Hannah Smith]

Our theme music is by Birds in the Airport.

[Patia Eaton]

Artwork by Vanessa Lilac.

[Hannah Smith]

Executive produced by Karen Kilgariff, Georgia Hardstark and Danielle Kramer.

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