I just had a horrible epiphany today as I was researching CPS problems.

It seems that every so often, though random, someone under CPS scrutiny kills their children. Now, we all know that under some circumstances if you work with CPS and do everything they ask, you might be able to keep your children. But it seems to me that this only works with the guilty parents.

If you are innocent, they will do everything they can to take the kids from you — even commit perjury. Of course, if you fight them at all, you are guilty and they will try to keep you from seeing your kids ever again. (I read somewhere that working with CPS is like fighting a grizzly. If you fight, you are dead; if you run, you are dead; all you can do is play dead and hope they go away.) Think about it, though, almost always the family "was cooperating with CPS", then, for some strange reason kills the child, whether provoked by CPS or just snaps.

What does CPS say when this happens? "We are underfunded, understaffed, and overworked." We all know that CPS is more concerned about funding than the children, as witnessed in my latest court case when CPS wanted to close the case in time to get funding, even though the children are still in danger.

There is the Banita Jacks story in Washington, DC, where a mother killed her four daughters and the case of Elisa Izquierdo killed by her mother in NY City. Both families were known by CPS officials.

In Phoenix, a child, Trenay Duchane, was killed by her father and stepmother, Jeffery Duchane and Reiko Troupe. While under CPS monitoring, social workers reported that the girls had a good rapport with Troupe, who they called "an attentive and affectionate parent." After they disappeared, CPS sent a certified letter saying "You have till October 14, 2006, before 5 p.m. to get in touch with me. Before further actions will be made concerning your children." Three days later, CPS closed the case and walked away.

The stories come in more frequently than anyone would like.

But, what if CPS simply "allows" this to happen. As horrible as it seems, what if they don't care about the children. I mean really don't care — allowing them to be murdered to show "they are overworked and underfunded." I am not saying it is a conspiracy where they all met at some undisclosed location and said, "just let a couple be killed." But, by simply recognizing that inaction "produces results and publicity." Yes, it is bad publicity, but what does the government do in response? They send more money.

I use to believe that CPS was there for families in need. When we needed help, I found out otherwise, but still believed CPS was there for the children. After we were accused of abuse, I still thought that CPS would work with us to ensure the welfare of the children because it was obvious that we were not abusive. After CPS perjured themselves in court, I realized this was not true. And after they sent the kids to their mother who was abusive, I questioned their motives. In court, the truth came out — they do it for the money and don't care about the children.

So, I am researching this. If you know of any stories where CPS failed and a child died, please forward the story to me and post your stories and links here. I would prefer news stories with web links, but anecdotal will help. Though I would expect that if a child died at least one news story would be availble.

Please note, I am not affiliated with Kidjacked.com other than occasionally submitting a comment or idea and I too am a victim of CPS corruption and malfeasance.

Matthew Hampton,
Virginia

Labels: child abuse, CPS, funding, Kidjacked, perjury

Pacific Justice Institute issued a press release yesterday regarding a recent California Supreme Court ruling, which could have an unintended result...

California Supreme Court Denies Rehearing and Stay of Gay Marriages

San Francisco, CA – The California Supreme Court today denied requests to stay its gay marriage ruling until the November election. The Court also denied requests to rehear the case.  The Court's ruling makes clear that its previous ruling will become final at 5:00 p.m. on June 16. Gay couples will then be able to legally marry.

Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, had the following reaction, "The stakes are now even higher for the Protect Marriage Initiative in November. To date, the California Supreme Court has refused to respect the will of the people. In November, the people will have an opportunity to respond."

Just days ago, California's Secretary of State confirmed that the Protect Marriage Initiative will appear on the November ballot. The initiative language is identical to the traditional marriage definition of Prop. 22, which was struck down by the state Supreme Court; however, this time the initiative is a state constitutional amendment, which would be much more difficult for the Court to overturn.

In light of the Court's rulings, Pacific Justice Institute is communicating with pastors and churches throughout California to mobilize support for the Protect Marriage Initiative and to ensure that churches are legally protected as they continue to promote Biblical marriage.

Contact: President Brad Dacus
Pacific Justice Institute
Telephone: (916) 857-6900.

While I'm not an advocate of so-called "Gay Marriage", this recent ruling could have the unintended effect of providing a boost in the arm to the CPS reform movement.

The problem faced today by most parents who find themselves up against the CPS behemoth is a lack of money. Federal statistics claim that same sex couples have much higher income levels on average than do heterosexual couples with children.

Once homosexual couples find themselves facing the family courts in significant numbers, we could reach the tipping point that finally turns the tables in favor of the parents and children. It's simply an added bonus that courts today are loath to appear to discriminate against these unnatural unions.

In an article published on Mens News Daily, Jim Untershine had this to say...

Successful breadwinners of a same-sex household will be targeted by officers of the Family Court when their dependent partner is now forced to file for divorce. Instead of moving on with their lives, or amicably separating with conditions, the Family Court will now force the financial disclosure from both and attempt to establish a cash flow between them that is unfair enough to entice further litigation.

One must wonder just how successful the states policy of Kidjacking children will be against parents who actually have the money to mount a proper defense and hire the experts needed to turn the tables on CPS caseworkers and judges who have operated unchecked for many years now. Only time will tell!

