Baby dies in foster system
Michael Patterson Jr. (picture provided by family)
Story Created: Mar 23, 2010 at 10:29 PM PDT
Story Updated: Mar 24, 2010 at 10:44 AM PDT
By Jose Gaspar, Eyewitness News
Video
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Michael Patterson Jr. would have been 6 months old on Friday, but he did not quite make it.
The boy died while in the care of a foster home.
"It's just pain right now that's killing me," said the baby's father, 21-year-old Michael Patterson.
The Kern County Coroner's office confirms the baby died at Mercy Hospital on Monday night. The baby was found to be unresponsive in his crib at the foster home and then rushed to Mercy Hospital.
An autopsy was completed, and the cause of death is still pending. There were no signs of foul play, according to the coroner's office.
"We don't know if he died at home or he was dead on arrival at Mercy Hospital," said Elaine Bradley, the baby's great aunt. "All we know is we don't have a child anymore."
Patterson said he had been trying to gain custody of his son, but a court placed the child in a foster home after the boy's mother, 28-year-old Lakisha Toles, was arrested and sentenced for shoplifting at a Wal-Mart store in January.
"I want justice," said Patterson. "I just have to leave it to the man upstairs, put it in God's hands seeking help to find out what happened."
http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/88986992.html
Isabella Brooke Knightly and Austin Gamez-Knightly
In Memory of my Loving Husband, William F. Knightly Jr. Murdered by ILLEGAL Palliative Care at a Nashua, NH Hospital
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Abuse of 'baby-snatcher's"-Poor thing's, does the truth hurt?
Abuse of 'baby-snatchers' social workers finds an outlet online
Social workers involved in sensitive child protection cases are being targeted as angry families vent their fury on blogs
Rachel Williams
The Guardian, Wednesday 24 March 2010
Article history
Renée Zellweger as a social worker rescuing a child in the film Case 39. Photograph: c.Paramount/Everett / Rex Features
The hounding of social workers by the press for being "baby-snatchers" if they take children into care is a predictable story. But now such persecution has taken a new twist with online campaigns by families protesting about child protection intervention.
A proliferation of blogs and pages on social networking sites have sprung up. In one example, a Suffolk family claim they were forced to give up their child for adoption, with no evidence of abuse. They went to Spain before the birth of their second child, who is now in the care of Spanish foster carers acting on information from Suffolk social workers.
In some cases, the blogs make for uncomfortable reading. Social workers and managers are named and vilified, accusations are hurled at councils, and court injunctions banning the identification of the families and children are flouted.
According to Hilton Dawson, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, websites devoted to attacking social workers are a growing problem. "They illustrate the difficulties of the social workers who are damned when they do and damned when they don't," he says. "We get many complaints from people who feel very threatened by the publication of sometimes vitriolic criticism of them, and really very unpleasant personal abuse."
Managers are almost powerless to stop what Simon White, director of children's services in Suffolk, describes as "floods of information about the council that is completely false and misleading".
Some of the blogs are hosted in the US, where the constitution's first amendment, guaranteeing the right to free speech, makes them all but untouchable.
White's concerns about the content range from the impact on the targeted social workers and the reputation of the council to the effect the content of the sites may have on the cases and the families involved. "There's quite a lot of abusive and personal stuff aimed at named individuals," he says. "Some is clearly defamatory, and obviously we have duties to those staff. And when you get into the wilder edges of it, you are sometimes worried about their personal safety."
White also fears that an online campaign might be contagious. "If it started to become commonplace that whenever we did a pre-birth conference, families would consider leaving the country, it would force a change in practice," he says. "We'd have to be much less open with families."
One Suffolk employee who has been named on a blog says the experience is not just personally upsetting but has a knock-on effect on other cases. "Other families are aware of what's being said and they will bring it up, and that's difficult, especially when people may be making sensitive decisions," the employee says.
The problem of online hate campaigns is not limited to Suffolk. White knows of at least three other councils that have been similarly targeted, and a quick trawl of the internet reveals links to families around the country keen to tell their stories. Myths about social services – that they get financial rewards for every adopted child, or that they are involved in conspiracies to remove families' children – are perpetuated.
"The vast majority of what we do is actually allowing families to stay with their kids, even when we've got very serious concerns," White says. "There were 38 adoptions in Suffolk last year. Of children who entered the care system, 45% went back to their parents in the same period."
White does not think there is much that can be done about the way information spreads, but he would like action beyond the individual local authority when allegations about conspiracies or financial inducements are made. "The profession, or the government, needs to respond," he says. "They need to defend the arrangements and processes, and put right mistakes and misapprehensions."
The BASW works constantly to address the myths about social work, Dawson says. He has recently written to every local authority in the country offering to help them communicate to communities and the local media what social workers do.
