Elder abuse cases on rise
Lincoln County has seen several cases in past couple weeks
UPDATED 9:03 PM EDT Mar 24, 2015
IN THE WEEK WITH MY TOTAL FORECAST IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. STEVE: THIS EVENING, WE ARE LOOKING AT ELDER ABUSE, A CRIME AGAINST SENIORS GAINING THE ATTENTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. NOT JUST PHYSICAL ABUSE THAT FINANCIAL ABUSE AS WELL. LINCOLN COUNTY HAS SEEN SEVERAL CASES IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS ALONE. KYLE JONES WAS THERE AND JOINS US NOW TO TELL US WHAT INVESTIGATORS SAY CAN BE DONE. KYLE: OFFICIALS SAY LINCOLN COUNTY HAS ONE OF THE OLDEST POPULATIONS IN THE STATE AND ONE OF THE OLDEST POPULATIONS IN THE COUNTRY. THEY SAY ELDER ABUSE IN THE FORM OF FINANCIAL ABUSE IS SHOWING UP MORE FREQUENTLY. IT IS A CRIME THAT OFTEN GOES UNREPORTED, BUT PEOPLE ARE TAKING NOTE AND TAKING UP THE CAUSE OF THE VICTIMS. FINANCIAL ABUSE CASES COME ACROSS THE DESK OF SCOTT HAYDEN MORE OFTEN THAN HE WOULD LIKE. IT HAS BEEN MORE FREQUENTLY. I WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF MONTH ON AVERAGE. KYLE: THAT MAY BE A GOOD AND BAD THING. HE SAYS IT IS A CRIME THAT OFTEN GOES UNREPORTED. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ELDERLY ARE EASY VICTIMS. THEY MAY BE NAIVE ABOUT FINANCES GOING ON AROUND THEM. IT MAY NEVER BE DISCOVERED. KYLE: COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES LIKE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ARE BRINGING THEM TO LIGHT, LIKE THE CASE OF DEBRA TOWNSEND, WHO WAS INDICTED ON CHARGES OF THEFT AGAINST HER MOTHER. THIS WOMAN AND HER HUSBAND AMASSED THIS WEALTH. THEY WERE ACQUIRING LAND AND ASSETS. KYLE: COURT DOCUMENTS ALLEGE THE THEFT IS A CLASS B FELONY VALUED AT MORE THAN $10,000. SOMEONE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEM. KYLE: THE NATIONAL CENTER ON ELDER ABUSE FOUND 13% OF MISTREATMENT ALLEGATIONS INVESTIGATED WERE FOR MENTAL EXPLICATION AND THAT CAN BE COUPLED WITH PHYSICAL ABUSE. PAUL DETECTIVE HAGAN SAYS HE IS SEEING IT MORE, HE SAYS PEOPLE SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF WHO THEY TRUST AND CHECK WITH OTHERS ON IMPORTANT FINANCIAL DECISIONS. DO NOT BE FORCED INTO SIGNING DOCUMENTS YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH. KYLE: IF YOU SPOT ANYTHING UNUSUAL FOR SOMEONE YOU CARE ABOUT, TELL POLICE. WE HOPE THAT THE OFFENDER HAS TO PAY RESTITUTION FOR WHAT THEY TOOK AT A MINIMUM. THERE COULD ALSO BE JAIL SENTENCES, FINES ON TOP OF THAT. KYLE: WE ALSO CHECKED IN WITH POLICE IN WALDOBORO WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD THREE CASES OF FINANCIAL ABUSE THIS YEAR, INCLUDING ONE INVOLVING SCOTT JORDAN, A LIEUTENANT AT CUMBERLAND COUNTY JAIL WAS RECENTLY INDICTED ON THEFT CHARGES. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THESE
Elder abuse is a crime against senior citizens that is gaining the attention of law enforcement.
Click here to watch the report
Lincoln County has seen several cases in the past couple weeks.
Elder abuse is a crime that often goes unreported, but people are starting to take note and officials are taking up the cause on behalf of victims.
Financial elder abuse cases come across the desk of Detective Scott Hayden more often than he'd like.
"Unfortunately pretty frequently. I would say a couple a month, sometimes more, sometimes less," said Hayden.
But, coordination with other agencies, like Health and Human Services, are bringing the cases to light. Like the case of Debra S. Townsend-Sokoll, who was recently indicted on charges of theft, allegedly against her mother.
"This woman and her husband through their life amassed this wealth, you know, they were acquiring land and assets," Hayden said.
Court documents allege the theft is a class B felony, valued at more than $10,000.
"And in the end, someone took advantage of them and took those things they worked so hard to get," Hayden said.
The National Center on Elder Abuse found 13 percent of the mistreatment allegations investigated were for financial exploitation and it can be coupled with physical abuse.
Hayden said he's seeing it more, and people should be very careful about who they trust and check with others on important financial decisions.
"Don't be forced into signing any documents you're not comfortable with," Hayden said.
And if you spot anything unusual for you or someone you're caring for, talk with police.
"In the end, we hope the offender has to pay restitution for what they took, at minimum. And then there could also be jail sentences and fines on top of that also," Hayden said.
Waldoboro police said they've already had three cases of financial elder abuse this year, including one involving Scott Jordan, a lieutenant at the Cumberland County Jail who was recently indicted on theft charges.
Officials said sometimes it can be hard to tell the extent of these crimes, but it's estimated to cost U.S. victims almost $2.9 million a year.
Click here to watch the report
Lincoln County has seen several cases in the past couple weeks.
Elder abuse is a crime that often goes unreported, but people are starting to take note and officials are taking up the cause on behalf of victims.
Financial elder abuse cases come across the desk of Detective Scott Hayden more often than he'd like.
"Unfortunately pretty frequently. I would say a couple a month, sometimes more, sometimes less," said Hayden.
But, coordination with other agencies, like Health and Human Services, are bringing the cases to light. Like the case of Debra S. Townsend-Sokoll, who was recently indicted on charges of theft, allegedly against her mother.
"This woman and her husband through their life amassed this wealth, you know, they were acquiring land and assets," Hayden said.
Court documents allege the theft is a class B felony, valued at more than $10,000.
"And in the end, someone took advantage of them and took those things they worked so hard to get," Hayden said.
The National Center on Elder Abuse found 13 percent of the mistreatment allegations investigated were for financial exploitation and it can be coupled with physical abuse.
Hayden said he's seeing it more, and people should be very careful about who they trust and check with others on important financial decisions.
"Don't be forced into signing any documents you're not comfortable with," Hayden said.
And if you spot anything unusual for you or someone you're caring for, talk with police.
"In the end, we hope the offender has to pay restitution for what they took, at minimum. And then there could also be jail sentences and fines on top of that also," Hayden said.
Waldoboro police said they've already had three cases of financial elder abuse this year, including one involving Scott Jordan, a lieutenant at the Cumberland County Jail who was recently indicted on theft charges.
Officials said sometimes it can be hard to tell the extent of these crimes, but it's estimated to cost U.S. victims almost $2.9 million a year.
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