Jensens, state resolve fight over support fund

The family of 12-year-old Parker Jensen and the Utah Division of Consumer Protection have reached a resolution over the legality of a support fund that raised some $6,400 for the Sandy boy's medical care.

The resolution calls for additional information from the family and eventual dismissal of the citation.

Division director Francine Giani met with Tracy Jensen, Parker's uncle, and Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, Monday afternoon in a "friendly and cordial meeting" about the problems surrounding the Parker Jensen Support Fund.

The division cited the family earlier this month for setting up the medical-care donation fund but failing to complete the paperwork to make it legal. Giani said Monday the division's intent was simply to finish that process and make sure donations to the fund were used as promised in contribution letters and on the family's Web site.

Christensen, an attorney helping the Jensens navigate the complicated legal issues, assured Giani she would have a full accounting of the distribution of the money by Wednesday.

"We're waiting to receive that one more piece of additional information . . . and then we will dismiss the citation and we will declare the matter concluded," Giani said.

Parker was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer last spring. His parents' disagreement with doctors over treatment forced the family into a months-long public custody battle with Utah authorities, during which time Daren and Barbara Jensen took Parker to Idaho to be with family members. Last month, the state withdrew its petition for custody of the boy, which would also have placed him in court-ordered chemotherapy treatments.

The support fund is now closed, and the Jensens are no longer seeking donations. Giani said she believes all but about $200 of the total amount raised has been spent and said she instructed Tracy Jensen on Monday to give the remainder to his brother.

Giani doesn't expect to see any surprises when she receives the accounting later this week.

"The request that came in was for medical expenses and other expenses relating to Parker Jensen," Giani said. "We'll be a little bit liberal with our interpretation of that."

That means the accounting can include expenses such as gas and hotel bills from the time the Jensens spent in Idaho, Giani said.

Letters seeking contributions said funds would be used for medical and other expenses, while the Web site said the money would go toward Daren and Barbara Jensen's legal bills.

It was that discrepancy, as well as the failure to conclude the process that would make the charitable fund legal, that concerned the Division of Consumer Protection.

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E-MAIL: awelling@desnews.com