Legally Kidnapped: August 2018

Friday, August 31, 2018

The Complicated, Messy Identity of a Transracial Adoptee

In the Atlantic, David French says questioning a white family’s ability to raise a child of color is wrong. I know it isn’t.

More >> The Complicated, Messy Identity of a Transracial Adoptee

Report: Hart family home devoid of evidence of children

In the days after the Hart family's SUV was discovered at the bottom of a California cliff, investigators visited their Washington state home and were surprised to find almost no evidence that six children, ranging in age from 12 to 19, lived in the house.

There were no toys in the home and no personalized decorations in the kids' bedrooms, according to documents released by the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

More >> Report: Hart family home devoid of evidence of children

Former foster parent charged with multiple sex offences in central Ontario

Provincial police say a central Ontario man who used to be a foster parent has been charged with multiple sex offences.

Police say they began their investigation on Aug. 14 after allegations were reported to officers.

More >> Former foster parent charged with multiple sex offences in central Ontario

Colorado couple files lawsuit for illegal seizure of kids

A Colorado couple filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday against several Kansas state and local entities for “unconstitutionally seizing” their five children after a three-year-long custody battle.

Defendants include the Kansas Department of Children and Families, Riley County Police Department, Pawnee Mental Health Services, St. Francis Community Services and others.

More >> Colorado couple files lawsuit for illegal seizure of kids

Foster mom shot; 2 snatched kids found with biological mom

Police say two people shot and wounded a Florida foster mother and fled with two children, who were later found at the home of their biological mother.

More >> Foster mom shot; 2 snatched kids found with biological mom

Foster mother shot, 2 children taken from home in southwest Miami-Dade

Death of 18-month-old foster care child near Jordan being investigated

Authorities are investigating the Sunday death of an 18-month-old child in foster care at a home on Morlock Drive in Sand Creek Township, just outside of Jordan.

Scott County Dispatch received a call that the baby was having trouble breathing, so deputies and emergency responders were dispatched to the scene to find an unresponsive child, according to a press release from the Scott County Sheriff's Department. The baby was airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee and later airlifted to Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, where she died.

More >> Death of 18-month-old foster care child near Jordan being investigated

Judge signs motion to dismiss case against former CPS supervisor Martha "Bit" Whitaker

With a judge’s signature, a long-pending case related to the 2012 death of a 2-year-old toddler at Dyess Air Force Base comes to a close.

A prosecution’s motion to dismiss a tampering with evidence charge against former Child Protective Services’ Abilene regional director Martha Kiel “Bit” Whitaker was signed by Judge Jay Gibson Wednesday, according to court documents.

More >> Judge signs motion to dismiss case against former CPS supervisor Martha "Bit" Whitaker

Oklahoma DHS Disputes Report on Foster Care Reform Efforts

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services on Thursday took issue with the latest report by monitors that downgraded the agency's progress in improving the state's foster care program for children.

More >> Oklahoma DHS Disputes Report on Foster Care Reform Efforts

Supreme Court rejects request from Catholic foster care non-profit that refused to certify married same-sex couples

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against a Catholic foster care non-profit in Philadelphia that refuses to certify married same-sex couples as prospective foster parents out of religious objections to same-sex marriage.

In a one sentence order, the justices let stand a lower court ruling that had blocked Catholic Social Services from taking on new applicants to its foster program.

More >> Supreme Court rejects request from Catholic foster care non-profit that refused to certify married same-sex couples

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Kansas DCF failed to meet 16 standards for child safety, well-being over past year

The Kansas agency in charge of child welfare failed to meet 16 standards for keeping children safe and giving them a stable home over the past year.

The Department for Children and Families this week disclosed a report tracking 30 performance measurements. On more than half, the agency’s performance didn’t meet federal and state standards.

More >> Kansas DCF failed to meet 16 standards for child safety, well-being over past year

State warned on adoption violations

The State has been urged to ensure family members of children who were forcibly disappeared through adoption or unidentified burials while in institutional care are given information about their fate — and warned that a similar system in Spain constituted crimes against humanity.

On UN International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said enforced disappearance is widely considered one of the gravest possible human rights violations.

More >> State warned on adoption violations

Oversight panel accuses DHS of failing to protect children, not making good-faith efforts to reform

The Oklahoma Department of Human Services has failed even to make “good faith efforts” to improve services and protect children in state custody, according to a panel of experts who have been appointed by a federal court to oversee reforms in the agency.

DHS, in turn, accused the panel of omitting facts to portray the agency “in as unfavorable a light as possible.” And Gov. Mary Fallin expressed concern over the “tone” of the report, noting it seemed to contradict findings that the same panel issued only months ago.

More >> Oversight panel accuses DHS of failing to protect children, not making good-faith efforts to reform

Ex-foster parent charged with sex assault of child

A Saybrook man who once served as a foster parent to a minor girl faces a dozen felony counts accusing him of sexually assaulting her and a second child.

Brad J. Talley, 45, is charged with nine counts of predatory criminal sexual assault and three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The alleged sexual offenses reportedly occurred between 2013 and 2016, according to charges.

More >> Ex-foster parent charged with sex assault of child

Police investigating death of 18-month-old child in foster care near Jordan

Authorities are investigating the death of an 18-month-old child who was in foster care at a residence in Scott County, Minnesota.

The Scott County Sheriff's Office issued a press release saying its deputies were dispatched to a home in Sand Creek Township, near Jordan, around 4:40 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26 on a report of a child having trouble breathing.

More >> Police investigating death of 18-month-old child in foster care near Jordan

Man pleads guilty to sexually abusing foster daughter

A Leavenworth man has pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with his foster daughter.

