Encountering the Child Snatchers, AKA, Child Protective Services

Encountering the Child Snatchers, AKA, Child Protective Services
August 05, 2007 by Lillian Ryvers

When the knock comes, be ready! Credit: Mad Cow Studios | © Mad Cow Studios
No one expects to be falsely accused of child abuse or neglect; yet bogus cases are reported daily to Child Protective Services. My own daughter falsely reported my husband for physical abuse after he refused to let her call her boyfriend one evening. The next day, CPS and the police were
on our doorstep. Unfortunately, CPS has no way of sorting the real cases from the false ones without performing an investigation. While you cannot necessarily avoid an investigation, you can take steps to be prepared for the knock at the door.

First, contact an attorney. CPS may tell you that there is no need for legal counsel, or that it makes you look "guilty." However, CPS does not have your best interest in mind. Their job is to prove the case or dismiss it. If CPS has contacted you in the first place, you should not panic, but do need the representation of an attorney. Many attorneys will offer a free consultation, and then propose the retainer fee they would need to represent you. Any attorney will tell you that you are under no requirement to let CPS into your home unless they have a valid warrant. Do not allow them to threaten you or coerce you into inviting them inside.

In case they have a warrant, make sure your house is clean. CPS workers are trained to look for any signs of neglect. Are your dishes done and counters wiped off? Is the floor swept and the trash taken out? Is your laundry done and hung up neatly in the closet? These are all things that a CPS caseworker will note in her report. You do not need to hire a professional cleaning service to come in, but you should ensure that your house is in clean, livable condition.
Furthermore, while you should make every effort to cooperate with CPS, do not volunteer any information. Even if you have not been able to retain an attorney, you will still need to talk to CPS. Print out a copy of your state's recording laws and, if your state allows it, use a recorder
to tape the entire conversation with CPS. If they tell you that it is not permissible to record the conversation, show them the state law. Make them ask the questions and stick to brief answers. Most importantly, do not lie to them or else it will come back to bite you in the end.

Obtain a notebook to document every conversation and interaction with CPS. Do not allow the caseworker to fool you into trusting him or her. Write down every thing that is said and do not allow them to interview your child without being present. Teach your child to never talk to strangers, even at school. Another way to prevent this is to write a letter to the school stating that no one is allowed to talk to your child without your written permission. If you do not trust your child's school to carry out your wishes, have the child carry a laminated card that states no one can interview or question your child without an attorney and yourself present.

Additional preparedness can be obtained by researching CPS and false allegations of abuse on the Internet. Several websites link to very helpful resources and information. Do not think that this cannot happen to you or that CPS will immediately determine your innocence. The most important advice I can give you is to not admit to any thing and do not plead guilty to a crime you did not commit. CPS is infamous for telling families that they can have their children back if they "just plead guilty," but find that doing so unleashes a new kind of hell.

Even if you think that CPS will never bother you, implement these guidelines and tips to make sure you are ready if they do. No one is immune or overlooked when it comes to child abuse. Know your state laws and make sure you are ready. You could very well be the next one to find CPS at your doorstep.


http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/335066/encountering_the_child_snatchers_aka.html?cat=25

Antidepressants Tied To Preterm Births: Study-Try telling this to NH DCYF and Nashua Family Court!

Antidepressants Tied To Preterm Births: Study

By Ed Silverman // January 22nd, 2010 // 12:06 pm

Among nearly 3,000 women who gave birth in Washington State, those who started taking SSRI antidepressants in the second or third trimester had a higher risk of preterm birth, according to Reuters, which cites a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Compared with others not given the meds, the women were nearly five times more likely to deliver prematurely. The same risk was not seen, however, among women who started on an SSRI before pregnancy or during the first trimester.

The study also found a higher risk of preterm delivery among women who took anti-anxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines, regardless of when they began treatment, Reuters continues. Those drugs, which include meds such as lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax), were linked to higher risks of other complications, including low birth weight, newborn respiratory distress and a low Apgar score, which measures newborn health. The SSRIs, by the way, include Lilly’s Prozac, GlaxoSmithKline’s Paxil and Pfizer’s Zoloft.

