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Corinne Ginter reached out to one of us, desperate to come forward and speak on behalf of Sylvia Reeve. The 88-year old mother and activist is in a vicious cycle of abuse, neglect and embezzlement by Adult Protection Services (APS), stripping her from her family and freedoms — all without her daughter’s knowledge. In this exclusive interview, Corinne shares their own story — just one of many from the victims of Portland’s houseless industry.
Q) Why are you here today?
A) I am here today because of abuse to the elderly and the houseless. And when I’m vocal, Multnomah County ignores and tries to silence me.
Q) How did the abuse to your mother begin?
A) My mother Sylvia arrived arrived to Portland in 2006 because of family issues, seeking support from APS. They assured her that she would be in a permanent home and placed her in a motel room as an interim. That never happened, as she was constantly displaced from one apartment to the next with worsening conditions. With bad planning and no communication, my mother was forced to stay in homeless shelters, and soon was left on the streets.
Despite this, she always remained positive and friendly. On the streets, she befriended street kids, ex-veterans, and community organizers. She participated in givings and feedings when she herself was one of them. When she caught word of Occupy, she stayed all 39 days in the camps, and was one of the last people evicted. Everyone who knew her called her “Grandma Sylvia.”
APS never acted on the best interests of my mother, as it was a vicious cycle of neglect. Not a single representative actively searched or advocated for her, as APS only responded if they received multiple calls from concerned citizens. If they did, APS would send the police to find her, detain her, and send her to a motel, where she would be back outside within a day. Other times, APS would harass and disorient my mother, like sending the police to find, detain in a hospital for “observation,” and release. It’s ironic, because they did little when she was assaulted various times.
This all happened as they seized her bank accounts, food stamps, and Social Security. This all happened as they refused her any info about contacting resources or her loved ones. This all happened without my knowledge, or her’s.
Q) When you found out and intervened, how did APS and the County respond?
A) I found out in 2012, when my mom finally found my number herself and called me, asking for help. I arrived at where she was staying at the YWCA and picked her up, and APS was immediately notified. This started my long and intense battle for her. I demanded them several times to give her back her savings and SSI, and they refused. I demanded them several times for guardianship, and they refused. They verbally harassed and threatened me with prison for standing up for my mother.
Currently, APS has placed my mother in Tabor Crest Residential Home for two months. She has no freedom of movement, no access to the phone or internet, and cannot meet with anyone with the “guardian’s” permission. I am in the process of filing a lawsuit and starting a petition for my mother’s freedom.
Q) What do you hope will happen by coming forth with your story?
A) I get my mother back. That this will not happen to anyone else. That through popular uproar, APS will be thoroughly investigated for further corruption and neglect.
Q) Any last words?
A) Simply put, I cannot trust Portland’s case management services anymore. The vulnerable are not being protected.
For more information about Corinne’s story, please or call her at 503-960-0618.