Legal Guardian Closed My Cd. What Do I Need?

Location: Tennessee, USA

A relative who was my legal guardian growing up had opened a CD for me as a child and referred to it as the "college fund." She would tell me growing up that the money was mine at 18 and would have me come to meetings with the bank branch when I was very young. (<10 yo) I contributed to the account with whatever allowance or gift money I had, plus when I worked as a teen.

As an adult, I tapped into the CD once in college, but over half of it remained. I would receive tax statements for the interest on it and included it each year. I received a letter that reached maturity and I called the bank to move the funds to an investment account. They informed me the CD was closed by my former guardian and told me the money was direct deposited into her bank account. I didn't authorize this nor was I notified.

My name and number are different than when I lived in TN, so they couldn't verify my identity over the phone and asked me to come in person. I tried verifying who I was through a checking and savings account I once had open in the same branch, but they claimed they had none of those accounts in their records, even as I had the check book and debit card in front of me. We inquired the relative over the phone and she said she didn't touch it and knew nothing about it.

I now live in Iowa. I know I need to find out if my relative's name was still on the CD. What are my next steps? Do I need to go down there? The amount is within the threshold of small claims court.