Legally Kidnapped

Shattering Your Child Welfare Delusions Since 2007


Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Christie hires high-powered lawyer to end supervision of NJ child welfare system

Christie hires high-powered lawyer to end supervision of NJ child welfare system

The Christie administration has retained a high-powered lawyer to get New Jersey out of federal oversight of its child welfare system that began a dozen years ago when the state reached a settlement with a national child's advocacy group following the death of a 7-year-old boy, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Pierce County judge dismiss child abuse case, cities "prosecutorial vindictiveness"

Pierce County judge dismiss child abuse case, cities "prosecutorial vindictiveness"

Citing "prosecutorial vindictiveness," a Pierce County judge has dismissed a case against a 48-year-old woman accused of abusing her daughter.

DCF workers deal with ‘shameful’ office conditions

DCF workers deal with ‘shameful’ office conditions

Workers at the state’s beleaguered child welfare agency are contending with fleas, mice, and decrepit working conditions and an overload of cases that have left some workers coping with traumatic levels of stress and almost all with plummeting morale, according an official survey of more than 1,500 employees.
One worker described seeing cockroaches in the Leominster office, scuttling across the same floor that babies crawl on during supervised visits with their parents. The office walls are “punched through, and the social workers sit in closets,” the worker wrote. “Shameful.”

Updated: 2nd suspect pleads guilty in case of child cuffed to porch in Union County


A former social worker in North Carolina was sentenced Tuesday to up to 17 months in prison after pleading guilty to child abuse charges that arose when a boy in her care was found handcuffed to a porch with a dead chicken around his neck.

Tribes face hurdles, cultural concerns, with federal foster care

Tribes face hurdles, cultural concerns, with federal foster care

When the federal government opened foster care assistance to Native American tribes in 2008, more than 80 expressed interest in the program.

Filer Man Sentenced for Sex Abuse of Foster Child

Filer Man Sentenced for Sex Abuse of Foster Child

A Twin Falls County man found guilty of sexually molesting his 12 year old foster child was in court on Monday for his sentencing hearing.

DHHS in need of families to take in foster kids - And Foster Parents Warn Against It!

So yesterday the news feeds in the state that inspired the creation of Legally Kidnapped started getting flooded with articles regarding Maine's desperate shortage of foster homes.   This only four short years after bragging about being a National Model Child Welfare System because they were viewed as leaders at keeping kids safe in the home or preserving families through kinship care placements when the kid does need to be removed.

Now I gotta say I told you so because I've been paying close attention to this state and watching this transformation take place over the last few years.  Governor Paul LePage, who claims to have been abused as a child, comes along and and spins it and flips it around it because being on the right track just isn't good enough.  I have managed to identify a few of significant events in this transformation and listed them here...

and for a more in depth look including the links to lots of articles...

And now Maine is crying for help.  They need 100 new families willing to take in foster kids.   Not so much the cute little babies, but rather the older, problematic, special needs kids who are often in trouble with the law and who nobody wants.

But what's even more interesting is that even the foster parents are coming out and warning people against getting involved.  I will post screen shots because I'm sure this will all be shut down soon.   You know how CPS likes to protect their secrets.

DHHS in need of families to take in foster kids







Who will apologise to the ‘Motherless Generation’?

Who will apologise to the ‘Motherless Generation’?

Last week the anniversary of an old injustice and the prospect of a new injustice came together and challenged us. March 21 was the second anniversary of the National Apology for Forced Adoption. In 2013 our then Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, spoke movingly to the nation about "the most primal and sacred bond there is: the bond between a mother and her baby".

CPS kidnaps teen after heart attack, misdiagnoses mother with Munchausen by proxy

CPS kidnaps teen after heart attack, misdiagnoses mother with Munchausen by proxy

If ever there was a story that'll leave you scratching your head and wondering what's wrong with this world, it's the case of Anne Giroux and her teenage son, Kevin.

