From Judy

In March 2011, CYFD removed my grandchldren from their mother's home and placed them with their other grandparents.  I was in Mexico at the time but returned in 4 days and was prepared to take the kids.

Instead CYFD New Mexico gave the kids to their father who had a no contact court order in New Mexico and allowed him to transport the kids across the US.  CYFD would not believe my daughter about the no contact order and the "investigator" Benny Placencio did not ever investigate that fact.  He gave the father a letter permitting him to take the kids to North Carolina.  In addition, my daughter (the mother) never lost her full legal custody rights.  When he realized that he was going to get into trouble, CYFD just closed the case to avoid being held liable.

Because of that letter, it has taken us until July 5 and about $12000 in legal and transportation costs to recover the children who were illegally taken.  I believe there should be some way to recover some of that money spent as it was the fault of CYFD, the other grandparents, and the father (who knew he had a no contact order).

I don't believe that CYFD did its job as outlined in their policies and I also believe that this has happened many times before our case.  This agency is over-worked and it needs better hiring practices and more supervision.