A Leavenworth man has pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with his foster daughter.

More >> Man pleads guilty to sexually abusing foster daughter

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Foster dad accused of sexually abusing young girls

A foster dad is in jail, accused of sexually abusing two young girls in his care.

Dillard Duane Henline Jr., 50, of Barboursville, is charged with 10 counts of sexual abuse, a felony.

More >> Foster dad accused of sexually abusing young girls

Barboursville Man arrested for Sexually Abusing Foster Kids

The perv!

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Social worker struck off for ‘premeditated and deliberate’ failures

A social worker has been struck off after her professional watchdog found her her guilty of “premeditated and deliberate” failures that left several disabled children at risk of significant harm.

More >> Social worker struck off for ‘premeditated and deliberate’ failures

Nuns At A Catholic Orphanage In Vermont Abused Children For Decades, An Explosive Report Says

There's yet another bombshell report detailing supposed misconduct at the hands of the Catholic Church. This time the report is about allegations of child abuse by nuns at a Vermont Catholic orphanage. In an investigation called "The Ghosts of the Orphanage," BuzzFeed News' Christine Kenneally tracked supposed incidents of child abuse through decades across the country, but the bulk of her reporting focused on one facility in Vermont.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage opened in the mid-1800s and closed in 1974. Kenneally estimated that "thousands of people" stayed at the orphanage in the time it was open. When asked for comment, Burlington Diocese Monsignor John McDermott told BuzzFeed News that they take reports of child abuse seriously. "Please know that the Diocese of Burlington treats allegations of child abuse seriously and procedures are in place for reporting to the proper authorities. While it cannot alter the past, the Diocese is doing everything it can to ensure children are protected," McDermott told BuzzFeed News.

More >> Nuns At A Catholic Orphanage In Vermont Abused Children For Decades, An Explosive Report Says

State files motion to drop charge against ex-Abilene CPS director Martha 'Bit' Whitaker

A prosecutor from the Texas Attorney General's office has filed a motion to dismiss a tampering with evidence charge against former Child Protective Services' Abilene regional director Martha Kiel "Bit" Whitaker.

The motion comes more than four years after a Taylor County grand jury indicted Whitaker on the third-degree felony in connection with the 2012 death of 22-month-old Tamryn Klapheke.

More >> State files motion to drop charge against ex-Abilene CPS director Martha 'Bit' Whitaker

Child services employee shoots and kills herself inside Paramus office

A Division of Child Protection and Permanency employee shot and killed herself inside the state office Monday morning, police said.

The unidentified 57-year-old woman was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, said Paramus Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg.

More >> Child services employee shoots and kills herself inside Paramus office

Monday, August 27, 2018

44 children rescued from Chennai orphanage after child abuse allegations

The matter came to light when a few children complained to two city magistrates when they visited the orphanage for a legal awareness programme.

More >> 44 children rescued from Chennai orphanage after child abuse allegations

How Julie got her daughter back, and her life

On Jan. 11, 2013, Julie Johnson’s daughter, Anna, didn’t come home from day care. At first, Julie didn’t know where Anna was, but at least she knew who had taken her: the state of Arkansas.

Before long, she began to appreciate why. She and her estranged husband were meth addicts, and their homes were no longer safe.

More >> How Julie got her daughter back, and her life

Irish ruling class as much to blame for child abuse as church

Yes, the church did wrong on child abuse and Magdalene Laundries, but there were plenty of Irish in leadership roles who turned a blind eye.

The Irish, from their ruling class right down to the general populace, have created a convenient narrative about these abuses.

In this account, no Irish person bears any guilt or responsibility, save the clerics who carried out the abuse.

More >> Irish ruling class as much to blame for child abuse as church

This thieving social worker stole £6k from council budget which supports children in care

Shamed social worker Donna Fallows has lost her job - after stealing £6,466 of taxpayers' cash set aside to help children in care.

The 46-year-old was a team manager for Staffordshire County Council when she filed false claims in the names of two young people and took the cash for herself.

More >> This thieving social worker stole £6k from council budget which supports children in care

Foster care provider shut down for not reporting sexual abuse, report claims

Familyworks, Inc. on Coors Boulevard has been shut down after not reporting sexual abuse complaints to the Children, Youth, and Families Department, according to CYFD.

The agency says it also will no longer allow the foster parents to take care of children.

More >> Foster care provider shut down for not reporting sexual abuse, report claims

Oklahoma Foster Mother Charged After Child Suffers Severe Burns

A foster mother is charged with multiple counts of child neglect, months after a little girl is hospitalized with 3rd and 4th degree burns.

It happened in Warr Acres while Dusty Hughes and five other children were left in the care of a 15-year-old boy.

More >> Oklahoma Foster Mother Charged After Child Suffers Severe Burns

Muncie foster parent accused of slapping 4-year-old girl

A Muncie foster parent is accused of slapping a four-year-old girl in the face, and then trying to hide his actions from authorities.

Derrick A. Brady, 30, of the 5300 block of North Bayon Drive, was arrested Thursday on preliminary counts of domestic battery and neglect of a dependent.

More >> Muncie foster parent accused of slapping 4-year-old girl

Long hours, low pay and constant turnover: Social services agencies in Virginia struggle to keep staff

It takes two years to train a social worker at one of Virginia’s local social services departments so they can confidently help families, handle an interview with a recently traumatized child or recognize red flags that could suggest abuse or neglect.

But Virginia’s child welfare workers — those whose duties range from meeting with foster children to investigating claims of child abuse — are leaving after an average of 18 to 24 months on the job, according to Carl Ayers, director of family services with the state Department of Social Services.