Without Consent: Emotional Canberra exhibition remembers Australia's forced adoptions

Without Consent: Emotional Canberra exhibition remembers Australia's forced adoptions

The personal stories of those damaged by illegal forced adoption practices are on display at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra.

Monday, March 30, 2015

More children have died receiving protective services care than ever before

More children have died receiving protective services care than ever before

Rachel Notley revealed Monday that 31 children in provincial care or receiving protective services have died this year—more than ever before—following the deaths of two more children in recent weeks.

Second foster home tied to agency loses license


The state has revoked the license of a second foster home overseen by an embattled placement agency, after a 12-year-old girl was raped in the home last year.

Plea expected from DSS worker accused of abuse

Plea expected from DSS worker accused of abuse

The Union County District Attorney's Office has confirmed to NBC Charlotte that the woman accused of abusing a foster child will appear in court Tuesday.

Yuba County CPS Under Fire After Mom With Drug History Runs Off With Newborn

Yuba County CPS Under Fire After Mom With Drug History Runs Off With Newborn

A woman who has had 11 children removed by Child Protective Services left a hospital after giving birth with her newest baby.

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; Public Comments

This is a link that was published today and was found on the Federal Register.  It leads to a PDF.  I suggest you look at it and comment.

Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act; Public Comments



Teachers demand right to anonymity until charged to stop false allegations ruining lives

Teachers demand right to anonymity until charged to stop false allegations ruining lives

Teachers are having their lives blighted by a rising number of false allegations made against them by pupils.

Note: I don't feel sorry for any teacher who gets falsely accused because teachers are the number one CPS Rats out there, often being refereed to as "the eyes and ears of CPS."

Even if a teacher is innocent of falsely reporting parents, the practice is so common that we should just chalk it up as collateral damage and call it Karma by association.

One in five school staff victims of false claims, survey displays

One in five school staff victims of false claims, survey displays

Far more than one particular in five school personnel has had a false allegation made towards them by a pupil, according to a survey. A more seven% have also faced untrue claims from a student’s parent or household member, the study by a teaching union identified.

Falsely Accused of Child Abuse? Advice from a former D.A.

Yes it's a sales pitch, but there is some good info.



More info at http://www.shouselaw.com/domestic-vio... A former D.A. discusses California child abuse laws found in Penal Code 273d PC. It's very common for innocent adults to get falsely accused of this crime.

Parents vow to fight ‘free range kids’ decision

Parents vow to fight ‘free range kids’ decision

The Maryland parents investigated for letting their young children walk home by themselves from a park were recently found responsible for “unsubstantiated” child neglect in a decision that has not fully resolved their clash with authorities over questions of parenting and children’s safety.

Study finds foster kids given wrong drug prescriptions

Study finds foster kids given wrong drug prescriptions

When federal inspectors set out to examine how powerful antipsychotic drugs were being used on children in the nation’s public health systems, they found a 4-year-old on four psychiatric drugs; a 10-year-old prescribed without medical records; and a 16-year-old on six psych meds, including a prescription at double the maximum recommended dosage.

Dads hope again for shared parenting rights

Dads hope again for shared parenting rights

At least, dads who cannot get enough time with their children hope so.

For the fourth consecutive year, Nebraska state senators are taking a run at requiring divorce courts to provide uniform, research-based parenting time guidelines.

More than a fifth of school staff falsely accused by pupils of abuse or bullying: Wrong allegations have 'damaged careers and blighted lives'

More than a fifth of school staff falsely accused by pupils of abuse or bullying: Wrong allegations have 'damaged careers and blighted lives'

More than a fifth of school staff have been falsely accused by pupils of some form of abuse or bullying, a survey has found.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Bathroom Spy Cams for the Foster Home - Baby LK Report For March 29th 2015

Parents who allow kids to play violent video games like Call Of Duty 'will be reported to police'

Parents who allow kids to play violent video games like Call Of Duty 'will be reported to police'

Parents who allow young children to play inappropriate video games such as Call Of Duty and Grand Theft Auto could be reported for neglect.


