Surley if the young girl was left some of the estate it will remain with the solicitors till the girl is traced, meaning the mother can not go spending what is not hers. The likely out come is there was no will and shes just spending what was left in a joint account etc and gave her a grand for maybe feeling a tad guility as she has a few bob to her name now.

Just my theory as i have no knowledge of wills at all.

The post above seems to have cleared it up.