But the meaning isn’t clear, because the study couldn’t estimate treatment benefits. And SSRIs didn’t appear to present equal risks for all women. “It is very important to have other studies of the risks associated with (these) drugs, but also of benefits associated with treating mothers,” Ronit Calderon-Margalit of the Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Public Health in Jerusalem tells Reuters.

http://www.pharmalot.com/2010/01/antidepressants-tied-to-preterm-births-study/

Abuse Freedom Live - Explosive Show Sunday Night!

Abuse Freedom Live - Explosive Show Sunday Night!
Saturday, January 23, 2010 10:46 PM
From:
"modelfamily.org"
View contact details
To:
CONTACT@MODELFAMILY.ORG
Cc:
"'Jane Boyer'"
Message contains attachments
1 File (104KB)
image003.jpg
ABUSE FREEDOM UNITED PRESENTS
ABUSE FREEDOM LIVE

HTTP://WWW.BLOGTALKRADIO.COM/ABUSEFREEDOMLIVE

SUNDAY NIGHT 7:00 P.M. THROUGH 10:00 P.M. EASTERN STANDARD TIME
Call in number: (646) 595-2134

Our Show Titled…. Families Fighting Back Full Force!
Families Rights Groups are joining forces with Abuse Freedom United as We in a continuing effort to Merge as ONE…
Against the Monstrous Criminal CPS Civil Rights Violators Nationwide!
Join Us and our Special Guests Tonight!
AN EXPLOSIVE SHOW YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS.

SUNDAY NIGHT’S GUEST:

ELEANA KATZ – Victim of CPS Abuse – AND HER FIGHT AGAINST THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM
Lori Pearman – Ex-Casa Volunteer Worker - http://www.arcasa5.com/
Susan Spies – Grandparent/CPS Victim
Colleen Beimer, Grandmother of (5) – CPS Victim
Mrs. Marilyn and husband, Dr. Harrison of “FOSTER PARENT’S LEGAL SOLUTIONS”
http://www.foster-parents-legal-solutions.com/home.html

The Abuse Freedom Live Show is
HOSTED BY JANE OF ABUSE FREEDOM UNITED AND JOSIE, CO-HOST of
http://www.modelfamily.org and http://nfps.us
TONIGHT’S SHOW WILL ENABLE OPEN LINES
CALLERS WILL BE ABLE TO PRESENT COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS TO
OUR SPECIAL GUESTS TONIGHT!!!

· CALL IN NUMBER (646) 595-2134
You can subscribe to this show on ipod touch or your iphone
Go to http://blogtalkradio.com/abusefreedomlive
If you are an advocate, group or organization advocating on behalf of family preservation and would like to be on our show contact
jane@abusefreedom.com or Josie at contact@modelfamily.org
or call Josie at 786-288-7034 and leave a message!

Always a Dark Day in America

January 22nd; Always a Dark Day in America From Eagle Forum
Nancy Schaefer, President
January 22, 2010
Nancy Schaefer

January 22nd is always a dark day in America. The first January 22nd of this new decade was the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. There were many "March for Life" gatherings across our land. We remember the little ones with grief and we mourn the 5 million innocent children who have been killed by abortion. We think with sorrow of the multitude of "to-be" moms and dads who have suffered agonizing pain and regret following their decision to end the life of their baby.

Approximately 20 percent of our nation's children have had their lives ended by abortion. Actually, more murders have been sanctioned in the U.S. than were committed by Hitler, Stalin and Lenin combined. Minorities are targeted especially hard by abortion advocates and recently on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, nearly 15,000 people gathered in Houston to protest a Planned Parenthood's 78,000 square-foot government supported abortion business, scheduled to open in a minority area in the spring.

Planned Parenthood's pro-death founder, Margaret Sanger, wrote in "Women and the New Race" these words: "The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it." Until God brings this humanistic world to an end, we must fight this kind of evil and press even harder for righteousness around the globe. Once again, we painfully remember, with compassion and love, the 50 million children who have been aborted in America.

