Mervie Knowles: Mrs Ingrid told me ‘no’ to returning the house. I’m just following her wish

Mervie Knowles, the woman at the center of a Grand Bahama care facility allegation is responding to serious claims that she took advantage of a woman suffering from a form of mental illness.

Though Knowles was found living in the woman’s house, she says her elder resident Ingrid Carey was competent when she signed documents to hand over the residence, which differs from claims made by Carey’s grand daughter Phillipa Carey.

Knowles further claimed that Philippa showed no interest in Mrs Carey who was found by Social Services living alone, without electricity, and in unhealthy conditions. She claimed a doctor saw Carey and told her directly in the presence of a lawyer that she wished for Knowles to have the property instead of Phillipa.

Carey has not been officially diagnosed with dementia but friends along with Phillipa speak of a long-standing mental illness.

The lawyer involved in the signing over Kevin Russell said he met with Mrs Carey and Knowles inside his vehicle, “I asked in no uncertain term, ‘Are you sure? Is this what you want and she (Ingrid Knowles) told me, ‘Yes this is what I want.’

“In addition to that, she also told me she would like to also sign a power of attorney over to Mrs Knowles so that Mrs Knowles can take care of her personal affairs,” Russell told ZNS Northern Service.

When reporters asked Knowles if she would return the house, she defiantly said, “Mrs Ingrid told me no…I’m just following her wish.

But, Attorney Russell said if Mrs Carey wishes to retract her decision, the documents are not stamped nor recorded. “I guess she can destroy it and that would be it.”

Philippa said she has taken the matter to court.

Meanwhile, the Royal Bahamas Police Force has been sanctioned to investigate the matter.