More >> Long hours, low pay and constant turnover: Social services agencies in Virginia struggle to keep staff

Catholic Charities Of Buffalo Shuts Down Adoptions Over Same-Sex Couples

The Catholic Charities of Buffalo has announced the organization will end its adoption and foster care services because Jesus.

New York state law bans discrimination against same-sex couples when it comes to adoption or foster care, but the Catholic Church’s position is that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

More >> Catholic Charities Of Buffalo Shuts Down Adoptions Over Same-Sex Couples

LGBT activists are forcing Christians out of adoption services…and kids are getting hurt

Lacombe woman denies guilt in her sentencing hearing for death of foster child

Trenique Faciane pleaded guilty months ago to manslaughter in the death of her 22-month-old foster child, Madison Parrott, but when the former owner of a Slidell day care center appeared in court last week for sentencing, the proceedings took on the aspect of a full-blown trial, with the defendant testifying that the fatal events of May 21, 2015, in fact were a series of accidents.

Judge Richard Swartz's courtroom at 22nd Judicial District Court in Covington was full, with members of Faciane's family on one side and the family of the dead toddler on the other as Faciane's team of three lawyers called witnesses during more than three hours of testimony.

More >> Lacombe woman denies guilt in her sentencing hearing for death of foster child

Pope denounces forced adoptions of Irish children born to unwed mothers

Pope Francis on Sunday denounced how Irish children were "robbed of their innocence and taken from their mothers" by Catholic-run institutions that put them up for adoption to erase the shame of having been born to unwed mothers.

More >> Pope denounces forced adoptions of Irish children born to unwed mothers

Japan’s child abuse hotline may go toll-free to reduce high hang-up rate

The welfare ministry has decided to make calls to its child abuse hotline free increase staffing at child consultation centers, informed sources said.

More >> Japan’s child abuse hotline may go toll-free to reduce high hang-up rate

Sunday, August 26, 2018

She had sex with boy, 16, at Kansas home for at-risk youth and was arrested, cops say

An employee of a Wichita-area home for at-risk boys was arrested on suspicion of sex crimes, officials said.

Amanda Renee McCool was arrested on suspicion of unlawful sexual relations — law enforcement officer or jail employee with inmate, booking reports show. She was arrested at her in Haysville home, according to Sedgwick County Jail records.

More >> She had sex with boy, 16, at Kansas home for at-risk youth and was arrested, cops say

Dozens rally for foster care reform

“Little child, dry your crying eyes…” a passionate guitarist emotionally strummed his rendition of White Lion’s “When the Children Cry.” The lyrics take their toll on his audience, which is full of folks rallying for foster care reform in Montana.

“I wish I had a relationship with my daughter. I miss my son so much. It’s not right what they did to my family. It’s not right that I have to live without remaining family members,” said Kirk Eakin, a father who believes his children were unjustly taken out of his custody.

More >> Dozens rally for foster care reform

Two children trapped in foster care, as four years later adults still debate how sibling died

Police found no crime was committed in the death of 4-year-old Geovannti, but DFCS and the medical examiner still have questions. Four years later the case is unresolved and the family is still torn apart.

More >> Two children trapped in foster care, as four years later adults still debate how sibling died

Mom let 8-year-old walk the dog by herself. A neighbor called cops and child services

When Corey Widen heard a knock on her door in early August, she expected it to be her 8-year-old daughter Dorothy’s playmate. Instead, there was a uniformed police officer and a squad car waiting outside, the Wilmette, Illinois, mom wrote on Facebook.

The reason? Someone had noticed the girl walking her dog Marshmallow around the block — and had called police.

More >> Mom let 8-year-old walk the dog by herself. A neighbor called cops and child services

'It's traumatizing:' Mom speaks out after being investigated by child services for letting 8-year-old walk dog alone

Judge Allows Lawsuit Against Foster Parent Gun Ban to Move Forward

A federal district court judge in Michigan ruled this week that a Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) can move forward.

More >> Judge Allows Lawsuit Against Foster Parent Gun Ban to Move Forward

Muncie foster parent accused of slapping 4-year-old girl

LGBT activists are forcing Christians out of adoption services…and kids are getting hurt

In 2016, Mary Eberstadt’s short, powerful book It’s Dangerous to Believe: Religious Freedom and Its Enemies was released. It is a sweeping analysis, and details the cultural shift that has effectively reduced the once-Christian majority into an increasingly despised minority. To ascribe to the Christian worldview on sexuality, Eberstadt notes, is to invite the labels of bigot, homophobe, transphobe, or worse. And as a result, Christianity has lost the prestigious position it once held in the West. It has been effectively replaced with the totalitarian moral relativism of the Sexual Revolution.

More >> LGBT activists are forcing Christians out of adoption services…and kids are getting hurt

Foster mother accused of child neglect after leaving 5 special needs children with teenager

A foster mother has been charged with neglect after leaving five special needs children with a 15-year-old. One of her foster children suffered serious burns.

All the foster children ages 11 months to 7 years old have been removed from Justine Kersey's home in Warr Acres.

More >> Foster mother accused of child neglect after leaving 5 special needs children with teenager

Helena rally decries family separation by Children and Family Services

Around two dozen people gathered outside the state Capitol Thursday morning to decry the separation of families by Montana's Children and Family Services Division.

The "Our Kids Cry Too" rally was organized by the Montana Child Protection Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of children's rights in Montana and advocating for due process.

