Advocacy and Media information

My name is Derrek. I am the only child of Linda, who died under circumstances I believe involved long-term psychological abuse and financial exploitation.

Her former companion isolated her from me, used her debit card without permission for over a year, and continued exploiting her finances after her death. She removed valuables from the home and made a final withdrawal before authorities could secure the scene.

My mother was not a willing victim. She suffered from emotional vulnerability and mental fatigue, which the perpetrator exploited through gaslighting, intimidation, and undue influence. Even after eviction, my mother was psychologically coerced into maintaining contact—proof that the abuser had overridden her free will.

In her final months, my mother organized her financial records and left notes that clearly documented her awareness of the exploitation. These were her last acts of resistance.

I am calling for:

• A formal investigation into the perpetrator’s actions
• Legal recognition of undue influence as a mechanism of financial abuse
• Reform in how we protect vulnerable adults from coercive control

This is not just my story. It’s a warning. Silence kills. And I refuse to stay silent.