Ex-child welfare agency head guilty of stealing $68,000

Ex-child welfare agency head guilty of stealing $68,000

The former head of a county child welfare agency in northwestern Pennsylvania has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $68,000 by allegedly misusing agency vehicles and credit cards.

Lawmakers consider child protection changes after Phoebe Jonchuck death

Lawmakers consider child protection changes after Phoebe Jonchuck death

Barely three months after 5-year-old Phoebe Jonchuck’s father dropped her 60 feet from a bridge into Tampa Bay, lawmakers could soon vote on new legislation aimed at preventing deaths like hers.

Father of girl murdered in foster care partially blaming Streamwood doctor

Father of girl murdered in foster care partially blaming Streamwood doctor

A northwest suburban psychiatrist is one of several people being sued in a lawsuit filed Friday over the 2011 downstate murder of a child who was in foster care.


Parents of boy who stabbed his foster mother to death threatened to kill his previous carers, FAI hears

Parents of boy who stabbed his foster mother to death threatened to kill his previous carers, FAI hears

THE parents of a teenage boy who killed his foster mother had threatened the lives of his previous carers and social workers, an inquiry has heard.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Minnesota revokes license of foster agency after death

Minnesota revokes license of foster agency after death

Minnesota has revoked the license of a foster care placement agency after a 6-year-old girl died in one of its homes last December.

In Minnesota's foster system, kids go from bad to worse

In Minnesota's foster system, kids go from bad to worse

Minnesota’s foster care system is falling short of state and federal standards meant to ensure that abused children are placed into stable and permanent homes, a Star Tribune review of state records has found.


Family pleads for custody of one of its youngest after DHS says no

Family pleads for custody of one of its youngest after DHS says no

A family is trying to do what's best for one of its youngest, but it's at odds with the Saginaw County Department of Human Services.

Former Employee Of The Kansas Department Of Children And Families Files Whistleblower Lawsuit

Former Employee Of The Kansas Department Of Children And Families Files Whistleblower Lawsuit

A former child protection supervisor with the Kansas Department for Children and Families office in Winfield has filed a “whistleblower” lawsuit, accusing the agency of firing her for calling her supervisor’s attention to false reports filed by a social worker.


More than 50% of child welfare case managers left job in 2014

More than 50% of child welfare case managers left job in 2014

More than half of ongoing case managers — the men and women who work directly with abused children and their families — left their jobs at the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare during 2014, according to a report released Friday.

B.C. introduces new legal centre for parents in child protection system

B.C. introduces new legal centre for parents in child protection system

The B.C. government is hoping to reduce the number of child-protection cases going to court by opening a new legal centre for parents.

Japan repatriates 8 children in 1st year under Hague abduction treaty

Japan repatriates 8 children in 1st year under Hague abduction treaty

Japan has repatriated eight children to or from other countries in the year since it joined the Hague Convention on child abductions, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Family vs State: Parents Allege DCFS Cover-up of Foster Care Abuse

Family vs State: Parents Allege DCFS Cover-up of Foster Care Abuse

During times of family crisis, authorities often place children in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services. A Jackson County case calls into question children's safety under the protection of the state of Illinois.

State revokes licenses of foster providers after 6-year-old's death

State revokes licenses of foster providers after 6-year-old's death

The state has taken the unprecedented step of revoking the license of a foster care placement agency following the death of a 6-year-old girl in one of its foster homes late last year.

Federal study finds alarming use of antipsychotics among nation's poor children, foster kids

Federal study finds alarming use of antipsychotics among nation's poor children, foster kids

When federal inspectors set out to examine how powerful antipsychotic drugs were being used on children in the nation's public health systems, they found a 4-year-old on four psychiatric drugs, a 10-year-old prescribed without medical records, and a 16-year-old on six psych meds, including a prescription at double the maximum recommended dosage.