At a time when councils are struggling to recruit social workers, another reminder of the pressures of the job is the last thing they need. "This work is immensely demanding, personally and professionally, and it's difficult to retain staff at the front end," the Suffolk employee says. "Staff are concerned that the same sort of thing could happen to them."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/mar/24/social-worker-abuse-online
Social workers involved in sensitive child protection cases are being targeted as angry families vent their fury on blogs
Rachel Williams
The Guardian, Wednesday 24 March 2010
Article history
Renée Zellweger as a social worker rescuing a child in the film Case 39. Photograph: c.Paramount/Everett / Rex Features
The hounding of social workers by the press for being "baby-snatchers" if they take children into care is a predictable story. But now such persecution has taken a new twist with online campaigns by families protesting about child protection intervention.
A proliferation of blogs and pages on social networking sites have sprung up. In one example, a Suffolk family claim they were forced to give up their child for adoption, with no evidence of abuse. They went to Spain before the birth of their second child, who is now in the care of Spanish foster carers acting on information from Suffolk social workers.
In some cases, the blogs make for uncomfortable reading. Social workers and managers are named and vilified, accusations are hurled at councils, and court injunctions banning the identification of the families and children are flouted.
According to Hilton Dawson, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, websites devoted to attacking social workers are a growing problem. "They illustrate the difficulties of the social workers who are damned when they do and damned when they don't," he says. "We get many complaints from people who feel very threatened by the publication of sometimes vitriolic criticism of them, and really very unpleasant personal abuse."
Managers are almost powerless to stop what Simon White, director of children's services in Suffolk, describes as "floods of information about the council that is completely false and misleading".
Some of the blogs are hosted in the US, where the constitution's first amendment, guaranteeing the right to free speech, makes them all but untouchable.
White's concerns about the content range from the impact on the targeted social workers and the reputation of the council to the effect the content of the sites may have on the cases and the families involved. "There's quite a lot of abusive and personal stuff aimed at named individuals," he says. "Some is clearly defamatory, and obviously we have duties to those staff. And when you get into the wilder edges of it, you are sometimes worried about their personal safety."
White also fears that an online campaign might be contagious. "If it started to become commonplace that whenever we did a pre-birth conference, families would consider leaving the country, it would force a change in practice," he says. "We'd have to be much less open with families."
One Suffolk employee who has been named on a blog says the experience is not just personally upsetting but has a knock-on effect on other cases. "Other families are aware of what's being said and they will bring it up, and that's difficult, especially when people may be making sensitive decisions," the employee says.
The problem of online hate campaigns is not limited to Suffolk. White knows of at least three other councils that have been similarly targeted, and a quick trawl of the internet reveals links to families around the country keen to tell their stories. Myths about social services – that they get financial rewards for every adopted child, or that they are involved in conspiracies to remove families' children – are perpetuated.
"The vast majority of what we do is actually allowing families to stay with their kids, even when we've got very serious concerns," White says. "There were 38 adoptions in Suffolk last year. Of children who entered the care system, 45% went back to their parents in the same period."
White does not think there is much that can be done about the way information spreads, but he would like action beyond the individual local authority when allegations about conspiracies or financial inducements are made. "The profession, or the government, needs to respond," he says. "They need to defend the arrangements and processes, and put right mistakes and misapprehensions."
The BASW works constantly to address the myths about social work, Dawson says. He has recently written to every local authority in the country offering to help them communicate to communities and the local media what social workers do.
At a time when councils are struggling to recruit social workers, another reminder of the pressures of the job is the last thing they need. "This work is immensely demanding, personally and professionally, and it's difficult to retain staff at the front end," the Suffolk employee says. "Staff are concerned that the same sort of thing could happen to them."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/mar/24/social-worker-abuse-online
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
[CPS CORRUPTION IN SAN LUIS OBISPO CALIFORNIA EXPOSED!!!] Attorney Speaks out...
Subject: [CPS CORRUPTION IN SAN LUIS OBISPO CALIFORNIA EXPOSED!!!] Attorney Speaks out...
by Gina Sestak
The toughest job I've ever held, emotionally, was representing indigent parents in Juvenile Court dependency proceedings.
"Dependent" children are those who are abused, neglected, or otherwise without parental care or control. So you probably think their parents are scuzzball slime, right? WRONG.