More >> Helena rally decries family separation by Children and Family Services

How Child Protective Services Can Skip Due Process

On April 13, 2018, Emily Truitt, a dog groomer with a two-year old son, received a visitor at her doorstep. Responding to an accusation of neglect, an investigator with the Delaware Division of Family Services asked Truitt’s boyfriend for permission to enter their home while she was at work. This is a request millions of families receive each year, and though granting entry is not mandatory without a court order, many families—like Truitt’s—automatically comply.

Shortly after the investigator entered the home, Truitt says the investigator called to demand she leave work immediately to meet at the department’s local office. While there, Truitt, who takes methadone as part of her addiction recovery treatment, admitted to using marijuana daily for anxiety, and cocaine once in the week prior, but denied using illegal drugs in the presence of her child. After that admission, Truitt says, things went downhill fast.

More >> How Child Protective Services Can Skip Due Process

DCF employee arrested for beating child with a belt over a broken faucet

A Fort Myers woman who was supposed to look out for our children is accused of child abuse.

Jacquelin McMiller works with the Department or Children and Families and was put on administrative leave August 10 after allegedly striking a child with a belt.

More >> DCF employee arrested for beating child with a belt over a broken faucet

Rape case against foster parent moving forward

After attempting to have an indictment against him dismissed, the case against Brian Innes is moving forward in Nelson Circuit Court.

More >> Rape case against foster parent moving forward

End of Catholic Charities' adoption, foster care ripples through community

Catholic Charities of Buffalo's announcement on Thursday that it is ending its foster care and adoption program sent shock waves through the region.

One day later, program employees, gay adoptive couples, legal experts, elected officials and organizations that offer similar services wrestled with the wide-ranging ramifications of the decision.

More >> End of Catholic Charities' adoption, foster care ripples through community

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Foster Parents Often Struggle To Find Doctors To Treat The Kids In Their Care

Sherri and Thomas Croom have been foster parents to 27 children — from newborns to teenagers — during the past decade.

That has meant visits to dozens of doctors and dentists for issues ranging from a tonsillectomy to depression.

More >> Foster Parents Often Struggle To Find Doctors To Treat The Kids In Their Care

Foster mother arrested after seriously injuring 1-year-old

A 1-year-old boy has been fighting for his life, and a foster mother has been arrested, following a mysterious incident that took place in a Central Valley foster home run by an allegedly abusive couple. [Cal Coast Times]

In similar fashion to a recent San Luis Obispo County case, the 1-year-old boy was reportedly taken away from his mother because of homelessness and then physically abused by a foster parent. The foster mother, 29-year–old Darlene Valdovino-Aguilera, was arrested by Visalia police on Friday on child abuse charges.

More >> Foster mother arrested after seriously injuring 1-year-old

6 problems with the foster care system — and what you can do to help

When Tenaja Jordan came out to her parents at 17 years old, they kicked her out of their home. As a teenager, she was still considered a child in the eyes of the state, and was immediately placed into New York City's child welfare system.

Following the trauma of the situation, one question remained on Jordan's mind: Where was she going to live?

More >> 6 problems with the foster care system — and what you can do to help

Foster children still sleep in offices, but Eckerd Connects says foster-care fix is working

Even as Eckerd Connects works its way through a state-ordered plan to address failures in foster care, children under its watch are still sleeping in offices.

Thirteen Hillsborough County foster children slept for a total of 22 nights in offices this month because child welfare workers could not find them foster beds for the night, agency officials said.

More >> Foster children still sleep in offices, but Eckerd Connects says foster-care fix is working

OREGON FOSTER PARENT GETS 94-YEAR SENTENCE IN SEX ABUSE CASE

An Oregon man convicted of sexually abusing a foster child in his care was sentenced to nearly 94 years in prison.

The Register-Guard reports 45-year-old Joe Albert Raygosa was sentenced Wednesday in Lane County Circuit Court after he was found guilty of 12 sex crimes against a child.

More >> OREGON FOSTER PARENT GETS 94-YEAR SENTENCE IN SEX ABUSE CASE

LANE COUNTY MAN SENTENCED FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING A CHILD

Why did it take a child's death to reveal adoption system failings?

Our adoption system is failing children. The review into the death of Elsie Scully-Hicks identified important lessons for professionals involved in protecting children. But it does not go far enough: it misses a number of fundamental flaws in the system that were evident before her death. These flaws can lead to vulnerable children being rushed into unsuitable adoptions, and then pushed back into care once the adoption breaks down.

More >> Why did it take a child's death to reveal adoption system failings?

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Relatives get $600 less than foster parents to care for a child. Should that change?

Ceci Soto took in her two little nieces after the state removed them from her sister's care. She didn't want the girls living in a foster home with a stranger.

Soto, a 20-year-old single mother with a toddler of her own, receives $90 a month from the state — $45 for each of her nieces.

More >> Relatives get $600 less than foster parents to care for a child. Should that change?

New law aims to keep at-risk families together, out of welfare system

A New Illinois law provides more childcare for families with children at risk of entering the child welfare system.

The law, House Bill 4885, provides child care for children younger than 5 who are part of an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services intact family case. After the DCFS case is closed, the families get an additional six months of child care.

More >> New law aims to keep at-risk families together, out of welfare system

Wilmette mom investigated for letting 8-year-old walk dog around the block. 'For something like this to happen to me, there’s something really wrong.'

Just after returning home from a walk around the block with her dog, Marshmallow, an 8-year-old Wilmette girl expected a visit from a playmate. Instead, police officers arrived at the family’s door.

An anonymous caller had contacted police after seeing the girl walking the dog alone, said her mother, Corey Widen. While police never pursued charges, the seemingly common activity launched an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigation to see if Widen was neglecting her children, she said.