Almost 98 percent of abortions are committed for reason of convenience and America is guilty of encouraging and sponsoring these abortions in other countries. But may we continue on in our fight against the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. We have made great strides and recent polling proves that more Americans today claim to be pro-life than pro-choice. But, even with this promising data and the fact that more of our youth are rejecting abortion, we are close to passing a health care bill in Washington that will make abortion a health care "right" to be funded by the tax-payer. This action could lead to abortion becoming a Constitutional right that we would not be able to alter for years due to the current U.S. Supreme Court.

We must in 2010 and in the future elect candidates who are 100 percent committed to the sanctity of life. Many candidates claim to be pro-life to get elected, and then reject the cause when the campaign is over. No more can we overlook such actions! We must have candidates who actively support pro-life policies. We must have judges who support the U.S, Constitution, not create new policies as the U.S. Supreme Court did in Roe v. Wade.

Regardless of what we may think or hope, there is a high price to be paid for extinguishing the lives of our precious children. Abortion is a form of wicked population control that Creator God will judge. Once again, we must do all in our power to bring legalized abortion, and any tolerance of it, to an end at all costs.

Continue, weary workers, to support your pro-life organizations with prayer and financial help. And may we all, with God's help and with renewed dedication, seek to end the horror of abortion in America.



"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord"
Psalm 33:12



Eagle Forum of Georgia
Phone: 706-754-8321
Web-Site: www.eagleforumofga.org
Email: nancy.schaefer@nancyschaefer.com

School shocked, grief-stricken by 9-year-old's apparent suicide

School shocked, grief-stricken by 9-year-old's apparent suicide

12:00 AM CST on Saturday, January 23, 2010
By MATTHEW HAAG and JESSICA MEYERS / The Dallas Morning News
/ The Dallas Morning News
s Valerie Wigglesworth, Jana J. Martin and Abigail Thatcher Allen contributed to this report.
People close to a 9-year-old boy from The Colony struggled Friday to understand why he would take his own life.



MONA REEDER/DMN
Students paused at a makeshift memorial to fourth-grader Montana Lance in front of Stewart's Creek Elementary School on Friday. "That's the question we are asking and probably always ask," Brian Bradford, pastor at Horizons Church in The Colony, said a day after Montana Lance apparently hanged himself in a school restroom. "But something like this is just impossible to truly understand as far the rationale behind it."

The Colony police Lt. Darren Brockway said that Montana was sent to the front office at Stewart's Creek Elementary School shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday. While there, he asked the nurse for permission to use her restroom.

When the nurse realized he had been in the room for about 10 minutes, she tried to open the door, but it was locked. Montana had locked the door before when he was upset, Brockway said.

When the nurse got a key and opened the door, she found the fourth-grader unconscious. She placed Montana on a bed and started CPR, according to the 911 call.

"He locked himself in the bathroom, and he has done this before," school secretary Cheryl Smith, her voice shaking, told a police dispatcher. "There's no heartbeat. Oh, my God."

Montana was taken to Baylor Medical Center at Carrollton, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner's office, which said Friday that Montana died as the result of hanging.

"We believe this was intentional," Brockway said.

In a written statement released to parents Friday, Stewart's Creek Principal Lea Land said the school's staff tried to save Montana.

"The entire Stewart's Creek Elementary School's thoughts are with the family during this time of grief," she wrote.

Bradford, who went to the hospital with Montana's family Thursday afternoon, said his parents, Jason and Deborah, are struggling to deal with what happened.

"It kind of came out of left field for us, and that just adds to the tragic nature," Bradford said. "He was just a very giving kid and loved to give back and help people and help around the church."

Bradford said a Montana Lance Memorial Fund had been started at Wells Fargo banks to help his family cover medical and funeral costs.

More than 100 people, including many children, attended a candlelight vigil Friday night with tearful family members at First Baptist Church in The Colony.