Most of my clients were poor people caught in a system that employed just-out-of-college middle class kids to go out into homes and determine whether children were at risk. Turn-over in their job was tremendous. Most lasted no more than 6 months or, at most, a year. I handled cases in which these social workers deemed children to be at risk and had them removed from their homes by the police because:
* there was a cat seen sleeping on a child's bed
* the children (ages 11, 14, and 15) were home alone (at 3:00 in the afternoon while their parents were grocery shopping)
* the parents couldn't explain how a child had been injured (the injury occurred sometime during a two day period during which the child had been in the care of relatives on both sides of the family as well as with the parents)
* the child's burn wasn't properly treated for 5 days (but my client had taken her daughter to the emergency room right after the accidental burn happened; it was the hospital who sent her home with ointment instead of properly assessing the extent of the injury)
* the child has bruising on his lower back (this was "Mongolian spots," a dark pigmented area commonly seen on kids with East Asian ancestry)
* they were living in a shelter (their home had burned down)
These caseworkers also testified that parents were unfit because "the mother took that child on a city bus" and "although the children have proper beds, their mother is sleeping on a mattress on the floor" (my client's explanation: she thought it was more important to spend limited funds on the kids' needs rather than her own). When one mother did some wildcrafting (this was when "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" was popular), the caseworker accused her of making the children eat weeds.
All this was going on while real abuse and life threatening situations were being ignored. One caseworker failed to take action when, during a home visit, she noticed that a previously alert baby had become lethargic. "I just figured he was retarded or something," she testified, explaining why she left him there to die of a brain injury. And, in a case that actually made the newspapers (most Juvenile Court proceedings are kept confidential), three mentally challenged girls were sexually abused by their father and his friends for years, despite repeated reporting of suspicions by their school. Reported sexual abuse of a toddler was discounted when the doctor who was supposed to perform an exam refused because the child screamed and seemed terrified when he tried to examine her. So, without evidence, she was sent back to the abusive home.
Once the kids were in foster care, parents were limited to one one-hour visit per month, in the presence of a caseworker. One caseworker noted that my client seemed "unable to control" her 5 young children during these visits - the kids, who only saw each other during these visits, tended to get a little rowdy. Another faulted how my client interacted with her child - my client, who had been raised Amish, explained that she had not been raised to make a public show of emotion. A caseworker tried to stop visitation with my client (the father) because the child would be out of control when he went back to the foster home -- her example: the little boy didn't want to stop playing with a truck his father had given him. Another caseworker made my clients come to visits for more than six months "to prove they would show up," but never brought the children to the visits. Another testified that my client had failed to keep a visitation appointment without calling to cancel as if that were proof of irresponsibility, even though my client had provided her with a newspaper article showing that she (the client/mother) had been in an automobile accident and was in a coma on the day of the scheduled visitation.
I could go on for pages, but I'll stop here.
The job was a project funded by Allegheny County through the Allegheny County Bar Association. I and another attorney - Katherine B. Emery, who is now a Judge in Washington County -- handled all of the cases ourselves. It was described as "part-time," although hearings started at 8:30 a.m. every day and sometimes continued into the evening. We were expected to provide our own offices, etc. out of a small stipend that was often paid months late. Three judges heard cases, and Kathy and I were constantly running from one courtroom to another. The few minutes out of court were spent in a waiting area, interviewing our clients and trying to prepare cases on the fly. Research, appeals, etc. had to be done on the weekends.
After about two years, I walked out of a court room and punched out a window in the attorney waiting area. I realized that it was only matter of time before I hit a social worker or a judge.
The project is still in existence, but now it has funding, offices and full time employees.
And me? I'm still burnt out.
by Gina Sestak
The toughest job I've ever held, emotionally, was representing indigent parents in Juvenile Court dependency proceedings.
"Dependent" children are those who are abused, neglected, or otherwise without parental care or control. So you probably think their parents are scuzzball slime, right? WRONG.
Most of my clients were poor people caught in a system that employed just-out-of-college middle class kids to go out into homes and determine whether children were at risk. Turn-over in their job was tremendous. Most lasted no more than 6 months or, at most, a year. I handled cases in which these social workers deemed children to be at risk and had them removed from their homes by the police because:
* there was a cat seen sleeping on a child's bed
* the children (ages 11, 14, and 15) were home alone (at 3:00 in the afternoon while their parents were grocery shopping)
* the parents couldn't explain how a child had been injured (the injury occurred sometime during a two day period during which the child had been in the care of relatives on both sides of the family as well as with the parents)
* the child's burn wasn't properly treated for 5 days (but my client had taken her daughter to the emergency room right after the accidental burn happened; it was the hospital who sent her home with ointment instead of properly assessing the extent of the injury)
* the child has bruising on his lower back (this was "Mongolian spots," a dark pigmented area commonly seen on kids with East Asian ancestry)
* they were living in a shelter (their home had burned down)
These caseworkers also testified that parents were unfit because "the mother took that child on a city bus" and "although the children have proper beds, their mother is sleeping on a mattress on the floor" (my client's explanation: she thought it was more important to spend limited funds on the kids' needs rather than her own). When one mother did some wildcrafting (this was when "Stalking the Wild Asparagus" was popular), the caseworker accused her of making the children eat weeds.