More >> Wilmette mom investigated for letting 8-year-old walk dog around the block. 'For something like this to happen to me, there’s something really wrong.'

Settlement reached in lawsuit against county CYS

Luzerne County officials have reached a settlement with a mother who alleged child services caseworkers put her two children into a home where they were physically and sexually abused, according to a filing Tuesday.

In a letter filed in federal court Tuesday, Wilkes-Barre attorney Shelley L. Centini said the mother, identified in the complaint only as M.J., has reached a settlement with the county and attorneys are working on the necessary paperwork. The filing does not specify the amount of the settlement, and Centini did not immediately return a message seeking additional information.

More >> Settlement reached in lawsuit against county CYS

Report on child welfare workers finds caseloads a “critical issue”

Whether it’s excessive workloads for frontline staff or inadequate services for people with addiction or mental health issues, many of the problems discussed in the report can be traced back to the failure of federal and provincial government to adequately fund social programs.

More >> Report on child welfare workers finds caseloads a “critical issue”

Lawsuit Blames Child Welfare Agency For Death Of Semaj Crosby

A lawsuit is blaming a child welfare agency for the death of Semaj Crosby, the little girl found dead in her own home in Joliet last year.

CBS 2’s Roseanne Tellez reports the suit, filed on behalf of James Crosby, Semaj’s dad, says the agency failed to protect the child.

More >> Lawsuit Blames Child Welfare Agency For Death Of Semaj Crosby

Trump’s immigrant family separation strategy 2.0 targets children as they return to school

There was great public outcry over the Trump administration’s separation of thousands of minor children from their immigrant parents, many of whom were legally pursuing asylum here in the United States when they were apprehended. The move has been widely condemned as inhumane and likely a violation of international law.

More >> Trump’s immigrant family separation strategy 2.0 targets children as they return to school

Leander Woman Threatened To Kill Child Protective Workers: Police

A Leander woman was arrested after allegedly threatening to kill employees of Child Protective Services when she was temporarily barred from seeing her son, according to a published report.

More >> Leander Woman Threatened To Kill Child Protective Workers: Police

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Former Hanna Boys Center staffer sentenced for sex offenses

Kevin Scott Thorpe, who previously had plead no-contest to 11 sex offenses against four separate teenage victims when he worked as a caseworker at the Hanna Boys Center, was sentenced today to 21 years in state prison.

The 40-year-old Rhonert Park man used his position of authority to prey upon vulnerable kids, said District Attorney Jill Ravitch. “The prison term is appropriate for the nature of criminal offenses committed.”

More >> Former Hanna Boys Center staffer sentenced for sex offenses

Report: DFCS didn’t pursue ‘red flags’ before Gwinnett toddler starved

There were multiple “red flags” that Georgia Division of Family and Children Services workers did not follow up on months before nearly 3-year-old Reygan Moon starved to death, records show.

More >> Report: DFCS didn’t pursue ‘red flags’ before Gwinnett toddler starved

“FORGET YOUR SON”: BRAZIL IS FORCIBLY TAKING INDIGENOUS CHILDREN AND PUTTING THEM UP FOR ADOPTION

"You can give up." That's what they told Élida Oliveira, a Kaiowá mother who had her eight-day-old son taken away from her by local government officials. In the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, 50 indigenous children have recently been put up for adoption and federal authorities want to know why.

Man docked for alleged fraudulent role in child adoption

A 47-year-oldman, Felix Nwachukwu, who allegedly obtained N900,000 on the pretext of adopting a child from a motherless home, on Monday appeared before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

More >> Man docked for alleged fraudulent role in child adoption

Foster mother arrested after seriously injuring 1-year-old

Kentucky's foster care numbers"unacceptable"

Just over a month after a new law went into effect lawmakers heard from officials involved with the implementation of House Bill 1.

The Child Welfare Oversight Committee heard from members of the Department for Community Based Services and the Judicial Branch on the implementation of the measure. The wide ranging bill focused on overhauling the adoption and foster care system—it seeks to strengthen support to help keep families together by tightening the timeline for termination of parental rights. It establishes the Child Welfare Oversight and Advisory Committee within the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, gives grandparents and other kinship providers more rights, and foster parents more input in the child welfare process.

More >> Kentucky's foster care numbers"unacceptable"

Monday, August 20, 2018

Part 2: Reunification Therapy After Parental Alienation

After a parent has been wrongfully alienated by the other parent of their children, reunification therapy is the professional approach often used to try to repair the situation and support the mental health of all involved. As we wrote in Part 1 of this series, parental alienation may occur when a parent tries to alienate a child from the other parent without a reasonable basis for doing so.

Parental behaviors that can cause alienation include badmouthing the other parent without reason, blocking communication and contact with the other parent, and in extreme cases, making unsubstantiated allegations against the other parent, including of abuse.

More >> Part 2: Reunification Therapy After Parental Alienation

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Some of my new favorite Mug Shots - Baby LK's Top 10 CPS Horror Stories of the Week

Here are the list of links to the stories used in this weeks video.