Related Articles

• California Legalizes Same-Sex Divorce
• Gay couples cheer California high court ruling
• Suit Seeks to Block State Policy on Same-Sex Unions

Labels: CPS, divorce, family court, marriage, Pacific Justice Institute, reform

Ex West Virginia caseworker calls for system reform.

Hello, I use to be a CPS worker and then Supervisor in West Virginia. Since leaving the West Virginia Department of Health & Human Resources (WVDHHR) several years ago, I have had a couple experiences with them that I am currently suing them over.

My point of this e-mail concerns the circumstances concerning my adult son and his on again, off again, girlfriend and their child who will soon be one-year-old. The baby was born with drugs in her system. The mom and maternal grandmother hid this information from my son. During the initial investigation by CPS, they failed to contact my son even though they knew who he was. The mom continued to do drugs while living with her mother (an active alcoholic) and this was the reason for the unstable relationship with my son, as he does not use drugs nor did he condone her use of drugs.

In November, after the girlfriend was admitted to the hospital for her drug use, her mother involved CPS. When the girlfriend was released from the hospital, her mother would not let her back into the house or near the baby. Against my better judgment and without knowing all the details, I let her and my son stay here.

Over the next two-weeks I babysat the baby while the girlfriend and her sister (also a heroin addict) attended NA/AA meetings. On the weekend in question, I was informed that the maternal grandmother had left town and left the baby with the heroin addict sister and her boyfriend who she met in rehab.

Seeking Temporary Custody

After lengthy discussion, my son and his girlfriend signed a paper granting me temporary custody of the baby. We went to the house to get the baby. The police were called, who in turn called the prosecuting attorney. I spoke on the phone to the prosecutor whom I had worked with for years. He said that I could take the baby.

CPS workers freaked out and told the police they had filed a petition on the Friday, it was awaiting the signature of a judge. They stated that I could not be near the baby as they had at one time opened a case against me. We were ordered to take the baby to the sheriff's office and wait for the maternal grandmother who was on her way home.

Note on previous case: (The case they referred to took place when I was in England and they opened the case without my knowledge. The person my almost 18-year-old son was living with, kicked him out. Instead of then going to the place I setup for him, he went to stay with his older brother which CPS didn't like...another issue altogether. Although I might add here that the person who kicked him out on the street was my best friend and the director of our local CASA)

We waited hours for the maternal grandmother to come staggering in completely intoxicated. She was given a breathalyzer and told she could not take the child due to her being drunk. She then became belligerent to the officers and left.

The girlfriend was told she could take the baby to her great grandmother's house but due to the age of her great grandmother, the girlfriend had to stay with her.

Foster Care Placement

The next evening, CPS appeared with a custody order and took the baby in to custody, placing her with a foster family. My son was not considered for placement because they said there was no proof he was the father. None of us were allowed to see the baby until after the initial hearing — more than two weeks later.

Since that hearing, they first gave physical custody to the maternal, drunken grandmother while the state kept legal custody. The girlfriend was not allowed to be alone with the baby. My son was permitted one-hour of supervised visitation at the local DHHR each week, and I was told I would have to petition for grandparents rights.

Inadequate Representation

Subsequent hearings led to my son becoming very frustrated with his public defender who would not return his calls and thought proper council was seeing him for five minutes prior to the hearing. The DHHR wanted my son to have a DNA test and would not accept a paternity affidavit from him. They also wanted him to submit to drug testing and other such strictures, normally placed on parents alleged of abuse in these situations.

They alleged he "knowingly allowed" the baby to be abused by not stopping the mother's drug use. The age old catch all CPS likes to use when they have nothing else to charge the absent father with.

My son had to reschedule the first DNA test. He went to the second one which proved him to be the father. He missed a court hearing due to his ride canceling at the last minute. He left voice mails for both his attorney and the social worker. Then he missed the next hearing as he received no notice from the court or his attorney. He has continued to see the baby at the girlfriend's house rather than at the DHHR (against my advice).

After finally tracking down his lawyer last week, he received in today's mail a proposed court order from the prosecutor charging him with abandonment. The hearing is scheduled for June.

Would you consider this 'good practice'?

• Not conducting a thorough investigation with collateral contacts (ie father);
• Removing a child for 'imminent danger' that did not exist;
• Being permitted to place a child in foster care when relative placement is available and more than adequate given kinship placement guidelines;
• Being granted continued custody in foster care without testimony or an evidentiary hearing in court.

The court process is not due process. The guidelines and rules of procedure are not followed. CPS policy is not followed. My son has yet to receive notice of any MDT meetings or the reports that those meetings are meant to generate.

After years working inside this system I would highly recommend never speaking to a CPS worker without an attorney present and a tape recorder running. I have worked with the do gooders who see a cute little baby that deserves a 'nice' family, and the power trippers who take custody for their own warped sense of ego feeding....the list goes on.

Someone needs to revamp this system. The damage done to the family is not reversible and even the youngest of children experiencing the foster care system can act out on this 'memory' in years to come.

I realize this is a rather lengthy and tangential ramble. My apologies. It just send my mind racing with outrage at a system that is supposed to keep children safe and consider the well being of the child first and foremost.

~Suzie
West Virginia

Labels: CPS, due process, foster care, public defender, West Virginia

How interesting. I was just having a look at the list where the highest percentage of children who are taken away from their parents and I see that all of these states are states which are mentioned often enough during "Election Season."