"The reason why we are here tonight is to pray," said Mark Richardson, the church's pastor. "Tonight, we are crushed."

The funeral was set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church in Flower Mound.

Suicide at such a young age is rare, said Dr. Betsy Kennard, a psychologist and professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center of Dallas.

"At age 9, kids are just beginning to understand that death is final," she said.

Kennard, who specializes in the treatment of depression and suicide in adolescents, said youths typically don't have the long-term view of the world that adults do. They may think their despair won't go away, so there's more hopelessness, she said. Youths are also more impulsive, which puts them at higher risk, she said.

"What this says to me is that it's not an isolated event," Kennard said. "These kids typically have other things going on that need to be evaluated and treated."

About 90 percent of people who commit suicide have some sort of psychiatric illness that can be treated, Kennard said.

But that's not always the case.

"This could be a deeply troubled kid or a kid who just had a really bad week at school," said Dr. Marjorie Milici, a pediatrician at Baylor Pediatric Center.

Acting on those suicidal thoughts at such a young age is what makes this case stand out, both doctors agree.

Suicide is often related to feelings of despair. But with victims this young, Kennard said, the level of sadness may be less apparent. She advised adults to look for changes in behavior, such as being more irritable or more withdrawn. Aggressive behavior, lack of social skills or poor problem-solving abilities can also be signs.

Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Family and Protective Services, said authorities haven't asked Child Protective Services officials to investigate Montana's death.

Without that request, she said, she couldn't disclose whether CPS had previously visited the boy's home.

At Montana's one-story house Friday, a woman took down the names of visitors. Dogs barked in the back yard near a plastic playhouse.

Several blocks away, family and friends gathered at Montana's grandparents' house. A representative stood at the door with red eyes and said the family declined to comment.

Neighbors of the Lance family said they usually saw Montana and his younger brother wearing camouflage and riding mini-motorcycles in front of their house.

"They would play with all the other kids," said Chris Mata, who moved into the house the family used to occupy down the street.

At Christmas, Mata said, Montana and his brother helped string lights outside their house and hooked them to a radio so the lights and music were in sync.

Mata said his 4-year-old son occasionally played with the brothers.

Phil Myro, who lives a few houses down, said he often saw Montana watching his dad ride his motorcycle up and down the block.

Some parents dropping their children off at Stewart's Creek on Friday morning said they were unaware of the situation.

But Stephanie Rodriguez said the news about Montana troubled her 9-year-old son so much he slept with her Thursday night. His death is simply hard to fathom, she said.

Students, parents and staff members at the school are being given the option of speaking to grief counselors.


Staff writers Valerie Wigglesworth, Jana J. Martin and Abigail Thatcher Allen contributed to this report.

mhaag@dallasnews.com; jmeyers@dallasnews.com

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-studentdeath_23met.ART0.State.Edition1.4c0f05b.html

Child abuse investigations: fibbing and fudging are wrong

Article: Child abuse investigations: fibbing and fudging are wrong.(legal notes)
Article from:Policy & Practice Article date:December 1, 2009Author:Pollack, DanielCopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 American Public Human Services Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)


Fibbing: A trivial act of lying or being deliberately unclear. Perhaps a derivative of the word 'fable.'

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Fibbing and fudging accusations are rampant: schools do it regarding graduation rates, job applicants do it on resumes, "respected" researchers have been caught doing it in the academic, medical and scientific communities, governments and economists are accused of unethical number crunching.

Child abuse and neglect investigations are all about truth-seeking. And yet, child protection workers are frequently in a quandary--they must resist the strong tendency to shade the truth. In clear-cut cases of abuse or neglect ...

Read all of this article with a FREE trial
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-215117806.html

Online Petition Requesting Audit of NH DCYF

Please go to the Petition site and sign our online Petition. ALL children and
families need our help.
The corruption and illegal kidnapping has to stop.
Our children depend on us. Please sign:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/nh-families-request-audit-of-nh-dhhsdcyfnh-dcyf