February 14th 2024.
A family in Atlanta has been granted guardianship of their loved one, John Belt, after accusing him of being deceived into a marriage. John, who is suffering from advanced dementia, was deemed unable to make decisions for himself when he tied the knot with Avis Wingo Belt.
The situation came to light after an investigation by Atlanta News First Investigates, prompting authorities to look into the matter more closely. As a result, the court decided to transfer guardianship of John to his family, with one of his sisters describing the ordeal as something straight out of a dramatic Lifetime movie. The family's lawyer, Tristan Gillespie, firmly asserts that the evidence overwhelmingly supports their claims that the marriage was not based on genuine love.
Gillespie explains, "The facts speak for themselves. It is clear that this was a marriage based on fraud." According to court documents, Avis secretly applied for a marriage license in Florida in 2018, just a week after John's dementia diagnosis. It was also discovered that she had access to his annual pension and Social Security benefits, totaling $33,000. The family alleges that Avis used this money to buy herself a new car and house, while also racking up over $20,000 in credit card debt. They firmly believe that she manipulated John into marriage for financial gain, taking advantage of his vulnerable state.
However, Avis denies these allegations, claiming that she did not marry John for his money. The couple first met while working together at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority and have been colleagues ever since. Avis, who is still employed by MARTA, insists that she is not desperate or in need of financial support.
She also maintains that John's intentions were always to get married, not for his own gain but to prevent his mother from inheriting any of his assets after his passing. "John was of sound mind," she says. "He wanted to protect his belongings, so he asked me to marry him. That's all there is to it."
However, John's family and friends are convinced that Avis manipulated him into marriage, especially since they were not even aware of the wedding. They also claim that the care facility where Avis placed John has been neglecting his needs, with the court ruling in their favor to immediately remove him from the facility.
The question of whether the marriage will be annulled is still up in the air, but one thing is for sure - this is a complicated and emotional situation for everyone involved. It serves as a reminder to always be cautious and aware of those who may try to deceive us, especially when we are in a vulnerable state.
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