I moved away from the USA 10-years ago. I knew as a kid that there was something wrong. I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. It seemed that the neighborhood used to be a great place to live. I flew home to see my parents about four years ago. It felt different. It isn't home anymore.

The homes are falling apart. The people dress like one might expect a homeless person to dress. They are hopeless and unhappy. The steel mill in Cleveland shut down. There is crime and homelessness. The mortgage crisis doesn't help. I wouldn't move back for anything in the world. I used to think the USA was a great land.

Desegregation, mistrust and all the laws, which regulate so much, causes much tension in poor neighborhoods. What will it be like in 20-years when our children grow up? I do not like the technocratical childbirth norm in the USA. I had all three of my children at home. The experience was empowering.

I hope the problems in America will be worked out. Every member of my immediate family holds a GED certificate. I was the only graduate and the only one to make something of myself. I feel so sorry for their weaknesses. I wish that people like them had taken schooling more serious. You have to play by the game rules in America. If you don't play by the rules you will be imprisoned. That's my opinion. Honest people hardly have a chance. I wonder what life is like in rural areas and if the children are also frequently taken away?

What of the Amish people; the ones who live naturally or homeschoolers and mothers who choose home birthing? Who fits the profile? What has to happen in order for them to get involved? Seems like Russia or East Germany. You know, they ratted each other out. They were so poor, they would actually call up on their neighbor and get them in trouble with the law if they were doing something out of line. Those people would be promptly arrested and interrogated! I've seen many documentaries. Psychological wars!

Well, my heart goes out to you; all of the people who have to fight to keep their children. Giving birth isn't enough...you have to fight daily for custody of your flesh and blood offspring. They expect women to work (we cannot be only a Mother) and they take the kids early on for "educating" them in their system. Pre-school!

When does it end?

~Sabrina

Labels: Cleveland, CPS, natural childbirth, Ohio, parental rights, poverty

Young breastfeeding mom is focus for unfounded illicit CPS investigation.

I am a 20-year-old mother in Baltimore, Maryland. A couple weeks ago an anonymous person reported to Child Protective Services that my six month old breastfed son appeared malnourished.

Two social workers came by and demanded entry into my home to see my children. My husband refused to let them in. They told us that if we did not let them into the home they would take our son into their custody and they did not need a court order to do so. They called the police.

The police officers told us that CPS does not need a court order to enter the home. At this point my husband said that we would surrender our son and have a lawyer contact the social workers. At this point the workers called their supervisor. When the supervisor arrived she said they did not want to take the child, but that I needed to make a doctor's appointment for him. She said that if I did this in her presence and let her see underneath my son's sleeper that he was not malnourished everyone would leave. So, I did this. The supervisor said there was no reason to be overly concerned and everyone left. The police officers gave me their badge numbers and a report number before leaving.

Afterwards, I took my son to the doctor and the doctor said my son was thin but not malnourished or sick. CPS called back asking to come back for an interview. Still under the impression I had no choice in this matter I agreed to set up an appointment.

After the in home interview there was no evidence that my children were in danger. CPS is currently demanding that I allow them to come back to the home again. I am going to be seeking legal advice because to my understanding under Maryland law I do not have to let them in again. They want to come back again before my son even has his next follow up doctor's appointment which leads me to believe they are simply trying to build evidence for a case unrelated to the original report.

-- Nichole in Baltimore, Maryland

Labels: CPS, failure to thrive, malnutrition, Maryland, parental rights

Washington Public Education Opportunity - at Cabelas in Lacey, Washington on Thursday, January 31, 2008

Jan Smith, administrator of Washington State Extended Families is gathering a list of supporters for a classaction lawsuit of untold proportions against CPS.

So far she has five and is seeking 200 or more. "It shouldn't be difficult with CPS affecting upwards of 300,000 children, parents and extended families each year. They are not organized for defense and that is what I am going to change," Smith reports.

She states that the mandatory reporting laws to CPS and law enforcement "only," is unconstitutional violating the 14th Amendment that encourages freedom of choice and liberty.

"The system is full of corruption and self interest and the mandatory reporting laws entrap people into their program. Once CPS is involved, the families are subjected to whatever CPS wants to dole out." She further says that privatization is the only solution to this nationwide monopsony that devastates the family by the wholesale marketing of children to adoptive families.

"The Revised Code of Washington (RCW), starting at the seventy-two hour shelter care hearings are often open ended with a "disclaimer" attached." Smith goes on to say that this is similar to a speed law with a disclaimer that has an overarching value with an out. "The value is 60 miles an hour, but if one works for the state or a connected organization then it is ok to go 90 if it is at all inconvenient to go 60." She goes on to say that the laws encourage unfair application and subjectivity.

"One set of relatives may have the children immediately after removal and another may find themselves under a pile of redtape and propaganda not seeing the children for months, years and maybe never again."

Smith is also encouraging other states to follow suit then gather together to refute federal laws governing CPS. "I am amazed at how powerful they really are, with committees, organizations and involvement in virtually all aspects of government. It is almost impossible to file a complaint and not have CPS staring back as a co-chair."

Education is Key to Change

"Education is key to change and CPS is reluctant to provide that." Smith is starting a consultant and CPS prevention program that seeks to educate the general public before there is CPS involvement or at least in the early stages. "I am instructing both parents and extended families who need to understand how their actions affect the other.