All this was going on while real abuse and life threatening situations were being ignored. One caseworker failed to take action when, during a home visit, she noticed that a previously alert baby had become lethargic. "I just figured he was retarded or something," she testified, explaining why she left him there to die of a brain injury. And, in a case that actually made the newspapers (most Juvenile Court proceedings are kept confidential), three mentally challenged girls were sexually abused by their father and his friends for years, despite repeated reporting of suspicions by their school. Reported sexual abuse of a toddler was discounted when the doctor who was supposed to perform an exam refused because the child screamed and seemed terrified when he tried to examine her. So, without evidence, she was sent back to the abusive home.
Once the kids were in foster care, parents were limited to one one-hour visit per month, in the presence of a caseworker. One caseworker noted that my client seemed "unable to control" her 5 young children during these visits - the kids, who only saw each other during these visits, tended to get a little rowdy. Another faulted how my client interacted with her child - my client, who had been raised Amish, explained that she had not been raised to make a public show of emotion. A caseworker tried to stop visitation with my client (the father) because the child would be out of control when he went back to the foster home -- her example: the little boy didn't want to stop playing with a truck his father had given him. Another caseworker made my clients come to visits for more than six months "to prove they would show up," but never brought the children to the visits. Another testified that my client had failed to keep a visitation appointment without calling to cancel as if that were proof of irresponsibility, even though my client had provided her with a newspaper article showing that she (the client/mother) had been in an automobile accident and was in a coma on the day of the scheduled visitation.
I could go on for pages, but I'll stop here.
The job was a project funded by Allegheny County through the Allegheny County Bar Association. I and another attorney - Katherine B. Emery, who is now a Judge in Washington County -- handled all of the cases ourselves. It was described as "part-time," although hearings started at 8:30 a.m. every day and sometimes continued into the evening. We were expected to provide our own offices, etc. out of a small stipend that was often paid months late. Three judges heard cases, and Kathy and I were constantly running from one courtroom to another. The few minutes out of court were spent in a waiting area, interviewing our clients and trying to prepare cases on the fly. Research, appeals, etc. had to be done on the weekends.
After about two years, I walked out of a court room and punched out a window in the attorney waiting area. I realized that it was only matter of time before I hit a social worker or a judge.
The project is still in existence, but now it has funding, offices and full time employees.
And me? I'm still burnt out.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Attorneys of foster child sue Oregon for $1.6 million, say DHS failed to notice abuse
Attorneys of foster child sue Oregon for $1.6 million, say DHS failed to notice abuse
By Aimee Green, The Oregonian
October 21, 2009, 8:35PM
Attorneys for a 3-year-old foster child who was rushed to the hospital with bleeding near his brain and a dangerously low body temperature are suing Oregon for $1.6 million, claiming that a state child-welfare worker failed to notice signs the boy was being beaten in his foster home.
The boy, who is described only by his initials, B.C., in the suit, suffered life-threatening injuries while in the care of Keith and Nelly Burr in November 2008. He had lived in the Cottage Grove home for five months, and the Burrs were planning to adopt the boy, according to the suit.
His older sister, who also lived in the home, told authorities that the Burrs disciplined her little brother by hitting him with spoons and forcing him into cold showers. She said they also duct-taped his hands to his bed at night.
Hospital workers found bruises in various stages of healing all over the boy's body, including on his forehead, back, ankle, knees, thighs, buttocks and penis, according to the suit. Portland attorney Erin Olson, who is representing the interests of the boy along with attorney Nikki Robbins, said the Burrs have moved and left no forwarding address. The Oregonian was unable to reach the couple.
The Burrs have not been charged with a crime. The Lane County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident and still considers the case active. But Detective Randy Fenley said it's not likely criminal charges will be filed in the foreseeable future unless new evidence surfaces.
According to the suit, the Burrs brought the boy to the emergency room of a Cottage Grove hospital in November with a traumatic brain injury, intracranial bleeding, a lacerated spleen and bruising. He was cold to the touch. The injuries were so serious that the boy was flown by Life Flight Network helicopter to OHSU in Portland.
The Burrs reportedly told authorities that the boy fell into a bucket of water they were using to mop the floors.
"They had a variety of excuses for why he showed up to the ER with a body temperature of 93 degrees and a traumatic brain injury," Olson said. "None of them were consistent with his injuries."
A normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees. At 93 degrees, the boy was suffering from hypothermia.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. It faults the Department of Human Services' caseworker assigned to the case, for allegedly failing to protect the boy despite information that he might be the victim of abuse. The Burrs reportedly told authorities that they informed their caseworker about bruises on the boy, but the caseworker failed to document the bruising or investigate the cause.
