South Carolina caregiver accused in $5 deed transfer

A South Carolina woman, Nora Rowland, alleges her 75-year-old father Robert Rowland was taken advantage of by his home-care nurse, Sarah Smalls, who she says had the deed to his Conway house signed over to herself for $5 weeks before his death and transferred power of attorney inApril 2024. Bank and court records cited by reporters show transfers from Robert to Smalls and the $5 deed transfer, and neighbors describe changes to the home and a Ring doorbell installation before Rowland could visit. Rowland, who lives in Maryland, says she noticed her father's dwindling contact and only learned of his death after Smalls informed her via Ring that he had died three days earlier, prompting a confrontation that led to the daughter and her partner being briefly detained on trespassing claims. Authorities reportedly are investigating the matter, with the house apparently remodeled and the caregiver presenting the deed in her name when police arrived. The case has drawn attention to potential elder-care exploitation as Rowland seeks answers about what happened in the weeks leading up to her father’s death. The stories have been reported by multiple outlets, documenting similar details and emphasizing the apparent lack of communication with the family about the deed transfer and financial transactions.