Legally Kidnapped

Shattering Your Child Welfare Delusions Since 2007


Friday, August 02, 2019

Jury being sequestered in trial for foster parents accused in toddler's death

 The jury has officially been sequestered in the trial against a Henry County couple accused of killing their 2-year-old foster child.

Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum have been on trial for weeks for the death of Laila Daniel.

More >> Jury being sequestered in trial for foster parents accused in toddler's death

Massachusetts House votes to require more reporting from Department of Children and Families on foster care system; wellness bill passes 156-0

The Massachusetts House on Wednesday passed a bill that would require the Department of Children and Families to report on its efforts to improve the foster care system, in light of a litany of complaints from foster parents.

The Republican/MassLive.com reported earlier this year on a number of foster parents who complained of disrespectful treatment, a lack of information and bureaucratic hurdles from DCF. Parents said they were not given information about children’s medical records or court dates and about what resources were available to help them care for children.

More >> Massachusetts House votes to require more reporting from Department of Children and Families on foster care system; wellness bill passes 156-0

Thursday, August 01, 2019

Parents giving up legal rights to their children to get more financial aid exposes deep flaws in U.S. college system

Just months after the college admissions scandal, more evidence has surfaced of the lengths well-off parents will go to get ahead in the college process.

Dozens of parents in the suburbs of Chicago transferred guardianship of their high-school-age children to relatives or friends and then used the new legal status to declare their children as independent for purposes of qualifying for federal, state and institutional financial aid, according to reports ProPublica and The Wall Street Journal published this week.

More >> Parents giving up legal rights to their children to get more financial aid exposes deep flaws in U.S. college system

Whistleblower Evidence Claims Corruption at Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

I'll bet a lot of parents are making similar claims...

In connection with a lawsuit for child custody, a former employee of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) asserts in a July 2019 affidavit obtained by The Epoch Times that the agency falsifies evidence to justify taking children from their parents.

In addition, a DCFS caseworker alleges that the department interfered in the case by removing the caseworker’s notes from her report in the custody case, according to text messages and court transcripts obtained by The Epoch Times.

More >> Whistleblower Evidence Claims Corruption at Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

CYFD and foster parent sued over baby’s death

The state Children, Youth and Families Department and several of its employees, supervisors and an approved foster parent have been named in a lawsuit alleging, among other things, the wrongful death of a child in December 2017.

The lawsuit also alleges negligence and causing the “physical injury, pain and severe emotional distress” of the deceased child’s two siblings.

More >> CYFD and foster parent sued over baby’s death

Slidell man arrested for sex crimes against juveniles

A Northshore man has been booked on sex crimes against juveniles, according to the Louisiana Attorney General's Office.

Investigators said they received a tip Friday afternoon involving Michael Reynolds. By Friday evening, the AG's Office said Reynolds was arrested on dozens of counts.

More >> Slidell man arrested for sex crimes against juveniles

Children in care in Nottingham 'abused by predators'

Hundreds of children were sexually abused by predatory foster carers and residential home staff who were allowed to thrive, an inquiry has found.

Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County councils exposed vulnerable children to repeated rapes and physical abuse, a report said.

More >> Children in care in Nottingham 'abused by predators'

Marcia Lowry, With New Secret Funding Source, Resumes Lawsuit Against New York City Foster Care

A nonprofit law firm representing a group of New York City foster youth has resumed long-running litigation against the city’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) and the state agency that oversees it.

A Better Childhood (ABC), along with its white-shoe litigation partner Cravath, Swaine & Moore, has delivered a nearly 300-page filing to a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, with new evidence and allegations of money grabbing by nonprofit foster care agencies, frequent protocol violations, and too-frequent abuse of children, many of whom are staying too long in foster care in violation of federal law.

More >> Marcia Lowry, With New Secret Funding Source, Resumes Lawsuit Against New York City Foster Care

Judge keeps Macomb County mom in adoption fraud case locked up

A Macomb County mother at the center of a national adoption fraud case will stay behind bars until her trial. That’s the decision of a federal judge who said Tara Lee has shown a lack of respect for the law.

Tara Lee looked visibly nervous while in court Tuesday; her legs were shaking and at one point she seemed like she was near tears. Lee also tried to apologize to the Judge Bernard Friedman for her behavior, but he stopped her to keep her from possibly incriminating herself.

More >> Judge keeps Macomb County mom in adoption fraud case locked up

Oregon's foster care system will take time to fix

If Oregonians were expecting to see problems in the state's foster care system disappear overnight, they're in for a disappointment. As the Department of Human Services' July report on child welfare demonstrates, some things are improving; others, not so much.


More >> Oregon's foster care system will take time to fix

ACLU Says Trump Admin Has Separated 900 Migrant Children Despite Court Order

The American Civil Liberties Union told a judge Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s administration has separated more than 900 migrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border since June 2018, despite a court order for the government to slow down the practice.

In its 200-plus-page filing, the ACLU alleges that the government has separated 911 children by way of a loophole the court allowed for children whose parents had a criminal history or showed signs of disease or neglect.

More >> ACLU Says Trump Admin Has Separated 900 Migrant Children Despite Court Order

Former Waukesha County juvenile social worker indicted for possession and distribution of child pornography

A former juvenile social worker for the Waukesha County Department of Health and Human Services has been indicted on suspicion of possession and distribution of child pornography.

A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Bernard J. Trokan, 53, of Hartland on July 23, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

More >> Former Waukesha County juvenile social worker indicted for possession and distribution of child pornography

Foster dad gets 10 years for child-sex abuse

A Winnipeg man who sexually abused three foster children over the course of nearly a decade has condemned his victims to a "lifetime of trauma and pain," a judge said Tuesday.

