It has been a long time since I posted on this blog. The reason for that is complex, but the abridged explanation can be summed up as simple burnout. Whenever people come to me with their stories, most assuredly, I research the facts to authenticate accounts. But I, also, end up, unwittingly, being emotionally invested in the people and their situations. For me, in order to authentically tell the tale, I must be able to understand the emotion that connects it to the facts. You can't empathize with anything unless you can see yourself in the struggle. At least, I can't. Every story told (and many that remain untold here) become a part of me and thus the people affected are more than just names on a page. 

Not all stories require a blog post. There are issues that come to me that people just want to talk about. Once they feel heard, and with a brainstorm of solutions, they feel validated and invigorated to take the bull by the horns. This is more often the case. It's not very sexy and it doesn't do anything for my readership, but that's not the point of why I do this. I do this to help people, if I can. The following story is one that I am personally attached to for so many reasons. It is one that has some amount of justice. Not much but a sliver. It has been forever attached to my soul.

It is with a heavy heart that I update a story that touched so many. Dorothy ” Ms. Dot” Rogers, Matt Groelinger’s grandmother, passed away in hospice care February 6th. This tragic event created an opportunity for depraved acts of inhumanity.

Buckle up. You won’t believe what has transpired.

We all remember that former deputy Scott Haines pled no contest to exploiting Ms. Dot and the theft resulting from that exploitation. He got a whopping 1 year in jail, serving only 9 months. He lost his retirement but was able to keep the parcels, the fruit of his theft. Not much justice in that, is there? But don’t shed a tear for Scott; he’s being rewarded for his phenomenal exploitation, even more than anyone could imagine…….Scott is the beneficiary of Ms. Dot’s life insurance. And–wait for it–he refused to pay for her funeral. There is so much more happening. It is likely that he will get 90% of her estate. Right now, that part is pure speculation. We have to wait and see, of course, because no one has seen the will. Mark my words; once Ms. Dot’s will is public and it’s filed with the county, (within 10 business days of her death), this will come to pass. The stand-alone fact that the family had to pay out of pocket for Ms. Dot’s funeral and burial, proves Scott provided no assistance despite his windfall.

So to recap, Scott got a smack on the wrist for exploitation and theft, gets out of prison in time to cash in on the life insurance and, in all likelihood, the bulk of this woman’s assets, despite his conviction. This situation is so depraved and the events are beyond any rational understanding. The family held the funeral secretly to bar any appearance by the Haines clan.

How is any of this justice?

I want to end this article with some pictures of Ms. Dot, so maybe there is some attention paid to the events between “the dash” on her gravestone. RIP Ms. Dot