The state may be tearing families apart and isolating extended family but I am determined to help them stay together." She is conducting her first public education class at Cabelas in Lacey on Thursday, January 31st from 6-8 p.m. in the boardroom upstairs. To participate in this event, write to Jan D. Smith, Administrator, Washington State Extended Families.

Labels: CPS, family court, federal government, Washington

You people haven't heard anything yet! Here in Mingo County, West Virginia, the tail end of everything, my child was removed from our home Wednesday evening just because the CPS worker - get this now - "heard" from somebody that my wife is bi-polar.

My wife has never been diagnosed as bi-polar but the stupid system will not even listen to her. They tell me that I can see her (my daughter) all I want and go anywhere I want with her – but I must keep her from my wife.

What kind of system is this? Neither my wife nor I have ever spanked our child (she is a female age 10). We punish her by grounding -- it's effective with our child. There is no chance of any violence in our home.

I was a cop for years in the past but am currently performing a different job by choice. I know there must be something we can do. We have an attorney working the case but this is something that should have never happened. I ask you people to stand up for our rights.

I'm starting to think we live in a country that doesn't abide by the Declaration of Independence but simply hides behind it. Good luck to anybody who has to deal with these jerks. I will fight these idiots tooth and nail and bring my daughter back home to our family. This has caused my wife and I to come close to having a nervous breakdown. Just because of an assumption, these people jumped to conclusions and took our daughter. Wake up America -- before it's to late! The next thing before you know it they will be trying to tell us when we can use the bathroom!

Labels: bipolar, CPS, Mingo County, West Virginia

If any of you know of or have friends or relatives in IOWA, please get in touch with me ASAP~!!! I have a family that is in an emergency situation that desperately NEEDS help TODAY~!!!

The mother has been caught in a situation that she had NO control over what-so-ever and due to the circumstances she is now in that she did NOT create of her own making, she is in dire NEED of a friend or someone who is there in or within driving distance IOWA who can help her.

In answer to your question in advance, NO, CPS has not taken her child, yet or knocked on her door. However, if we can't get some help for her, THEY WILL as soon as they find out she is where she is and the urgent needs she has. She has done NOTHING WRONG, but someone else close to her DID and that is what has created her situation.

I can't elaborate more at the moment in this message for safety and security reasons. If you or someone you know might be able to go to her and help her, please email me and let me know. I will put you in touch with her and provide more details then. Time is CRITICAL!

Thank You.

Sincerely,
Gail

Labels: CPS, Iowa, urgent need

I have two ex-partners whom have both used cps workers for there own benefit. I have two teenage sons and three smaller children.

Over the years both fathers whom do not work, both live with parents, both have additional criminal backgrounds and have used government based services to make allegations about me, which have resulted in very serious action against me and my children.

All three younger children have been taken, whilst the father of these small children has nothing better to do, than attend court hearings and watch my heart slowly break. When I see my children and they ask me why they cannot come home, how do I explain, I had to stop working to give my full attention to all of my children and therefore my income has decreased.

Are we being judged by our wealth, not our parenting skills? My children tell me they are staying in a house with a pool, there caregiver, whom I’m not allowed to meet, sent a card to my son, whom she does not know.

I would not wish for anyone to experience the pain, which I feel or endure the court proceedings where you trust no one. I know this is a fight and I am quite prepared but the affects of this situation will stay with me forever.

J.T. from the U.K.

Labels: CPS, family court, parental rights, UK

I just found your site and read a few things that made me sick; For instance, the woman who was in trouble because her son had worn dirty socks to school. So wearing dirty socks warrants an investigation?

Well what about when a 9-year-old child's father puts him in a head lock and pushes the tip of a toy knife into his neck and pushes hard and make the statement "You are not a professional, if your going to have a knife be prepared to defend yourself!"

Or how bout when this same man has been turned in to CPS by a school social worker? This man is abusing my child! I cannot get anyone to help! I have gotten a protective order against this man to keep him away from my child and me and they still want me to send my son for his visitation!

CPS refuses to investigate this man! He has already been proven unfit as a parent to one child, killed a man, been in drug rehab and he is always drunk! My son is afraid to go over there! What can I do to put an end to this?

E.B.

Labels: alcohol, child abuse, CPS, death

A determined young lady has written dozens of e-mails over the past couple of weeks - many of them were simply horrendous (sorry girl). This letter was written in response to one of them.

Dear Friend,

I have provided links, advice and legal resources on Kidjacked. My phone and e-mail are being blown up with requests for help and questions galore. I am sorry but I do this in my spare time and frankly I don't have much of that.

I maintain over 80 websites (both ours and our clients websites) -- my husband and I work from home. The only money I make from Kidjacked comes from the ads that are found on each page (and we only get paid when someone actually clicks on an ad).

Where are all the kids?

I wish that I could do this full-time and be there to walk everyone through the steps they need to take to fight their cases, but the fact is I simply don't have that kind of time and most people can't afford to pay me for it. I have never asked anyone for a dime for myself or my family -- and we are not wealthy. Heck, we drive a 1999 vehicle that we will drive until the tires fall off.

