Left inset: Sarah Smalls (Horry County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Robert Rowland (WMBF/Nora Rowland). Background: The South Carolina home that Robert Rowland’s daughter says was signed over to his nurse while he was battling Parkinson’s and a brain injury (WMBF).
A South Carolina home care nurse was hit with criminal charges this week after being accused of stealing the deed to a 75-year-old man’s house and allegedly signing the property over to herself for just $5 before he died.
Sarah Smalls, 58, was arrested and booked Monday on charges of perjury, breach of trust and exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
“I couldn’t believe it … I was so happy, I was so excited, I was relieved,” said Nora Rowland, daughter of victim Robert Rowland, in an interview with local NBC affiliate WMBF. “This is something I had been working on so hard for so long; to finally have that recognition was so important.”
Arrest warrants obtained by WMBF accuse Smalls of carrying out a plot to exploit Robert Rowland from March to July 2024. He died in June 2024.
“I went in, and everything was different,” Nora Rowland told WMBF in August 2026 about her father’s house in Conway, which was allegedly redecorated by Smalls just days after he died.
“She had put up random photographs of people I’d never seen before,” Nora Rowland said. “The walls were painted.”
Robert Rowland was reportedly suffering from Parkinson’s disease and a brain injury before he died. His daughter believes Smalls allegedly transferred money from Robert Rowland’s personal account to herself before his death, in addition to getting his home signed over to her for $5. She also believes Smalls neglected her father.
“He passed away weighing less than 90 pounds. The medical records describe him as emaciated,” Nora Rowland said. “I hope the charges against her for the physical abuse and violence, they get added.”
According to the arrest warrants, Smalls obtained Robert Rowland’s power of attorney and took over his finances. She allegedly withdrew more than $17,000 in cash and sent money to her Cash App multiple times.
The warrants say Smalls obtained Robert Rowland’s deed for his home on April 17, 2024. Smalls allegedly had her sister notarize the deed.
Smalls was denied the deed by one law office, but then obtained it from another, WMBF reports. Under South Carolina law, a deed transfer requires the property owner’s signature, two witnesses, and a notarized acknowledgment.
Smalls allegedly lied on federal documents to get money from the Housing Authority of Conway, according to the warrants. Police said she provided false information about having no assets, real estate, or cash.
Bank statements viewed by WMBF show transfers from Robert Rowland to Smalls before his death. Local court records reportedly confirm the $5 house transfer, as well as the transfer of Robert Rowland’s power of attorney to Smalls.
“It’s so easy for them to get taken advantage of,” Nora Rowland said. “He was a nice man; he would never think that someone could do this to him. I really can’t emphasize enough how many other people could easily get taken advantage of like this.”
Nora Rowland, who lives in Maryland, told WMBF that Smalls was hired through Griswold Home Care in March 2024. Nora began hearing from her father less and less after Smalls was hired, which was unusual for him.
“We FaceTimed every week,” Nora Rowland said.
Nora Rowland grew worried and went to visit her dad with her partner on Father’s Day 2024. That’s when Smalls allegedly informed her via a Ring doorbell that Robert Rowland had died — three days earlier, according to Nora.
“She tells me, ‘This isn’t the way that I wanted to tell you, but your dad died, and there’s a bunch of other stuff I have to tell you too. Just wait there,'” Nora Rowland recalled.
A representative for Griswold Home Care provided a statement to WMBF, saying:
The well-being of the individuals and families served through the Griswold system is at the heart of everything we do. Their safety and dignity are not negotiable, and they never will be. This situation involves significant allegations concerning a referred caregiver, so we take this very seriously. Based on the office’s records, before the referral, this caregiver was a Certified Nurse Aide in South Carolina and passed all required background checks. The caregiver is also currently listed on the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry as having no substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property on file. The caregiver has not been referred to any client by Griswold Care Pairing for Myrtle Beach since 2024. Following its review of recent allegations, Griswold Care Pairing for Myrtle Beach made the necessary reports to proper state organizations. This matter involves private client information, which limits what we can share publicly. Griswold Care Pairing for Myrtle Beach is cooperating, and will continue to cooperate, with any law enforcement or regulatory inquiry into this matter.
Smalls was ordered held on a $45,000 cash or surety bond. She was released on bond Monday.
