cancelling a new cell phone account

I'm representing my 99 year old mother, Freda Harmon, and am her acting POA. Totally unknown to me she recently was persuaded by her great, great granddaughter to purchase a new I-phone 14, along with the air time. Soon after doing this my mother, Freda Harmon, had a medical emergency and is now confined to a constant care nursing home. She now has no disposable income to pay for the new phone and has no assets of value to settle the account.

I'm left with only 2 options, 1. do nothing and the debt would just hang unresolved, forever. or, 2. return new phone and pay $500 on my own as an offer in good faith to settle the account.

I considered offering that the great, great granddaughter take over account but she has no income and no credit.

I've tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with the local store here in Quincy, Illinois where the phone was purchased and with a representative on the phone,  Neither were helpful. I hope you will consider this a good faith attempt to settle this matter. Please advise asap so we can all move on.

Thank you,

Gary 

[EDITED per Community Guidelines - removed personal information]

[email scrubbed]