I will offer you my best advice:

• When e-mailing your lawyer, your caseworker and others, it is crucial that you avoid threatening them in any way, no matter how badly you want to serve them their head on a platter.
• Each and every letter or e-mail should be checked for spelling, grammar and content. (Put your best face forward.) This information can and often is presented in court and can be used against you.
• Grandma always said you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Your letters and telephone calls need to be eloquent, yet firm. There is always a way to get your point across without being crude and insulting.
• Enlist your friends and relatives to help with your research. Have someone else read your letters before you send them off and edit them if necessary. Sensor yourself. Seek the council of others who have fought the system and won their case. Don Lyons fought and was able to get his children returned. He wrote a book about it. Purchase or borrow books like his. [Get the book now: Kids For Money]
• Form local support groups [Use the box under the calendar to select your state, then scroll to the bottom of the page.]
• Picket your local court. Handout pamphlets; they are easy to create. Be sure to include the URL to Kidjacked.
• Request letters of recommendation from friends, family, professionals (doctors, pastors, co-workers) who know you and your family; present them in court. Make copies for your attorney and caseworkers.
• Know the laws in your state. Become an expert in CPS guidelines and regulations. File an official complaint when those laws and guidelines are violated. Each State or County has their own regulations they are required to be followed. The only way to force an investigation is to file an official complaint. Often the complaint procedure is available online, if not you must request the information directly from CPS, they are required by law to provide it to you.
• Most county agencies have an ombudsman you can contact to assist you. Some are helpful and other are not. It's worth a shot to try.
• If you discover CPS agents are not in compliance with the laws in your state (or county), you can contact your congressman. The U.S. House of Representatives is responsible for oversight of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Visit the website, locate your representative by using the list or search functions on the site. Call their office, ask to speak to the aide who handles DHHS issues. Briefly explain your situation and violations have occurred. Do not go into your entire case history.
  
  The aide will request you fax or mail your supporting documentation and a release form, which allows the aide to investigate your allegations. Requesting an investigation is often enough to force CPS to clean up their act because they will received notification that they are under investigation along with the allegations made against them.
• You've heard it said the squeaky wheel gets the grease. It's true. Be polite, be firm but don't stop. If you can turn up the heat on CPS workers, they will often dismiss their case against you, out of pure frustration and fear. You must make it more costly to keep your children in custody than it is for them to send them home. This means keeping on the pressure.

I have spent over an hour writing this e-mail. I will be posting it on "Jacked Up," the Kidjacked blog in hopes that this information will be helpful to others.

I wish you well in handling your case. Please send me an occasional update (written ready to post) and I will be happy to post the information to Kidjacked, in hopes that the information will provide encouragement and details that will assist other parents in gaining the return of their children. None of us can do it all alone but if we each pitch in and do our part, we can make a difference.

This is my small part.

Best wishes!

Labels: CPS, DFS, family court, Kids For Money, Legal

Portage County OH Update from Family Defense Network of Ohio

Here is the latest update on the Portage County case where a rookie social worker ripped an eleven-year-old girl from her parents because she had a "black eye" and a "bruise" on her back. Even after proving that the black eye occurred in gymnastics class, and the so-called "bruise" was a birthmark the girl had on her back since birth, the DCFS still has the girl in foster care.

As usual, the truth doesn't matter to social services. When the mom sent me a synopsis of what had happened during the past several days, she wrote, "You will not believe what they pulled today... Well, you probably will, but not anybody else." Believe it folks, here are some of the shenanigans going on in Portage County.

The Ohio revised code demands that when a child is taken from their parents by social services, the DCFS must first attempt to place that child with a relative, if there is one available. If the social worker decides that the relative is unfit, then they must submit to the court, in writing, why the child is not being placed with that relative. The actual law reads as follows:

§ 2151.314 Detention or shelter care hearing.

(B)(2) The court shall determine whether there are any relatives of the child who are willing to be temporary custodians of the child. If any relative is willing to be a temporary custodian, the child would otherwise be placed or retained in shelter care, and the appointment is appropriate, the court shall appoint the relative as temporary custodian of the child, unless the court appoints another relative as temporary custodian.

If it determines that the appointment of a relative as custodian would not be appropriate, it shall issue a written opinion setting forth the reasons for its determination and give a copy of the opinion to all parties and to the guardian ad litem of the child.

Here is another example of how the law means nothing to social workers. When the parent's attorney submitted a request that the dad's brother and sister in law be assigned as custodians of the girl while the case was pending, social services started their antics.

First, social workers went to the uncle and aunt's home and did a white-glove inspection. Then they did their background checks. When they could find nothing wrong, they insisted that an inspection needed to be conducted by the fire marshall, an electrical inspection was required, and the water needed to be tested for safety. And it all had to be done within 24-hours!

So the aunt and uncle went to work. They got the inspections the social workers demanded and had their water tested to make sure it was safe for human consumption. Well, that didn't satisfy the social workers. The social workers told the prospective custodians that they needed to come to the house themselves and draw the water to have it tested (the implication being that the aunt and uncle "switched" vials, much like a dishonest drug addict at a random urine test). So that test was conducted, and walla... the water was safe.

So after jumping through all of the hoops like little puppies trying to please their master, everyone found out today that social services never intended on placing the girl with the aunt and uncle. Can you guess why? (Keep your paper bag handy, you can either use it to keep from hyperventilating or you can barf in it).