Report says major changes needed for Clark County child welfare system

Report says major changes needed for Clark County child welfare system

Major changes are needed to the Clark County child welfare system, according to a new report released by an advisory committee.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Bathroom spy cams put in foster home, friend's cottage

Bathroom spy cams put in foster home, friend's cottage

A Manitoba man who used mini-spy cameras to record friends, co-workers and children as they used the washroom should go to prison for eight years, a judge was told Thursday.

Former foster parent gets prison in sex abuse case

Former foster parent gets prison in sex abuse case

The former owner of a North Las Vegas behavioral health services company was sentenced Thursday to four to six years on child abuse and lewdness charges for encounters with his adopted son.

Foster mom: System puts kids second

Foster mom: System puts kids second

You may think the child welfare system is for children. Think again.


Daycare operator sued for calling the CAS

Daycare operator sued for calling the CAS

A North York home daycare operator who called the Children’s Aid Society because she was concerned about a baby in her care has been ordered to pay the child’s parents more than $13,000 for the “emotional pain and suffering” that her report caused.


Retired teacher, foster parent denies guilt

Retired teacher, foster parent denies guilt

A retired teacher who is accused of sexually abusing a foster child under his care was arraigned Thursday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.



Arizona children suffer in broken foster-care system, suit claims

Arizona children suffer in broken foster-care system, suit claims

She was just 5 months old the first time she and her siblings were taken from a mother struggling with addiction and placed in the care of the state. At times, she was separated from her brothers and sisters. She received neither the glasses she needed, nor the orthopedic shoes, leaving her with a limp. Now 10, she has spent more than half her life in foster care, having been returned to her mother only to be removed again, a routine that has been repeated multiple times.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Abused Kids Not Destined to Be Abusive Parents, Study Finds

Abused Kids Not Destined to Be Abusive Parents, Study Finds

Conventional wisdom says that abused children often grow up to be abusive parents, but a 30-year study of American families suggests it's more complicated than that.

State review finds no systematic problems in Denver child casework

State review finds no systematic problems in Denver child casework

A state review of Denver County child protection work, ordered after one caseworker allegedly lied about checking on a baby who later died, has uncovered no additional wrongdoing.

Foster care kids put on too many psych drugs, report says

 Foster care kids put on too many psych drugs, report says

Many children in foster care are being overmedicated with antipsychotic drugs they may not really need, or the drugs are being given incorrectly, according to a government review obtained by CBS News.

Father sues state over son's death

Father sues state over son's death

For months, the WBAL-TV 11 News I-Team has poured over documents related to the unsolved murder of a Howard County boy, Elijah. Up until the day he died, his safety was being monitored by Child Protective Services.

Former Lucas County foster parent charged with rape of child

Former Lucas County foster parent charged with rape of child

A former foster parent with Lucas County Children Services is sitting behind bars, accused of raping a child in his care.


After deaths, Abbott calls for better protection of foster children

After deaths, Abbott calls for better protection of foster children

Responding to the deaths of three foster children in three months, Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered statewide reforms and is calling for $40 million in additional funding to better protect children in the state’s care.

Call for UK to apologise for forced adoptions

Call for UK to apologise for forced adoptions

The British government should apologise for its history of forced adoptions, according to a recently published letter.


‘Rosie O’Donnell Stole My Baby!’ Claims Biological Mother Of Talk Show Host’s Adopted Daughter

‘Rosie O’Donnell Stole My Baby!’ Claims Biological Mother Of Talk Show Host’s Adopted Daughter

Fresh from the scandals of her controversial exit from television’s The View and the sudden demise of her second marriage, Rosie O’Donnell has been plunged into an adoption scandal!

Court says parents of soldier can use dead son's sperm to father child

Court says parents of soldier can use dead son's sperm to father child

Who owns the sperm of a reserve soldier killed in an army training exercise – his widow or his parents? What was the will of the deceased, and does the state have the right to allow the birth of an orphan?

Preventing sex trafficking of children in state custody, awaiting adoption topic of forum

Preventing sex trafficking of children in state custody, awaiting adoption topic of forum

All they want is a home, somewhere where they feel they belong, and a family who loves them.