Tony Green, a spokesman for the state Department of Justice, declined to comment because of the pending litigation.
DHS didn't write critical-incident reports assessing what led to the boy's injuries and whether the agency could have done anything to protect him from harm. Such reports have been required since 2004, when two high-profile abuse cases involving children under state supervision spurred public outrage. One involved 5-year-old Jordan Knapp, who at 28 pounds was found starving and unconscious in her foster home, and 14-month-old Ashton Parris, who died from a cracked skull shortly after the state returned him to his parents.
The reports also are supposed to be done in cases where a child under DHS' watch dies or is seriously injured because of abuse or neglect. The first report is to be completed 30 days after the incident, and a second, more detailed analysis is to be done within 60 days. They're designed to inform the public how DHS is learning from lapses in its system.
An analysis by The Oregonian in 2008 found that there has been a pattern of long delays in releasing reports. So far this year, three children have died under DHS' watch, according to its Web site, but the agency has yet to release critical-incident reports about any of those deaths, although the oldest happened more than nine months ago.
It's unclear why the child-welfare agency didn't produce critical-incident reviews of B.C.'s case. DHS spokesman Gene Evans said supervisors at the department were trying to find out whether they considered the case serious enough to study in a report, and if so, why they didn't.
The suit also lists as defendants the boy's caseworker, her supervisor and the Burrs.
Olson said the boy, now 4, has been placed with new foster parents who would like to adopt him and his sister.
The boy is developmentally delayed, but it's unclear if that's because of the traumatic brain injury he suffered, Olson said. He also has behavioral problems, but his new foster parents take him to therapy and have found healthy ways, such as tae kwon do, for him to let out his frustrations.
"He's certainly having some continuing problems, but his parents are troupers, I have to say," Olson said.
Any money won from the lawsuit will be put into a fund for the boy's care.
-- Aimee Green
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/attorneys_of_4-year-old_foster.html
By Aimee Green, The Oregonian
October 21, 2009, 8:35PM
Attorneys for a 3-year-old foster child who was rushed to the hospital with bleeding near his brain and a dangerously low body temperature are suing Oregon for $1.6 million, claiming that a state child-welfare worker failed to notice signs the boy was being beaten in his foster home.
The boy, who is described only by his initials, B.C., in the suit, suffered life-threatening injuries while in the care of Keith and Nelly Burr in November 2008. He had lived in the Cottage Grove home for five months, and the Burrs were planning to adopt the boy, according to the suit.
His older sister, who also lived in the home, told authorities that the Burrs disciplined her little brother by hitting him with spoons and forcing him into cold showers. She said they also duct-taped his hands to his bed at night.
Hospital workers found bruises in various stages of healing all over the boy's body, including on his forehead, back, ankle, knees, thighs, buttocks and penis, according to the suit. Portland attorney Erin Olson, who is representing the interests of the boy along with attorney Nikki Robbins, said the Burrs have moved and left no forwarding address. The Oregonian was unable to reach the couple.
The Burrs have not been charged with a crime. The Lane County Sheriff's Office investigated the incident and still considers the case active. But Detective Randy Fenley said it's not likely criminal charges will be filed in the foreseeable future unless new evidence surfaces.
According to the suit, the Burrs brought the boy to the emergency room of a Cottage Grove hospital in November with a traumatic brain injury, intracranial bleeding, a lacerated spleen and bruising. He was cold to the touch. The injuries were so serious that the boy was flown by Life Flight Network helicopter to OHSU in Portland.
The Burrs reportedly told authorities that the boy fell into a bucket of water they were using to mop the floors.
"They had a variety of excuses for why he showed up to the ER with a body temperature of 93 degrees and a traumatic brain injury," Olson said. "None of them were consistent with his injuries."
A normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees. At 93 degrees, the boy was suffering from hypothermia.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. It faults the Department of Human Services' caseworker assigned to the case, for allegedly failing to protect the boy despite information that he might be the victim of abuse. The Burrs reportedly told authorities that they informed their caseworker about bruises on the boy, but the caseworker failed to document the bruising or investigate the cause.
Tony Green, a spokesman for the state Department of Justice, declined to comment because of the pending litigation.
DHS didn't write critical-incident reports assessing what led to the boy's injuries and whether the agency could have done anything to protect him from harm. Such reports have been required since 2004, when two high-profile abuse cases involving children under state supervision spurred public outrage. One involved 5-year-old Jordan Knapp, who at 28 pounds was found starving and unconscious in her foster home, and 14-month-old Ashton Parris, who died from a cracked skull shortly after the state returned him to his parents.