Foster family has troubling history -

https://www.abqjournal.com/1210653/foster-family-has-troubling-history.html

Affidavit: Foster child allegedly branded, starved, beaten, stabbed - http://www.mcalesternews.com/news/affidavit-foster-child-allegedly-branded-starved-beaten-stabbed/article_a967f792-a0cf-11e8-a917-2f7a798639f8.html
Visalia foster mother arrested on child abuse charges, police say - https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/crime/visalia-foster-mother-arrested-on-child-abuse-charges-police-say/1378761340
Lexington choir teacher charged with sexual abuse was also a foster parent - http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Lexington-choir-teacher-charged-with-sexual-abuse-was-also-a-foster-parent-491065981.html
Calera teacher arrested for child porn was foster parent; Boy, 9, in home at time of arrest -

https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2018/08/calera_teacher_arrested_for_ch.html

Iredell County teacher accused of sexually assaulting foster child -

http://www.wbtv.com/story/38897495/iredell-teacher-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-foster-child

Bail Reduced For Foster Parent Accused Of Sex Crimes - http://www.wwnytv.com/story/38883731/bail-reduced-for-foster-parent-accused-of-sex-crimes
Honokaa woman arrested for murder of toddler who died in foster care - http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2018/08/16/hawaii-news/honokaa-woman-arrested-for-murder-of-3-year-old-who-died-in-foster-care/
Judge gives Port St. Lucie's Michael Beer maximum sentence in death of toddler foster son -

https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/st-lucie-county/2018/08/13/judge-gives-port-st-lucie-michael-beer-maximum-sentence-death-toddler-foster-son/959694002/

Social worker called children ‘demonic’ and parents ‘moronic’ on Facebook -

https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/13/social-worker-called-children-demonic-parents-moronic-facebook-7832405/

Last week at the border

Here's what I have collected over the last week in regards to the stolen migrant children at the border.

They got away with it.

Reunification

Ut Oh...

What the Judge said...

Reminiscing

Shackling of 8-year-old in Family Court prompts outrage, new policy

Erie County Youth Detention employees placed leg irons on an 8-year-old boy and left him shackled while he was waiting in Family Court to appear before a judge in February. That prompted a wave of objections by education officials and county leaders who later learned of the shackling.

The child was a third-grader in Buffalo Public Schools.

More >> Shackling of 8-year-old in Family Court prompts outrage, new policy

Foster family has troubling history

The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department has revoked the license of a not-for-profit that places high-risk children with foster families after discovering the business continued to house young girls with a family that was accused multiple times of sexual abuse and misconduct spanning nearly two decades.

More >> Foster family has troubling history

Adoption saga: Americans forced to return Ugandan children

A non-governmental organisation has allegedly duped government into believing that Ugandan children are being sold to American families for millions of dollars.

More >> Adoption saga: Americans forced to return Ugandan children

Police investigate after 18-month-old boy dies in foster care in Springfield

Police investigate after 18-month-old boy dies in foster care in Springfield

More >> Police investigate after 18-month-old boy dies in foster care in Springfield

Family of toddler starved to death upset with the way DFCS handled case

She was 2 years and 11 months old, weighing only 14 pounds. Her mother, Devin Moon, is charged in her death. Now, Reygan's family members are speaking out, saying they warned Georgia's child welfare agency.

More >> Family of toddler starved to death upset with the way DFCS handled case

'We all really want DFCS to pay' | Family of toddler starved to death upset with officials

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Foster parent accused of sexually abusing girls for nearly 20 years

Claims a foster parent has been sexually abusing girls in his care for almost 20 years are finally coming to light.

The girls kept coming forward dating back to 2000; even the man's wife reported it.

More >> Foster parent accused of sexually abusing girls for nearly 20 years

Bail Reduced For Foster Parent Accused Of Sex Crimes

Bail has been reduced for a former foster parent accused of sex crimes in Jefferson County.

Daniel Kemp, age 49, was in Jefferson County Court Tuesday for a bail hearing.

More >> Bail Reduced For Foster Parent Accused Of Sex Crimes

Statutory rape alleged against former Children's Home worker

A former caregiver at Smoky Mountain Children's Home is now facing two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, after a supervisor there reported allegations she'd had sexual contact with juveniles.

More >> Statutory rape alleged against former Children's Home worker

Honokaa woman arrested for murder of toddler who died in foster care

The parents of a 3-year-old toddler who died last year while in foster care are hopeful a 44-year-old Honokaa woman arrested for murder in connection with the boy’s death will be brought to justice.

“Today, our suspicions and worst fears were confirmed when we were told that our 3-year-old son Fabian Garett-Garcia was murdered,” Fabian’s parents, Sherri-Ann Garett and Juben Garcia, said in a statement via their attorney Jeffrey Foster. “There are no words that can describe the way we feel today.

More >> Honokaa woman arrested for murder of toddler who died in foster care

Foster care in Florida continues broken path with resignation of DCF secretary

Foster care in Florida has always been a case of managing chaos.

An imperfect system dealing with broken people and broken families is a combustible combination we often see play out in headlines about abused children, sometimes at the hands of their parents or “protectors.”

More >> Foster care in Florida continues broken path with resignation of DCF secretary

Review finds New Hampshire child protection lacking

New Hampshire's child protection division is meeting just two out of 14 national standards regarding the outcomes it achieves and the systems it has in place, according to a federal agency's report issued Friday.

The U.S. Administration for Children and Families reviewed 65 New Hampshire child welfare cases from the last year and interviewed child welfare workers, attorneys for parents and child and others. It found the state Division of Children, Youth and Families wasn't in substantial conformity with any of its seven outcome standards, including protecting children from abuse and neglect; keeping them in their homes whenever possible; and ensuring they get adequate medical and mental health services.

More >> Review finds New Hampshire child protection lacking

Federal review finds deficiencies in DCYF case handling

Visalia foster mother arrested on child abuse charges, police say

A Visalia foster mother was arrested on child abuse charges after a toddler suffered life-threatening injuries, the Visalia Police Department said Friday. A half-dozen other children were removed from the home afterward.

