Submitted by Anonymous the 3rd

Long story - trying to make it short.
HISTORY OF A CPS NIGHTMARE: (2010)
Mother & 3 children in Conroe, TX (Montgomery County – above Houston, TX)

This case started with the initial ‘intrusion’ by a CPS worker who violated a woman’s 4th Amendment rights by barging into her home in Conroe, TX, demanding/ordering she leave the room so she could question her 3 kids. She then went through the house, checked the water over and over which was fine (water had been turned off for 2 days the prior month), went upstairs to examine the kids’ rooms and then ordered the children to go up and clean their rooms, threatening them with removal from their home, demanded to examine all the children’s and the mother’s medications. It escalated from that visit (and an apparent, we think, ‘personal vendetta’ and personality clash with the mother) - into CPS taking all three children and putting them into an “emergency children’s shelter” 3 hours away because there were no foster homes available. The children were reportedly abused in this ‘shelter’. Caseworkers changed 3 times in 4 mos.

The initial involvement was when a Conroe school called CPS regarding the kids: two boys, one hitting the other and giving him a black eye. The next issue was about medications the kids were on for ADHD and ‘Bi-Polar disorder’, which were prescribed by doctors (the children were put back on the exact same medications after examination by CPS doctors), the water being turned off temporarily for 2 days. This all fell into this caseworker’s category for “neglect”, with many added on fabrications and false allegations that were shown as false. It did not matter – caseworker was not reprimanded or held accountable - they kept the kids anyway. The mother’s defense and all her paperwork and backup to her defense was ignored and not admitted in court. The father of the two older children (boys) had his parental rights removed due to a False report of some ‘alleged criminal background’ that did not exist, and because his work travel and lack of income would not permit him to keep two children at the time (which was not necessary since his mother had agreed to take them). That is grounds for ‘removing parental rights’ rather than simply saying he was not able to take custody at this time? How is this right when this father has always been extremely supportive and instrumental in these kids’ lives?

After several court hearings, Family meetings at CPS, and demands to see medical records, it was still determined that the children needed to go to family members or “foster” after spending much too long in a damaging ‘emergency shelter’. The traumatic effects of this on the children have been Much more in the form of “Child Abuse” than anything any family member or their mother would have thought of doing to these children. (ref: reports from children) IMPORTANT NOTE: The children had never experienced abuse in any manner or form before CPS. They do NOT understand what is happening or why – very hurt, very confused, very angry children. There was never any abandonment or child abuse by the mother as is clearly defined in the State laws and policies. There were other alternatives in assisting this mother with other problems she was having (financially) other than ‘stealing’ the children and damaging them by putting them into shelters and other questionable and unhealthy environments.

Kids’ grandparents (#1) were intensely investigated. CPS had been to the home interview and approved it, background checks were done – all o.k. Then a CPS “contractor” (an adoption services) - sent out a girl to interview for 3 hrs. All thought interview went well, house looked over, nice middleclass neighborhood (down the street from good school), structured and secure environment, grandparents with good/sound morals and stable. However, when she wrote her ‘reports’, she allegedly left out some paperwork and had not contacted important family member. By the time it got to court, after too many uninformed personal opinions were given by CPS caseworkers and this ‘contractor’ (with what credentials would be the question), it was determined and misrepresented that some papers were ‘not signed’ (or missing) - incorrect, all papers were signed – so it was (dishonestly) presented to the court as ‘refusal to sign’, grandparents were suddenly ‘unapproved’ for custody (due to the negligence on whose part?). Because these educated and knowledgeable Grandparents asked questions, it appeared that a lot of things were twisted around. As well, there was some question as to their ‘income and expenses’ at the time of this interview, also unfairly stated in their absence in court after being told they ‘did not need to be there’ by both CPS and CASA; yet the Grandparents had assured the Contractor that they and the extended family could and would manage just fine with the children – they did not understand how their finances was this person’s ‘business’. Also questionable why this person would call up all the friends, neighbors and family members and question them about these Grandparents’ income (private and confidential information that is not shared) as well as other very personal questions that others may not be privy to and that friends and family members were appalled by. It would be reasonable to assume that any ‘income’ situation (even if it were correct, which it was not) would pertain to most people in the country at this time and economy since CPS caseworkers and other information on the CPS websites state clearly that there is assistance in that area; so that should not have been an issue. These Grandparents have been involved in these children’s lives since birth and were often a major source of their financial support.

To make it all worse: CPS and the court then granted custody to the youngest child’s Grandmother (#2) who lived in a very questionable run-down home and environment , a grandmother who never had the intense interviews or investigations and who had much less financial stability than the initial Grandparents. This grandmother (#2) shuffled them to her son, who has a history of drug abuse, jail, lack of income and the ways & means to care for the children, lived in a dilapidated trailer with 2 pit bulls. He did not have the ‘income’ or means to care for the kids properly – however, CPS managed to eventually get ½ of the mother’s disability income directed to the Grandmother (#2) – which was NOT spent on the children - leaving the mother with not enough money to establish the 3 bedroom home required by CPS to get her children back.

Eventually CPS found out that they had made this ‘terrible mistake’ and removed the children once again sending them to yet another ‘shelter’ – NOT to the Grandparents who would be “in the best interest of the children”. They are insistent that all 3 children be “kept together” even though that may not be possible within the system foster care available. Now the entire family has to once again worry about visitation with these kids and insuring that they are o.k., knowing that denial of that right and need would Significantly further Impair the Children’s Physical Health AND Emotional Well-Being.

To further the damages, CPS told the Mother in a ‘family meeting’ recently that she had 3 days (instead of the 1 year as required by the court) to complete her services or the children would be ‘put up for adoption’. The shock and awe of this CPS statement created further turmoil, frustration, anger and anguish throughout both families. To add insult to injury, this mother is consistently ignored and kept from the necessary paperwork (from CPS and her court appointed attorney), hampering her ability to complete the “services”, which is also highly questionable.

Question: How much money does this CPS entity stand to make in an adoption, rather than granting custody to the original stable Grandparents. Again questionable as to how much of this is “all about the money” and not at all about the children or their best interests.

With CPS now being labeled across the country as “Organized Crime” – the rights of anyone involved with these children are excessively denied and their ‘reasons’ continue to be questionable. How is this not ‘State Sponsored Child Abuse’? Considering just this case alone, How much of this is due to the federal funding that CPS gets and how else are people supposed to think this is what it is all really about?

Why are we not allowed to ask these questions without being also abused by the system and CPS? How is it that CPS is never held accountable for their false accusations, perjury, mistakes and errors in a court of law? Why do the Judges allow this? Why are we not allowed to give the judge the facts that she was obviously missing? Does she even realize what CPS has put these children through? Surely Not.

Ref: the False Statements and Accountability Act of 1996, P.I. 104-292 110 stat 3459, 42 U.S.C.S. 670-679a; P.I. 96-272; C.F.R. part 1356; and Title IV-E. (see comments: George Miller re - P.I. 96-272 state sponsored child abuse).

In accordance with the State’s Requirements for Foster Parents and also Requirements for Adoptive parents, the Grandparents (#1) should have unquestionable custody of these children.

The bottom line? Unless you can afford a powerful attorney, you can forget any of your rights Or the rights of your children in this country. That is atrocious.

Where are the Senators, the Attorney General and the Governor?