The reason the girl was not placed with the aunt and uncle is because they do not believe the girl was abused by the parents!

You may as well take the entire Ohio Revised Code and throw it right out the window with these people. They didn’t bother to submit their reason in writing, either. But then again, did any one of us expect them to follow the rules?

Detective Robert R. Surgenor (Retired)
Family Defense Network of Ohio
Office Box 26348 Cleveland, Ohio 44126
Phone: (800) 438-8277

Labels: child abuse, CPS, FDNO, Ohio, Portage County

Survey Participants Needed

Parental Input Needed for Psychotropic medications and CPS/DCFS involvement

Are your children now or have they been placed on psychotropic drugs and been involved in a CPS/DCFS investigation? If you can answer yes, to both questions, Rhonda McEntire, needs your assistance.

Rhonda needs help:

I have been working on a degree for Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and now I've passed! It is time to do my research paper. My instructor was given a copy of my prospectus and she does not think I have access to parents who have children on psychotropic medications that will be willing to fill out a survey!

So, I am here to ask...Parents, caregivers, grandparents and foster parents... are you willing to complete a survey for me on psychotropic drugs and DCFS involvement?

Please email me if you are interested. I need to know right away how many people I can count on. And if you know anyone who is willing, I will snail mail them, or email them. I need as many people on board with this as I can get.

To participate in this important research project, contact: email me.

Thank you for your time and consideration!
Rhonda McEntire

Labels: CPS, psychotropic drugs, research

More CPS reports originate with schools, than any from other place.

Hi my name is Rose, I'm a single mother of 4 boys. Just this past Monday I got a phone call. I found out that we are under investigation by CPS.

The investigator informed me that he had already talked to my child at his school. He was very nosy ask me a couple questions like what are you doing now and things.

I told him that I had to go pick up my son. He said, "Oh, Joseph."

I said, "No, My oldest."

He never even knew I had more children. He started asking more questions when I stopped him and ask him what this was about. He never came out and told me, matter of fact, beat around the bush about it, then told me just a little. He said he needed to come out.

I told him my schedule. I work and this week had several appointments, anyway, he came out yesterday. I answered questions and he talked to most of my kids.

He said the allegations were that my son went to school one day with no socks, one day with dirty socks and that he wore the same outfit to school for 4 days straight. This is nuts! I have a 15-, 13-, 7-, and 5- year-old.

I'm not perfect and neither is my family but this is a crock someone at this school Joseph has only attended for 4-months now, is trying to cause my family harm. We haven't lived in this area of town very long but I have learned that it's not a very nice one.

I need to know what to do, how do I protect my family? What are my rights? I need some support. Can you give me some kind of direction, something please?

Thank you so much,
Rose,
Huntington, West Virginia

Labels: CPS, false accusation, West Virginia

Will you fight for parental rights?

When two people get married, they put their best foot forward in what normally starts out to be a lifelong commitment. If the couple is blessed their union springs forth a burst of joy in the shape a tiny infant, solely dependent on two people with absolutely no parenting experience.

We must ask ourselves who is better suited to determine the needs of our children and act accordingly. Our U.S. Constitution guarantees each citizen the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have the right to raise our children as we choose - that includes to right to discipline our child and instill in them our values.

The current witch-hunt against parents must stop. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing in weeks. I get several telephone calls daily from parents and grandparents who have lost their children – sometimes permanently - to the state. Without exception, every single person I have spoken to admits to not being a perfect parent.

After all, we each learn to parent by watching our own imperfect parents in action. Is that a valid reason to revoke the Constitutional rights of a citizen? Foster care agencies have hired PR companies to launch extensive media campaigns to convince the general public and our legislators that we have a huge problem that needs money thrown at it.

I grew up with an alcoholic father and an immature co-dependent mother. We were so far below the poverty line that we’d have to climb up three stories to reach the bottom rung. I can recall living in a tiny condemned house with no running water. One house we lived in had no indoor plumbing – yes, we had an outhouse and a chamber pot.

My own children grew up in a farmhouse that was built in 1896, the schoolchildren in the area all thought it was haunted. We lived there for months with the only electricity in the house coming from a cord to the barn. We got hot water on Thanksgiving Day – two years after we moved in. It was a special day.

Was I abused as a child? Was I neglected? Should I have been removed? It wasn’t until I was actually removed from my mother’s home that I was truly abused. Not only, did a foster father abuse me, while in the foster care system; I was also alone, cut off from my support system. I had no one there for me, no one to talk to or to share my grief.

Was I abused as a child? The answer is yes, by the State of Michigan. It is time the court doors were opened and we take a good hard look at the judicial branch of our government. We can no longer afford to turn our backs and close our eyes. There isn’t a government official in the nation who hasn’t heard stories that will curl your hair and cause our founding fathers to roll over in their graves.

I am in the process of add a link to each and every U.S. House Representative to Washington D.C., when I am finished. I will be calling on each of you to write a letter to your congressman, asking for real Health and Human Services reform, real Courtroom reform and a strengthening of parental rights laws. We must demand a complete investigation into each and every reported violation of law.

If you have lost your children to the state, if you feel at a loss to know what to do, get off your rear-end and get busy. No one is going to fight this fight for you. No, it's not easy but your child is depending on you. If there have been violations in your case, you must file an official complaint with the Department of Human Services, following their regulations as set forth by state law. They are required by law to investigate every official complaint they receive. So complain already.