On Sunday around 2:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 1400 block of east Sunnyview Avenue for an 18-month-old child who was unresponsive as a result of a fall, the Police Department said, but the injuries did not appear consistent with what was described by the foster mother.

More >> Visalia foster mother arrested on child abuse charges, police say

Foster couple’s threat over sex abuse claims

Two people who raised their concerns about alleged abuse of Aboriginal children in foster care by a couple in the remote mining town of Newman have sought protection from police after they say the couple threatened them.

More >> Foster couple’s threat over sex abuse claims

Friday, August 17, 2018

Social workers say report on brutal workload in child-welfare system rings true in Nova Scotia

The head of the Nova Scotia College of Social Workers says a national report is shining a light on the gruelling conditions faced by professionals working in child welfare in this province.

The report released Thursday by the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) reveals that 75 per cent of social workers nationwide describe unmanageable workloads as a critical issue in their practice. In addition, 72 per cent said administrative responsibilities prevented them from spending adequate time with clients.

More >> Social workers say report on brutal workload in child-welfare system rings true in Nova Scotia

Calera teacher arrested for child porn was foster parent; Boy, 9, in home at time of arrest

A Shelby County kindergarten teacher charged with dozens of counts of child porn possession was recently approved as a foster parent.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday arrested 26-year-old Daniel Prentice "Danny" Donaldson, a teacher at Calera Elementary School, on 40 counts of possession of child pornography.

More >> Calera teacher arrested for child porn was foster parent; Boy, 9, in home at time of arrest

Illinois lawmakers hear complaints about children staying in mental hospitals longer than needed

Illinois lawmakers heard sharp criticism from mental health providers for allowing at-risk youth to stay in mental health facilities longer than they should.

The Senate Human Services Committee invited several providers to talk this week about the issue of Illinois’ youth-in-care finding themselves in facilities beyond medical necessity, commonly called BMN.

More >> Illinois lawmakers hear complaints about children staying in mental hospitals longer than needed

Lexington choir teacher charged with sexual abuse was also a foster parent

Tonight a Lexington choir teacher remains in jail on four charges of sexual abuse.

His arrest citation says Thomas Steuart would invite children over to swim and watch movies at his home, and in two cases inappropriately touched two boys.

More >> Lexington choir teacher charged with sexual abuse was also a foster parent

I-Team: Woman serving time for child abuse has book to fix foster system being sold online

Solander was convicted of beat and burning her three adopted daughters. She also limited their food and bathroom use and did much more.

Solander was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 35 years.

More >> I-Team: Woman serving time for child abuse has book to fix foster system being sold online

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Colorado couple wins battle to keep adopted 4-year-old from being deported

Amy and Marco Becerra got some very welcome news Wednesday: The orphaned Peruvian girl they adopted will not be deported.

US Rep. Mike Coffman, who took up the Colorado couple's cause, told CNN that he met with immigration officials, who will allow the child to seek citizenship.

More >> Colorado couple wins battle to keep adopted 4-year-old from being deported

Affidavit: Foster child allegedly branded, starved, beaten, stabbed

Three individuals, including the aunt of the child, are accused of beating, branding, stabbing, and starving a then 14-year-old foster child, court documents state.

Mary Whitehead, 60; Michael Frisbee Miles, 55; and a third individual, all of McAlester, were charged August 13 with four counts of felony child abuse by injury, according to documents filed by the office of District 18 District Attorney Chuck Sullivan.

More >> Affidavit: Foster child allegedly branded, starved, beaten, stabbed

Iredell County teacher accused of sexually assaulting foster child

A teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old child living in an Iredell County foster home.

Christina Davis Jolly, 43, faces five counts of felony statutory rape of a child and two counts of felony statutory sex offense with a child 15 years or younger.

More >> Iredell County teacher accused of sexually assaulting foster child

County reaches settlement agreement in lawsuits by former foster children

San Diego County has agreed to settle two lawsuits by former foster children who allege the county failed to protect them from abuse by a former foster parent, then invaded one of the children’s privacy during resulting litigation, according to papers filed Tuesday in federal court.

The filing notified the court that the parties had reached an agreement for both lawsuits Aug. 9, but it did not disclose the terms of settlement.

More >> County reaches settlement agreement in lawsuits by former foster children

San Diego County settles foster boys' sex-abuse suit

Cleveland County social worker killed in morning crash

A social worker was killed in a two-car crash on her way to do a welfare check Wednesday morning.

Faith Webber, 24, was killed after her white Kia Optima was struck by another vehicle in the eastbound lane of 74 near Renaldo Honda around 8:40 a.m. Webber, a social worker with Cleveland County Department of Social Services, was on her way to a home visit when the wreck occurred, said her supervisor Karen Pritchard.

More >> Cleveland County social worker killed in morning crash

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Adoption red tape denies orphan a home

A lack of professional capacity and despite tireless work by an elderly couple to take her into foster care, 12-year-old Lebogang Mokoka has never had a family.

The child, who lives at Rays of Hope, a child and youth care centre in Alexandra just outside of Johannesburg, was abandoned at birth yet has not been able to live with the couple who love and want her as part of their family.

More >> Adoption red tape denies orphan a home

Is the Trump Administration Denying Citizenship to a 4-Year-Old Adopted Peruvian Girl?

Two American citizens adopted a Peruvian toddler legally under Peruvian law, but the United States has so far denied the girl U.S. citizenship status.

More >> Is the Trump Administration Denying Citizenship to a 4-Year-Old Adopted Peruvian Girl?