"There are no adjectives to properly describe the court's repugnance, repudiation and rejection of your vile and depraved acts," provincial court Judge Ray Wyant told the 49-year-old man, before sentencing him to 10 years in prison.

More >> Foster dad gets 10 years for child-sex abuse

California father, son charged with sexual abuse of multiple foster children for years

Police in Antioch, California have arrested a father and son on charges of sexually abusing multiple children under their care for six years.

Simon Mendoza Chavez, 64, and his son Simon Magana Chavez, 31, provided foster care for children between 2011 and 2017.

More >> California father, son charged with sexual abuse of multiple foster children for years

MAJOR ZUCK-UP Facebook risks hindering child abuse and terrorism investigations by hiding online messages, warns Priti Patel

FACEBOOK has been warned by the new Home Secretary that its plans to hide online messages risks police investigations into child abuse and terrorism.

Priti Patel told the tech giant that increasing users’ privacy by making their chats secret will hinder detectives as they try to track down paedophiles and extremists.

More >> MAJOR ZUCK-UP Facebook risks hindering child abuse and terrorism investigations by hiding online messages, warns Priti Patel

New Zealand rocked by Māori protests on child removals and use of sacred land

Māori leaders are staging two major protests in New Zealand, straining relations with the Labour coalition government and drawing accusations that Jacinda Ardern – who is visiting the remote Pacific territory of Tokelau – is a “part-time prime minister”.

On Tuesday, hundreds of activists marched on parliament house in Wellington, as well as other New Zealand cities, calling for an overhaul of the government’s child welfare agency, Oranga Tamariki [Ministry for Children], amid a series of controversial cases in which Māori children and newborns were taken into state care.

More >> New Zealand rocked by Māori protests on child removals and use of sacred land

Still no verdict for ex-foster parents accused in 2-year-old’s death

Laila Marie Daniel, 2-years-old, died in November 2015. Her foster mother and father, Jennifer and Joseph Rosenbaum, went on trial beginning July 8, 2019, on murder charges in connection with her death. HANDOUT

More >> Still no verdict for ex-foster parents accused in 2-year-old’s death

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Baby mix-up scandal women now planning legal action against adoption society

The women at the centre of the St Patrick's Guild baby mix-up scandal are seeking court approval to bring lawsuits against the former adoption society.

A joint application on behalf of Helen Maguire (71) and Christine Skipsey (52) was filed with the High Court by their solicitors last week, the Irish Independent has learned.

More >> Baby mix-up scandal women now planning legal action against adoption society

NYC lawmakers to ease off parents who use cannabis

New York City Council has signalled its intention to relax marijuana laws by pushing through a raft of new legislation focused around cannabis.

The authority gave the green light to two resolutions last week as part of a package of related changes to local legislation in anticipation of a global sea change in attitude toward cannabis.

More >> NYC lawmakers to ease off parents who use cannabis

Tampa Bay area lawmakers refile 'Jordan's Law' to protect children in Florida's child welfare system

Protecting children in the state of Florida. That's what several local lawmakers plan to do by refiling 'Jordan's Law' Monday. The law is named after Jordan Belliveau, who investigators say was murdered by his mother in September 2018.

Largo Police and five Tampa Bay area lawmakers announced the refiling of Jordan's Law on what would have been Belliveau's third birthday.

More >> Tampa Bay area lawmakers refile 'Jordan's Law' to protect children in Florida's child welfare system

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Child Abuse Inquiry to hear evidence against 7 Scottish boarding schools in 2020

The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has announced it will hold hearings into abuse allegations in boarding schools in summer next year.

Chairwoman Lady Smith urged anyone with evidence to get in touch with the inquiry, even if they have already spoken to police or been involved in other investigations.

More >> Child Abuse Inquiry to hear evidence against 7 Scottish boarding schools in 2020

Grandmother Says She Reported Abuse To Oklahoma DHS A Month Before Child's Death

The grandmother of a 3-year-old girl, who died last year after alleged abuse, said she notified DHS about the abuse, but the agency did nothing. 

On Thursday, July 25 Baylee Sowards, 23, was charged with child abuse, and Lola's mother Alexis Nicole Caplan, 25, was charged with enabling child abuse.

More >> Grandmother Says She Reported Abuse To Oklahoma DHS A Month Before Child's Death

Fugitive Family: Couple flees Georgia to keep their children after ruling by juvenile judge

The Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) shoulders the blame when a child is abused or dies. But there is only one authority that actually has the power to remove a child from their parents: a judge.

Yet, when families disagree with a court’s ruling, holding a judge accountable for that decision can seem almost impossible.

More >> Fugitive Family: Couple flees Georgia to keep their children after ruling by juvenile judge

Silent No More Against Maine's DHHS held a rally in Skowhegan



A group called Silent No More Against Maine's Department of Health and Human Services rallied outside of the DHHS office in Skowhegan Tuesday.

More >> Silent No More Against Maine's DHHS held a rally in Skowhegan

Amy Schumer, Andy Cohen and More Stars Speak Out About Reuniting Migrant Families Separated at Border

A star-studded roster of celebrities has teamed up with the organization Immigrant Families Together as part of a new campaign dedicated to reuniting every single migrant family that has been separated at the southern border.

To mark the launch of IFT’s Every. Last. One campaign, nearly 60 famous faces banded together for a video released Monday pushing their message forward.

More >> Amy Schumer, Andy Cohen and More Stars Speak Out About Reuniting Migrant Families Separated at Border

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