The reports also are supposed to be done in cases where a child under DHS' watch dies or is seriously injured because of abuse or neglect. The first report is to be completed 30 days after the incident, and a second, more detailed analysis is to be done within 60 days. They're designed to inform the public how DHS is learning from lapses in its system.
An analysis by The Oregonian in 2008 found that there has been a pattern of long delays in releasing reports. So far this year, three children have died under DHS' watch, according to its Web site, but the agency has yet to release critical-incident reports about any of those deaths, although the oldest happened more than nine months ago.
It's unclear why the child-welfare agency didn't produce critical-incident reviews of B.C.'s case. DHS spokesman Gene Evans said supervisors at the department were trying to find out whether they considered the case serious enough to study in a report, and if so, why they didn't.
The suit also lists as defendants the boy's caseworker, her supervisor and the Burrs.
Olson said the boy, now 4, has been placed with new foster parents who would like to adopt him and his sister.
The boy is developmentally delayed, but it's unclear if that's because of the traumatic brain injury he suffered, Olson said. He also has behavioral problems, but his new foster parents take him to therapy and have found healthy ways, such as tae kwon do, for him to let out his frustrations.
"He's certainly having some continuing problems, but his parents are troupers, I have to say," Olson said.
Any money won from the lawsuit will be put into a fund for the boy's care.
-- Aimee Green
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/attorneys_of_4-year-old_foster.html
Child Abuse and Foster Care
Child Abuse and Foster Care
In the first week of August 2006, a young boy named Marcus Fiesel died in a closet in his foster parents’ home. Rather than try to explain what allegedly happened, I have placed the link to a website which better details the events that led to this precious child’s death.
I am in favor of tougher requirements before a child is placed in the care of a foster parent. I firmly advocate laws that will establish particular requirements before a child is placed in foster care, such as a criminal background check and ruling out the fact that the only reason a person has become a foster parent is to increase their income. Furthermore, I advocate establishing the requirement of a mental health check on all adults that want to become a foster parent and care for a foster child. Lastly, there must be a check on any behavioral issues of the foster parents’ biological children.
The decision to place a child in foster care cannot be simply about whether or not the foster home has a bed for the child. The whole purpose of placing a child in a foster home is to assure their safety and yet, I find myself questioning what exactly are the requirements are for a foster parent? These may be harsh words; however, I must ask what happened to precious Marcus Fiesel, when he was in the care of his foster parents and did not survive?
I realize that there may be a huge shortage of foster homes and I commend those people that have safely cared for children in their care. This article is not about those that take their role as a foster parent seriously. It is not about those that strive to be foster parents due to their compassionate heart and acknowledgement of the fact that a foster child has been through enough in their short lifetimes, let alone being left in the hands of incompetent foster parents. No, this article is to raise awareness of the fact that not all foster homes are in the best interest of a child in need of safety.
Prevention should be the key focus when it comes to helping a child that has been abused. There are many things that our society can do, in terms of prevention. Some I listed above with regards to foster parents. I believe that all of the professionals involved in a child’s life should seek avenues of prevention. One might ask how prevention is possible in these cases. First, everyone involved must agree on the treatment plan for the child. It should be entirely about what is in the child’s best interest. Those professionals that have removed a child from their familial home must be extremely cautious where they place the child next, as well as being educated on behavioral issues of possible foster parents.
Education is the key for prevention. Without proper education on this topic, there can be no prevention.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45552.asp
In the first week of August 2006, a young boy named Marcus Fiesel died in a closet in his foster parents’ home. Rather than try to explain what allegedly happened, I have placed the link to a website which better details the events that led to this precious child’s death.
I am in favor of tougher requirements before a child is placed in the care of a foster parent. I firmly advocate laws that will establish particular requirements before a child is placed in foster care, such as a criminal background check and ruling out the fact that the only reason a person has become a foster parent is to increase their income. Furthermore, I advocate establishing the requirement of a mental health check on all adults that want to become a foster parent and care for a foster child. Lastly, there must be a check on any behavioral issues of the foster parents’ biological children.
The decision to place a child in foster care cannot be simply about whether or not the foster home has a bed for the child. The whole purpose of placing a child in a foster home is to assure their safety and yet, I find myself questioning what exactly are the requirements are for a foster parent? These may be harsh words; however, I must ask what happened to precious Marcus Fiesel, when he was in the care of his foster parents and did not survive?
I realize that there may be a huge shortage of foster homes and I commend those people that have safely cared for children in their care. This article is not about those that take their role as a foster parent seriously. It is not about those that strive to be foster parents due to their compassionate heart and acknowledgement of the fact that a foster child has been through enough in their short lifetimes, let alone being left in the hands of incompetent foster parents. No, this article is to raise awareness of the fact that not all foster homes are in the best interest of a child in need of safety.
