Location: Maryland
Ok. Coming here for advice.
Neighbor is a mid 30s male on the spectrum. Adopted as a child, raised by his adopted father who died and left him everything several months ago. He's never worked, has no social life except conversations with neighbors, and odd behaviors. Father left him a paid off house, a paid off car with 8k miles on it, enough cash saving to survive a while. He's had the same psychiatrist for more than a decade.
Extended family has started coming around. Asking him to sign documents. He's been asking and telling the neighbors about it. So and so offered him $1500 for the car, said it was worth less than that (blue book $15000 btw). Offering to have the house appraised for him "just to see". A few weeks ago he disappeared. Taken by emt on a stretcher by ambulance.
Wellness check got us info he was on a psych hold. Went to visit him yesterday.
-extended family got him to see a new psych provider a month ago. Diagnosed him as schizophrenic in one visit and put him on meds. Brand new diagnosis and noticeable what the meds are.
-2 weeks later hes having thoughts about suicide. Reports it. Gets sent to psych facility (worst one locally, normally for very short stays, been there 2 weeks and 2 days)
-extended family visited the first day, nothing since
-extended family has been in and outside the house and in the garage. Seen them carrying papers and paperwork. Jeep may be gone now from the garage. They act guilty when we see them, like we are catching them robbing the place.
This guy probably has enough assets to be set up with an ok life, if it was managed. My fear is that extended family that hasn't had contact with him or his father in ages just sees an adopted and disabled man that isn't family, and wants the assets for themselves and dont care about robbing this man blind and making him a ward of the state.
Ive thought about calling around for disability attorneys or advocacy groups, and having one see him at the hospital. Tried passing messages to his social worker at the hospital, the nurse there suggested it and she seemed concerned after hearing his conversation with me.