04241997 - News Article - Lightfoot quits, closes center

Lightfoot quits, closes center
NWI Times
Apr 24, 1997
http://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/lightfoot-quits-closes-center/article_70cbd372-cf24-54be-9112-c4811a7eb950.html
VALPARAISO - Beatrice Lightfoot, a court-appointed guardian ad litem for children enmeshed in domestic relations disputes, has resigned from every case in the court of her primary supporter, Porter Superior Court Judge Thomas Webber.

Additionally, Lightfoot's Children-Parent Center, a visitation facility for troubled families, will close May 1.

Lightfoot declined comment, but Webber and Karen Klein, the center's manager, said Lightfoot's decision was based on ill health.

"We're sorry to lose her services," Webber said Wednesday. "She saved us a lot of money. Her services will be sorely missed."

Webber said Lightfoot recently had been resigning from every case in his court. In a letter to the court, Lightfoot said her decision was based on health reasons, according to Webber.

Webber said while Lightfoot, currently the only non-attorney guardian ad litem, won't be available, 23 volunteers trained by Indiana Advocates for Children are expected to be certified upon completion of the court's new training requirements.

Klein also pointed toward health issues as the reason for Lightfoot's closing the visitation center, which had opened its doors in October 1995.

"I think it's sad the center is closing," Klein said. "Bea has health problems and is unable to continue with the operations of the center."

Klein said she learned of the closing only last week.

Webber said his staff is reviewing Lightfoot's caseload. He said families under Lightfoot's jurisdiction will receive either new court orders or be advised to consult their attorneys.

Meanwhile, Valparaiso's Family House Executive Director Ruth Massmann said her facility is expected to be able to accommodate the affected families.

"They're going to have to have some kind of a modification of their court order," Massmann said. "I assume the judges will be able to process those ... so there's not a lapse in their visitation."

Lightfoot, the widow of an early Portage developer, had been criticized by a citizen's group composed of child advocates and parents led by Helen Boothe of Dune Acres.

The group questioned Lightfoot's neutrality and opposed Lightfoot's seeking Porter County dollars to help fund her Chesterton center, which they said duplicated services offered by Family House.

"This does not change the proclivity courts seem to have for placing unqualified people in positions of power over other people," Boothe said.