Prevention should be the key focus when it comes to helping a child that has been abused. There are many things that our society can do, in terms of prevention. Some I listed above with regards to foster parents. I believe that all of the professionals involved in a child’s life should seek avenues of prevention. One might ask how prevention is possible in these cases. First, everyone involved must agree on the treatment plan for the child. It should be entirely about what is in the child’s best interest. Those professionals that have removed a child from their familial home must be extremely cautious where they place the child next, as well as being educated on behavioral issues of possible foster parents.
Education is the key for prevention. Without proper education on this topic, there can be no prevention.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45552.asp
NH Man guillty of molesting adopted sons in the 80's has been given 20 year sentence
NH Man guillty of molesting adopted sons in the 80's has been given 20 year sentence
DOVER — A 58-year-old local man who accepted responsibility for molesting his two adopted sons over a period of six years in the 1980s will spend at least the next 20 years of his life incarcerated.
James Halldorson, formerly of 56 Summer St., was sentenced to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 years in state prison during a sentencing hearing in Strafford County Superior Court on Tuesday. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault and one count of felonious sexual assault on Sept. 11.
“I can’t disregard in any sense the harm that the criminal acts have caused. The harm that has been caused to these victims is harm which they will live with for the rest of their lives,” said Judge Peter Fauver, before granting the state’s sentencing recommendation. “Let me tell you, that if you did not live an exemplary life and this had been recent, and you put these kids through trial, you’d be looking at the rest of your life (in prison).”
A former administrator at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, Halldorson was arrested in November 2005 following an investigation by Durham police.
Halldorson, also a father of two biological sons, was indicted on four counts in February, with each indictment detailing multiple counts of sexual assault committed in a home in Durham between 1982 and 1988. Combining each indictment, a total of 40 counts were alleged, all of to which Halldorson pleaded guilty.
One of the victims, now 32, spoke emotionally at the hearing, turning the podium so it faced his adopted father, who was dressed in a jail jumpsuit and shackled. The victim was 9 years old when the molestations began.
“I’ve tried but I’ve decided I will never forgive you — you do not deserve it,” the victim, a married father of two, said. “You hand-picked us … we were adopted into this sick life to fulfill him. The actions of his molestations don’t hurt as much as that.”
The other victim, now 33 years old, also spoke, never taking his eyes off his adopted father. He was 10 when the molestations began.
“You don’t think you did anything wrong, and I know it. But you did something wrong,” he said loudly, leaning over the podium.
Halldorson, turning to face his victims and their family, said he was ashamed of his actions and expressed remorse.
“I have lived in a world of lies and deceit, a world of dishonesty,” Halldorson said. “Unfortunately, I succumbed to something deep inside of me that I can’t explain … I was wrong, I am sorry, and now I must pay the consequences.”
Halldorson said the molestations occurred during a period of alcoholism, for which he sought treatment around the time of the molestations. He did not have any supporters in the courtroom.
Halldorson’s attorney, Lincoln Soldati, fought for a lighter sentence of 71⁄2 to 15 years to cover all counts.
“There’s no indication whatsoever … that my client has done anything over the past 20 years but lived a productive, lawful life,” Soldati said. “He has accepted the responsibility, he has accepted the guilt for these crimes … there’s not a lot more he can do.”
On two of the counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, Halldorson was sentenced to 71⁄2 to 15 years in prison. He was sentenced to 5 to 10 years on the third count of aggravated felonious sexual assault. On a charge of felonious sexual assault, Halldorson was sentenced to 31⁄2 to 7 years in prison to run concurrently with the former sentences.
“Certainly these are terrible crimes,” said Prosecutor Eric Gentes after the hearing. “I think the sentences are appropriate.”
As a condition of his sentence, Halldorson will also have to complete the state prison’s sex offender program.
(Why don't children have the same rights as adults have when reporting a sexcrime? When will the courts stop torturing children for telling the truth?)
http://catholicsagainstchildabuse.com/id59.html
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DOVER — A 58-year-old local man who accepted responsibility for molesting his two adopted sons over a period of six years in the 1980s will spend at least the next 20 years of his life incarcerated.
James Halldorson, formerly of 56 Summer St., was sentenced to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 years in state prison during a sentencing hearing in Strafford County Superior Court on Tuesday. He had pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault and one count of felonious sexual assault on Sept. 11.
“I can’t disregard in any sense the harm that the criminal acts have caused. The harm that has been caused to these victims is harm which they will live with for the rest of their lives,” said Judge Peter Fauver, before granting the state’s sentencing recommendation. “Let me tell you, that if you did not live an exemplary life and this had been recent, and you put these kids through trial, you’d be looking at the rest of your life (in prison).”
