Sisters frustrated with the state guardianship program that separated them from their father
Benito Navarro is 92 years old. His daughters, Zoraida and Maritza Navarro, say that for 63 years their father was married to their mother until his death. Shortly after his wife’s death, Navarro began talking about marrying a woman from Peru with whom he had spent time on the phone. His daughters feared that their father was about to enter into a fraudulent marriage. Maritza Navarro recently told WPBF 25 News. “We said, Dad, you can’t do this. You don’t know this woman. It’s illegal. She’s coming here to apply for citizenship fraudulently. You can’t do this.” The sisters turned to the Palm Beach County Guardianship Program in hopes of protecting their father from an illegal marriage. The court placed him under temporary emergency guardianship which is supposed to last 180 days. Almost two years later, their father is still under guardianship. “It was awful. Beyond awful. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go through it,” Maritza Navarro said. placed under guardianship, Benito Navarro was moved from his home and placed in three different establishments. Her longtime home was about to be sold, but the sisters went to court and successfully stopped the sale. And according to his daughters, most of his belongings have left his home. Anthony Palmieri is an Assistant Inspector General and Chief Guardianship Investigator for the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Office of the Comptroller of Palm Beach County. He told WPBF 25 news that conservatorship is a last resort when all other alternatives have been exhausted. Palmieri also said families need to come up with a plan before considering guardianship. “Best practices are all of your advance directives, enduring powers of attorney, joint bank accounts, and trusteeship. The best thing seniors can do is communicate their wishes to their family members,” Palmieri said. The sisters must now get court approval to visit their father. Last month, a judge granted them permission to visit him. It was the first time they had been allowed to see him since May. But they said he wanted to come back and live with them. But now they have to wait for the court to decide his future. “I’m sad that we lost time. It’s just a nightmare,” said Zoraida Navarro.
Benito Navarro is 92 years old. His daughters, Zoraida and Maritza Navarro, say that for 63 years their father was married to their mother until his death. Shortly after his wife’s death, Navarro began talking about marrying a woman from Peru with whom he had spent time on the phone.
His daughters feared that their father was about to enter into a fraudulent marriage. Maritza Navarro recently told WPBF 25 News. “We said, Dad, you can’t do this. You don’t know this woman. It’s illegal. She’s coming here to apply for citizenship fraudulently. You can’t do this.”
The sisters turned to the Palm Beach County Guardianship Program in hopes of protecting their father from an illegal marriage. The court placed him under temporary emergency guardianship which is supposed to last 180 days. Almost two years later, their father is still under guardianship. “It was awful. Beyond awful. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to go through this,” Maritza Navarro said.
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While under judicial guardianship, Benito Navarro was removed from his home and placed in three different institutions. Her longtime home was about to be sold, but the sisters went to court and successfully stopped the sale. And according to his daughters, most of his belongings have left his home.
Anthony Palmieri is an Assistant Inspector General and Chief Guardianship Investigator for the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Office of the Comptroller of Palm Beach County. He told WPBF 25 news that conservatorship is a last resort when all other alternatives have been exhausted. Palmieri also said families need to come up with a plan before considering guardianship.
“Best practices are all of your advance directives, enduring powers of attorney, joint bank accounts, and putting assets in trust. The best thing elders can do is communicate their wishes to family members,” Palmieri said. .
The sisters must now get court approval to visit their father. Last month, a judge granted them permission to visit him. It was the first time they had been allowed to see him since May. But they said he wanted to come back and live with them. But they now have to wait for the court to decide his future.
“I’m sad that we lost time. It’s just a nightmare,” said Zoraida Navarro.
Cnn
