Caregiver Accused of Financial Elder Abuse and Murder in Presumed Death of San Diego Senior Citizen

ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER

A caregiver has been charged with murder and a special circumstance allegation of murder for financial gain in connection with the presumed death of an 89 year-old senior victim in San Diego. Gerald Rabourn, the senior victim, disappeared in October of 2010. His body has never been found, but he has not been heard from and there is no evidence that he is still alive. San Diego elder abuse attorneys say that this is a particularly egregious case of financial elder abuse that ended in tragedy.

The caregiver was hired through a senior care service to provide care to Carolyn Rabourn, Gerald’s wife. Carolyn Rabourn died of cancer in September of 2010. After that, Gerald Rabourn trusted the caregiver with his financial affairs. Within days of the death of his wife, the financial elder abuse began when caregiver began to drain the bank accounts of Gerald Rabourn and convert his assets for her use.

Rabourn’s daughter stated that she tried to convince him to move to the Midwest in October of 2010, but he wanted to stay in his house and live with the caregiver. After that, the caregiver allegedly gave family members inconsistent reports regarding Rabourn’s location after his wife’s death. According to police, there was an abrupt end to Rabourn’s contact with his family, cell phone use, and financial activity after October 21, 2010. Subsequent to that date, his signature was forged on a document to sell the family home and transfer the title of his car, according to police.

Rabourn’s daughter said that her father was financially sound and had told her that she was to inherit his entire estate. An attorney she spoke with told her that her father and the caregiver had come to the office to change his will, but assured her that the caregiver could not get any of her father’s money. She spoke to her father for the last time on October 19, 2010 but did not report him missing until February of 2011. She stated that the caregiver kept giving her reports on the whereabouts of her father during the interim period. When she did not get a birthday card from her father she went to the police because she believed that he was dead. San Diego elder abuse attorneys warn family members that any time they cannot get in touch with a senior family member that something may be seriously wrong.

The body of Gerald Rabourn has never been found. The caregiver has been charged with 11 counts. In addition to the murder with special circumstances, she was charged with elder abuse, embezzlement by a trustee, forgery, grand theft, and auto theft.

Evans Law Firm, Inc. handles elder abuse, financial elder abuse, physical elder abuse, annuity fraud, consumer fraud class actions, insurance and banking fraud cases. If you think that you have witnessed or are the victim of elder abuse, or financial fraud then contact Evans Law Firm, Inc. at 415-441-8669 for a free and confidential consultation, or email us at info@evanslaw.com