A former administrator at Mercy Hospital in Portland, Maine, Halldorson was arrested in November 2005 following an investigation by Durham police.
Halldorson, also a father of two biological sons, was indicted on four counts in February, with each indictment detailing multiple counts of sexual assault committed in a home in Durham between 1982 and 1988. Combining each indictment, a total of 40 counts were alleged, all of to which Halldorson pleaded guilty.
One of the victims, now 32, spoke emotionally at the hearing, turning the podium so it faced his adopted father, who was dressed in a jail jumpsuit and shackled. The victim was 9 years old when the molestations began.
“I’ve tried but I’ve decided I will never forgive you — you do not deserve it,” the victim, a married father of two, said. “You hand-picked us … we were adopted into this sick life to fulfill him. The actions of his molestations don’t hurt as much as that.”
The other victim, now 33 years old, also spoke, never taking his eyes off his adopted father. He was 10 when the molestations began.
“You don’t think you did anything wrong, and I know it. But you did something wrong,” he said loudly, leaning over the podium.
Halldorson, turning to face his victims and their family, said he was ashamed of his actions and expressed remorse.
“I have lived in a world of lies and deceit, a world of dishonesty,” Halldorson said. “Unfortunately, I succumbed to something deep inside of me that I can’t explain … I was wrong, I am sorry, and now I must pay the consequences.”
Halldorson said the molestations occurred during a period of alcoholism, for which he sought treatment around the time of the molestations. He did not have any supporters in the courtroom.
Halldorson’s attorney, Lincoln Soldati, fought for a lighter sentence of 71⁄2 to 15 years to cover all counts.
“There’s no indication whatsoever … that my client has done anything over the past 20 years but lived a productive, lawful life,” Soldati said. “He has accepted the responsibility, he has accepted the guilt for these crimes … there’s not a lot more he can do.”
On two of the counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, Halldorson was sentenced to 71⁄2 to 15 years in prison. He was sentenced to 5 to 10 years on the third count of aggravated felonious sexual assault. On a charge of felonious sexual assault, Halldorson was sentenced to 31⁄2 to 7 years in prison to run concurrently with the former sentences.
“Certainly these are terrible crimes,” said Prosecutor Eric Gentes after the hearing. “I think the sentences are appropriate.”
As a condition of his sentence, Halldorson will also have to complete the state prison’s sex offender program.
(Why don't children have the same rights as adults have when reporting a sexcrime? When will the courts stop torturing children for telling the truth?)
http://catholicsagainstchildabuse.com/id59.html
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Former case worker accused of falsifying child-welfare records
Former case worker accused of falsifying child-welfare records
Man worked for organization contracted by DCF
March 15, 2010|By Gary Taylor, Orlando Sentinel
A former employee of a company that contracted with the state Department of Children and Families faces charges that he falsified records, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said today.
Damion Hall, 29, of Port Orange, was arrested Sunday, accused of five counts of falsification of records and four counts of forgery, the FDLE said.
Hall previously worked as a case manager for Community Partnership for Children, a community agency under contract with DCF, officials said. He was required to conduct weekly and/or monthly visits with children or their caregivers to ensure their safety and welfare.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-03-15/news/os-former-case-worker-arrested-20100315_1_falsifying-fdle-office-of-inspector-general
DCF's Office of Inspector General referred the case to the FDLE after an internal investigation showed Hall had documented contact with children or caregivers when he had never seen them, said FDLE spokeswoman Heather Smith.
An investigation revealed that between April 2008 and April 2009 Hall falsified information on 14 different cases, Smith said.
Hall was fired by Community Partnership for Children in May 2009, she said.
Man worked for organization contracted by DCF
March 15, 2010|By Gary Taylor, Orlando Sentinel
A former employee of a company that contracted with the state Department of Children and Families faces charges that he falsified records, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said today.
Damion Hall, 29, of Port Orange, was arrested Sunday, accused of five counts of falsification of records and four counts of forgery, the FDLE said.
Hall previously worked as a case manager for Community Partnership for Children, a community agency under contract with DCF, officials said. He was required to conduct weekly and/or monthly visits with children or their caregivers to ensure their safety and welfare.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-03-15/news/os-former-case-worker-arrested-20100315_1_falsifying-fdle-office-of-inspector-general
DCF's Office of Inspector General referred the case to the FDLE after an internal investigation showed Hall had documented contact with children or caregivers when he had never seen them, said FDLE spokeswoman Heather Smith.
An investigation revealed that between April 2008 and April 2009 Hall falsified information on 14 different cases, Smith said.
Hall was fired by Community Partnership for Children in May 2009, she said.
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