Late Woman's Children Lose Out On A Rs 2 Crore Inheritance Due To Their Mother's 'Secret Marriage'

A 91-year-old's secret marriage to a toyboy (a male lover who is much younger than his partner) has ended up in her family losing a ?200,000 inheritance.

According to reports, Joan Blass died in March 2016 and then began the nightmare for her family. Her son and daughter were extremely worried when a man 23 years younger became friends with her and moved in with her five months before her death.

Daily Mail (Joan Blass)

Daughter Daphne Franks, of Skipton, North Yorkshire expressed concern because her mother was not aware he lived in her home and did not know his name or where he was from.

She told LeedsLive : "Mum never seemed to know he lived there. She was asking, 'what is his name? Where did he come from?' At this stage, Joan could barely recall her own name, let alone that of her new toyboy."

When Daphne's mother passed away, the family discovered that Mr Folan had married her and the elderly woman was still wearing the wedding ring from her late husband Ron.

Ron died in 2008 after 50 years of the couple being together.

Due to her new husband, her children, Daphne, and Michael lost out on their ?200,000 inheritance because the registry office ceremony annulled her will.

Three days after her mother's passing, Daphne found out that she had been married in a civil ceremony at Leeds Town Hall. Speaking to Predatory Marriage UK, Daphne said: "We had contacted my mother's GP on so many occasions, the police, the social services, and had also taken legal advice and had been told that she could not make another will or marry again because of her severe dementia."

Daily Mail (Daphne Franks)

Due to her new marriage, Mrs Blass' earlier will which named her two children as beneficiaries, was void and the dementia-sufferer died intestate, meaning her new husband automatically inherited her assets.

Daphne decided to take legal action against 70-year-old Folan, who took over the funeral arrangements.

The hearing lasted four days, but the court sided with Mr Folan.

Daphne and her relatives were left with a ?200,000 legal bill. To make matters worse for the family, none of Joan's relatives was invited to her funeral and she was buried in an unmarked grave.

After the nightmare, the family has been pushing for action to stop "predatory marriages".

Predatory Marriage UK aims to reform marriage laws and procedures to protect people with dementia.

The Guardian

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