Have you contacted your U.S. House Representative? They have been charged by congress to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services – the only branch of government charged with monitoring child protective services agencies. Each office has an aide assigned to handle investigations. He or she should request a copy of any proof you have. Be sure to include as many facts as you know, a statement of what laws you believe have been broken. Do not get emotional or go into minute details.

CPS caseworkers will know that you have filed a report. They will not like it because that means they are being investigated, so they have to be on their toes. Don't expect them to be pleased with you, but you should not be afraid of them either.

My best advice to anyone facing a CPS investigation has always been to run, unless of course you are guilty as charged. Possession is still 9/10th of the law and getting your children back from custody can cost you your home, your job, your sanity, your friends and even your marriage. The cost of fighting is simply too high. It took the He family over 7-years to get little Anna Mae back. 7-years they will never get back. The precious bonding years when a child develops their own personality, they learn about family and heritage – belong to someone – all gone.

Yes, there are bad parents, there are children who need saving and they deserve all the help we can give them. However, before any social worker can step in and Kidjack a child, they better have proof and lots of it. They must be made to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a child is in danger or has been physically harmed.

Anything less is simply unacceptable.

Please write a letter to your congressman today and demand a change.

Labels: child abuse, CPS, family court, foster care, He Case

Sharon Gravelle responds via e-mail to questions that were asked of her. Unfortunately, I do not have a copy of the original e-mail, only her response. But it sheds a great deal of light on the proceedings and answers some questions, which have been asked here.

I don't care if you post articles about Elaine Thompson but remember she is the only social worker that I know who left CPS and went out on her own because of the corruption within the agencies. She is also the only social worker we ever found to help us without drugging our children.

The only reason she is being charged is because she came to our defense in the court and then Russ Leffler the Huron county prosecutor made the public statement that "some people don't know when to keep their mouths shut" and that is why he charged her with all those counts.

Russ Leffler is also making it known that he will not charge the Huron county social workers and the sheriffs who lied and made falsified statements to get a search warrant. In the signed affidavit it as stated that the beds were 24"x18"x30" and locked -- in order to obtain the search warrant. To add insult to injury Judge Earl McGimpsey suppressed the fact that the search warrant was illegal and that the county officials lied to obtain it during the trial and refused to allow testimony to that effect.

They falsified documents, lied in the depositions, juvenile and criminal trials in order to take the kids. The prosecutor was heard in the bank across from the court bad mouthing the Gravelles and the judge... he has done this since the case broke and the judge did nothing to him.

Russ Leffler even yelled during the criminal trial that Michael Gravelle should not try to represent Moses leading the people out of Egypt but since it is CHRISTmas Michael should try for a Jesus complex....again the judge did nothing. Russ was in the hall during court breaks calling Michael's lawyer a motherf--er and also told him to go f--k himself, when Drucker asked him why he was doing this.

When Drucker asked Leffler why he was not separating the prosecution's witnesses Russ Leffler (prosecutor) began to crow loudly outside the court room doors like a chicken. The list of injustices goes on and on and on and when they take our "internationally televised" case and win then there is not much hope for those that follow us in court.

I also have a two-hour video with retired FBI investigator Donald Parsons, who knows the corruption in Huron county and names the people---prosecutors, judges, lawyers, etc. who are involved in these cover-ups and I don't know how to air the thing.

I was even told by one of the people that taped the DVD that the cameraman was going to sell it - maybe even to the county for a profit to keep it from being aired. I have seen the DVD and it certainly does name corrupt county workers, prosecutors, judges, etc. but how do I get it on the air?

I have had several organizations tell me that if we just don't take a plea then they will be there for us... at least until they had Michael's biological daughter get on the stand and testify that he molested her... and they have signed documents to prove it. I have seen the documents and they were not signed by him. But those will never be shown to the public will they? We tried to get a copy of the police investigators report, where it states that allegations were unsubstantiated but the policeman has since retired and the "paperwork" is in a cardboard box somewhere in the evidence room and no one has the time or inclination to find it.

All the evidence we have to prove ourselves innocent is in a box somewhere or the prosecutor will hold it until after the case is over.

He did that in 1993 and sent a man to jail for murder even though all the evidence says James was innocent. The prosecutor Russ Leffler even admitted in the media that he forged subpoenas to get medical records and then when asked by the same Judge McGimpsey about it, Leffler said, "It doesn't matter because I didn't use the records to convict James.

This is the same corrupt system we are fighting now.

This is the same prosecutor that said he doesn't care if Huron County social workers or sheriff's department lied or falsified records. Now the commissioners are saying they are proud of their workers and the head of CPS said he is proud of his workers and will not file any charges against them.

By the way the head of CPS (DJFS here) is also being charged with sexual harassment again. I think this is the 3rd time if I have been told correctly.

Here is one for you -- I was told by someone out of the county engineer's office about how many felonies and misdemeanors I would be charged with before the trial was even over. I was also told by some of the people who work with some of the jurors that #162 was going to get on the jury to make sure we get put into cages -- he made the jury.

One juror told a friend of mine that he was an alternate before, he was "randomly" drawn by the judge, with the use of envelopes. Go figure.

