Daughter alleges nurse transferred father's South Carolina home for $5 before his death
A Maryland woman says her father's caregiver moved a quit-claim deed for his Conway, South Carolina house to herself for five dollars shortly before the senior's death.
Nora Rowland, a resident of Baltimore, grew concerned when her 75-year-old father, Robert Rowland, stopped receiving regular visits while under the care of nurse Sarah Smalls. She drove roughly 460 miles to Conway, South Carolina, only to discover the house painted orange and the interior altered. Court documents reveal that a quit-claim deed transferred the property to Smalls for five dollars on April 17, after she had been named his power of attorney following his relocation to a senior living community.
When Rowland confronted Smalls, the nurse responded with profanity, and police arrested Rowland on trespassing charges before releasing her. The incident highlights potential abuse of power-of-attorney arrangements in elder-care settings.
Why it matters
It underscores risks of financial exploitation when caregivers gain legal authority over vulnerable seniors.
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