I received a request from the Sun City Summerlin Neighborhood Preparedness Team (NPT) asking The Vegas Voice to present a guardianship seminar. It is scheduled for November 23rd.
As I sat down to brush up on our past efforts and draft a format for our up-coming presentation, my mind wandered back to a woman named Julie Belshe.
Julie came into our lives over a dozen years ago while publisher Dan and I were just beginning to investigate the guardianship issue(s) in Nevada and the infamous role of private guardians – beginning with April Parks.
Dan received a phone call from Julie asking if we could meet with her and her husband, Scott. She claimed that her parents, Rudy and Rennie North had been forcibly taken from their home by a woman and two men who claimed to be attached to the Clark County Sherrif’s office.
When Julie’s father asked for documents ordering them to comply, Ms. Parks said they would receive the papers shortly, but they must go with her immediately.
I remember Dan adamantly saying that “this woman sounds crazy, she claims her parents were kidnapped.” I was intrigued and while Dan thought it was ridiculous, we agreed to meet Julie and her husband and get her story.
Julie told us that she had not heard from her parents in more than a week. Concerned, she drove over to their home to find the house locked up and a notice on the door directing anyone looking for the owners to contact April Parks’ office.
After we met and heard what she had to say, Julie requested we follow her to the Assisted Care facility in Boulder City that Julie’s parents had been placed a week before. Dan still thought the entire tale was absurd and truth be told, I expected to see an elderly couple that needed care and observation.
My initial image was far from what I found. Rudy was well spoken and calm. His major concern was the welfare of his wife in her wheelchair.
When Rudy completed his story and as we were leaving, he asked us the question that changed Dan and my life over the next few years: “Do you want to meet the other people in the facility that were likewise kidnapped and placed here by April Parks?”
Very long story short: After years of litigation and numerous threats from Parks that she would make sure Julie would never see or even speak to her parents again, Julie prevailed.
They all lived together until both parents passed away. And April Parks was sent to prison where she still resides
But Julie is not one to stop there, over the past few years she had worked to spread the word of the outrageous treatment of seniors forced into guardianship against their will across the country.
Without doubt, Julie is one of the quiet heroes in America. Dan and I are very proud and lucky to know her. She has written a book, American Unpeople: The Lawful Kidnapping of America’s Disposable Class. And Julie will be a guest at our November seminar to answer questions on her experience.