Most of the jurors knew either the prosecutor, judge, social workers, or witnesses for the state or they knew several of the prosecution team but Judge McGimpsey said they could still be jurors -- a jury of impartial peers---I think not!!!

The problem for us now is that sentencing is tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. and I have no way to show the DVD nor can I expose any of this without the money or time that an appeal would afford us.

So, remember that Elaine Thompson was on our side and fighting to help the Gravelles and keep the family together. oh! They also came to take our kids after being informed by CPS that she was on a plane to Paris so they came as she was getting on the plane -- do you think that is coincidence? I could write all night, if you have any way to get a DVD online let me know.

Sharen

More Information

• Watch the Two-hour video
• Watch The Real 'Children in Cages' Story

The Gravelle's need $4,000, in order to start their appeal. The family has received $2,200, toward that goal, as of Feb. 26, 2007. Please consider donating to their defense.

You can show your support for the Gravelle family by sending a donation in any amount to:
Gravelle Family Defense Fund at Key Bank,
11 West Main Street,
Wakeman, Ohio 44889
Phone: (440) 839-2555

Labels: cages, CPS, Gravelle, Huron County Court, Ohio

Are Drugs Being Misused on Foster Kids?

Colby Holcomb's mom concedes that the 8-year-old, who's been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, can be a handful at home. But does such behavior merit the treatment Colby received in foster care?

Andrea Holcomb lost custody of her son when he was 7, after her ex-husband made allegations of sexual abuse, national correspondent Byron Pitts reported in this CBS News story. The allegations later proved false — but in the meantime, Colby was placed in the Texas foster care system. For 18 months, he was in at least five foster homes.

Andrea says Colby was on at least 20 different drugs when he was in foster care. Yet, she says she has "no idea" why and says it was never explained to her.

Andrea Holcolmb and her young son Colby are not unique. All too often children are placed in foster care before the facts of the case are in, in 90 cases out of 100, the allegations are proven to be totally false. Yet, the damage has already been done.

Once a child is removed from their home, away from the loving eyes of their parents, they are no longer protected - by anyone. Welfare workers and foster parents are left to seek medical treatment, psychological diagnoses and treatment against the parents wishes that are often anything but in the best interest of the child.

These unethical practices can prove to be detrimental to the child, the family unit and can even lead to death. These practices must be called into question and halted. Parents, who are presumed innocent, until proven guilty under the U.S. Constitution must be consulted before any decision are made regarding the well-being of their children, until a judge in a duly authorized court of law had deemed them unfit.

This is the only way we can hope to protect our children.

Below you will find links to more video's documenting the problem and providing plenty of fodder for thought.

Video Library

• Are Drugs Being Misused On Foster Kids? (read the full report)
• Drugging Children
• Foster Care Problems in Texas
• Psychiatry EXPOSED!
• 'Rital' Me This
• Good Morning Flint
• TeenScreen ("Diagnostic psychiatric service" report)

Labels: CPS, drugs, foster care, medication

Kidjacked owner accused of misrepresenation, stealing and lying.

The following e-mail was circulated yesterday and I've received several e-mails from people who are asking if these allegations are true. So, I thought this was the best place to address these crazy notions.

Annette Hall is really a divorce lawyer, NOT a victimized parent. See her web site below. In fact, she threatened me she will "report me to the authorities" for exposing this fraud. I don't like hypocrites who use phishing to lure new clients by pretending to be parents like Bonnie Russell. See her email to me below. Talk about ambulance chasers! If she really cared about our children she would help us pro bono, not pretend to be part of our group and then threaten when we discover she is like the man in the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain. Email her and tell you you don't appreciate her being a lawyer masquerading as a victimized parent. Further, she put my story on her website without asking me permission. Not that I care about that, but she thinks she is better than me and can violate my rights to privacy but we are supposed to respect hers? Hypocrisy!
Family Divorce Lawyer

• I am not and have never been an attorney. (Oh, how I wish I was an attorney, I'd sue the pants off Blanca Garibay, the person who stole my husbands Social Security number and has been using it to collect disability benefits and preventing us from getting a car loan.)
• I have never claimed to be a "victimized parent," in fact I have never had a CPS case or an investigation made against me.
• I was molested while in foster care and accused of lying about it, which lead to my running away at 14-years of age - I've been on my own since that time.
• While in foster care, case workers attempted to force me to lie on the stand in court, against my mother.
• I have never been to or lived in or around Encinitas, CA - In fact, I have no clue where that is.
• I have e-mails from Diane Booth not only granting me permission to post her stories, but requesting that I post them on Kidjacked.

These false statements have been circulated to discredit my work and this website because private e-mails sent were reposted to a large list of names.

Things like this happen all the time between those who are fighting the system. Is it any wonder with all these false allegations and infighting that we can't get anything accomplished? It makes me sick.

If you still need more information that I am who I say I am, visit the following websites to learn more. Of course they were posted by me, so you'll have to use your own common sense. If I really were an attorney, why would I sit here and waste my time posting these stories on the internet, instead of representing families in court?

Apparently, CPS isn't the only one capable of levying false accusations.

Who is Annette M. Hall?

• About Kidjacked
• About The Hall Family - This website has been up almost ten years.
• 12 Point Design - Family Business (Could this be the same business that takes up all my time? I think so.

Labels: CPS, false accusation