Illinois Lawmakers Search for Solutions for Children Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals

Illinois lawmakers Tuesday heard testimony from nearly a dozen doctors and child welfare advocates describing circumstances facing children who languish in psychiatric hospitals even after they had been cleared for discharge — circumstances so harrowing that some children chose jail over another night at a psychiatric facility.

State Sen. Julie Morrison, a Democrat from Deerfield, called for the Senate Human Services Committee hearing following a ProPublica Illinois investigation that revealed that hundreds of children in care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services spent weeks or months at a time locked in psychiatric hospitals after doctors had cleared them for release.

More >> Illinois Lawmakers Search for Solutions for Children Stuck in Psychiatric Hospitals

Family of foster mother fatally strangled by teen settles lawsuit with DHR

The family of a former Montgomery teacher who was fatally strangled by her 14-year-old foster son last year has settled a lawsuit with the Alabama Department of Human Resources.

More >> Family of foster mother fatally strangled by teen settles lawsuit with DHR

Ranch promises to keep foster care siblings together

Sunrise Children’s Services took a step closer toward a new foster care facility near Winchester, Ky., by erecting a sign for the Solid Rock Children’s Ranch.

President Dale Suttles said the facility will be a visionary model in foster care, offering a place where siblings who are taken from homes due to abuse or neglect can find comfort in being together.

More >> Ranch promises to keep foster care siblings together

Hillsborough foster kids still sleeping in offices

The head of Hillsborough foster care for Eckerd Connects reported Tuesday that his agency is making some progress in solving the foster care crisis in Hillsborough County, but conceded that three children slept in offices Monday night instead of a foster home or group shelter.

"We’ve got a long way to go," said Chris Card. "I don’t want anybody to think we're out of the woods yet because we're not."

More >> Hillsborough foster kids still sleeping in offices

Cardi B Heartbroken Amid Rumors Fans Called Child Protective Services On Her

It all started when the female emcee was dissed by a social media user, and she fired back, threatening to ‘drop’ her baby girl and fight them! But rumor has it that it escalated, and Child Protective Services were called on her! That being said, reportedly, Cardi B is completely torn up by it.

It looks like fans freaked out because of her comment and things might have gotten a little out of control.

More >> Cardi B Heartbroken Amid Rumors Fans Called Child Protective Services On Her

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Father to serve four years in prison for “reign of terror” against son’s foster parents

Timothy and Dawn Londregan described the "reign of terror" they experienced after becoming foster parents for the infant son of Michael E. Callanan during Callanan's sentencing hearing Monday in New London Superior Court.

Callanan, 40, formerly of East Lyme, had pleaded no contest to threatening to rape Mrs. Londgregan and shoot Mr. Londregan, to calling them hundreds of times, threatening police officers and their families, and to spitting on an attorney following a family court proceeding.

More >> Father to serve four years in prison for “reign of terror” against son’s foster parents

Judge gives Port St. Lucie's Michael Beer maximum sentence in death of toddler foster son

Michael Beer, convicted in June by a Circuit Court jury of aggravated manslaughter in the September 2014 death of his 2-year-old foster son, was sentenced Tuesday to the maximum 30 years in prison.

Beer’s attorney, Lance Richard of Stuart, termed it a “life sentence” for the 51-year-old who had been a Port St. Lucie resident until his arrest in the September 2014 death of Trysten Eli Frank Adams.

More >> Judge gives Port St. Lucie's Michael Beer maximum sentence in death of toddler foster son

Adoptions from India to resume despite trafficking concerns

The Australian government says India has improved its processes, but one anti-trafficking group says corruption is still rife in the country’s orphanages.

More >> Adoptions from India to resume despite trafficking concerns

Monday, August 13, 2018

How Norwegian experts came to reject biological kinship as relevant in child welfare policy

The current ideology in the child protection sector in the Western countries, and in much social science generally, has a lot to do with why the child protection services in these countries function relatively poorly. The current situation in Norway is an example. The consequences are not acknowledged, nor are our authorities concerned with the underlying reasons why.

More >> How Norwegian experts came to reject biological kinship as relevant in child welfare policy

Investments in keeping families together

Whether it’s from Child Protection workers wanting my help to keep families together, or families calling me in tears wondering why their children have been taken away, folks are doing their best and at times need extra support. Simply put, it’s heartbreaking.

More >> Investments in keeping families together

Teen accuses Mayo Clinic of ‘medical kidnapping’

In a jaw-dropping moment caught on video, an 18-year-old high school senior rushes to escape from the hospital that saved her life and then, she says, held her captive.

At the entrance to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, the young woman’s stepfather helps her out of a wheelchair and into the family car.

More >> Teen accuses Mayo Clinic of ‘medical kidnapping’

Father of young Manchester girl who died during abuse investigation sues state, DCYF

The father of a young girl who died while her child abuse case was under investigation is suing the state and its child protective services, claiming negligence that contributed to the girl’s death.

The lawsuit was filed Monday by Bedford attorney Rus Rilee on behalf of Christopher Willott, father of Sadence (Sadee) Willott, who died on Sept. 7, 2015 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon after she was found unresponsive at her Belmont Street home in Manchester.

More >> Father of young Manchester girl who died during abuse investigation sues state, DCYF

Family reunited after Regina couple wins long battle to get kids back from care

Sabrina and Carmon Crane hit rock bottom when their five kids were apprehended by social services three years ago because of addiction issues and domestic violence.

One year after they went into the system, three of the kids became permanent wards and put on the adoption list. The other two were listed as long-term wards.

More >> Family reunited after Regina couple wins long battle to get kids back from care