Her Father Was Never Told She Could Walk
CHAPTER 2 - The Therapist Who Was Forced Out
Ruth Turner arrived at the Bennett house that afternoon.
She was sixty-three and had worked in physical rehabilitation for nearly forty years. Daniel's late wife, Laura, had trusted her completely.
Ruth examined Sophie's leg but refused to remove the cast without a doctor present.
"I was dismissed six weeks ago," she explained. "I told Helena that Sophie's scans showed normal healing. I wanted an independent examination."
Daniel frowned.
"Helena said you forced Sophie to stand before she was ready."
"I never forced her to do anything."
Ruth opened her medical bag and removed copies of Sophie's records.
The original scans showed a simple fracture with temporary swelling around the nerves. Later reports described permanent nerve damage.
The signatures on the reports belonged to Dr. Paul Mercer, the specialist hired by Helena.
Daniel called him.
Dr. Mercer insisted that Sophie needed at least six more months in a cast. He also warned that water therapy could cause another injury.
Ruth asked one question.
"When did you last examine her in person?"
The doctor became silent.
Sophie admitted that Dr. Mercer had not visited for almost two months. A private nurse delivered medicine and replaced the cast whenever Helena requested it.
Daniel took Sophie to an independent children's hospital that evening.
New scans showed that the fracture had already healed.
Her muscles were weak from being kept still, but the nerves were working.
The doctor removed the cast.
Sophie stared at her thin leg.
"Can I walk again?"
"With proper therapy, yes."
Daniel turned away so she would not see him crying.
Blood tests revealed something else.
Sophie had been given a strong sedative that caused weakness, confusion, and poor balance. It explained why she often fell whenever she tried to stand.
"I thought I was getting worse," Sophie whispered.
Daniel held her hand.
"You were not getting worse."
The medicine bottle came from a private care company called Bright Path Medical.
Daniel had never heard of it.
His financial manager found that Sophie's trust had paid Bright Path more than four million dollars during the previous year.
The company belonged to Helena.
Daniel returned home and opened the safe containing his daughter's trust documents.
The original power of attorney was gone.
In its place was a document giving Helena full control of Sophie's medical spending.
At the bottom was Daniel's signature.
He had never signed it.
Helena had not only lied about Sophie's recovery. She had forged her brother's name and turned an injured child into a source of income.