After abuse case, Arkansas tries to ban ‘rehoming’ adopted children

After abuse case, Arkansas tries to ban ‘rehoming’ adopted children

An Arkansas state representative is facing criticism for allegedly abandoning his adopted daughters, ages 3 and 6, to a man who sexually abused one of them.


Jury Acquits Ex-DCF Agent of Sexual Assault: Taking Stand Sways Jurors

Jury Acquits Ex-DCF Agent of Sexual Assault: Taking Stand Sways Jurors

A jury on Wednesday found a former child protective investigator with the Department of Children and Families not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman and threatening to take her children if she wouldn't have sex with him.

Report recommends more funding for DSS to protect children, reduce caseloads

Report recommends more funding for DSS to protect children, reduce caseloads

A Senate panel recommended major changes at the Department of Social Services, a year after the agency came under fire for failing to protect the state’s most vulnerable children.

In wake of Harris rehoming revelations, broader review of child welfare system begins

In wake of Harris rehoming revelations, broader review of child welfare system begins

This morning, I spoke with Paul Vincent, the child welfare expert Gov. Asa Hutchinson has selected to conduct a review of the foster care and adoption system at the state Department of Human Services.


Rape, indecent assault charges dropped against foster parent

Rape, indecent assault charges dropped against foster parent

All charges of rape and indecent assault and battery against longtime foster parent Thomas E. Smith of Dudley have been dismissed in Dudley District Court.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Aboriginal still 'still being stolen'

Aboriginal still 'still being stolen'

There is an ongoing stolen generation of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory who are being placed in protective custody where they risk being abused.

City Is Forced to Sue to Ax ACS Worker Who Lied About Visiting Abused Kids

City Is Forced to Sue to Ax ACS Worker Who Lied About Visiting Abused Kids

City officials are fighting to stop a child caseworker who they say "cannot be trusted with the welfare of at-risk children" from getting his job back — after a labor arbitrator decided to give him a second chance, according to a recent lawsuit.

Maine to Launch Child Abuse Prevention Effort - A Mary Mayhew Photo Opportunity

Maine to Launch Child Abuse Prevention Effort - A Mary Mayhew Photo Opportunity

Ever notice that the one department in DHHS that never gets the proper conservative criticism regarding cost or efficiency is The Department of Children and Families, AKA Child Protective Services and Maine's Foster Care System?

Senate panel favors 2 bills on re-homing

Senate panel favors 2 bills on re-homing

A state Senate panel unanimously signed off Tuesday on a pair of bills aimed at criminalizing the "re-homing" of adopted children in Arkansas.

UPDATED: Mother wants answers from BC Ministry after baby dies in foster care

UPDATED: Mother wants answers from BC Ministry after baby dies in foster care

A grieving mother whose one-and-a-half year old daughter died while in foster care is suing the B.C. government and asking for an explanation.



Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Cruel foster mother faces jail for striking four children in string of terrifying assaults over 11 years

Cruel foster mother faces jail for striking four children in string of terrifying assaults over 11 years

A CRUEL foster mother who carried out a string of assaults on vulnerable youngsters - including a toddler - is facing jail.

Forced Adoption: UK families flee to Ireland to keep their children (DOCUMENTARY)

Forced Adoption: UK families flee to Ireland to keep their children (DOCUMENTARY)

UK families are fleeing to Ireland as social workers continue to use false allegations and vague definitions of abuse to forcibly remove children from their parents and boost adoption statistics. RT's documentary crew spoke to several of those families.

Manitoba girls six times more likely to be reported missing than in rest of Canada: PCs

Manitoba girls six times more likely to be reported missing than in rest of Canada: PCs

Girls are six times more likely to be reported missing in Manitoba than in other parts of Canada, and the majority of them are in care of child and family services.

As Arizona Struggles to Fix Foster System, Children Suffer the Consequences

As Arizona Struggles to Fix Foster System, Children Suffer the Consequences

She was just 5 months old the first time she and her siblings were taken from a mother struggling with addiction and placed in the care of the state. At times, she was separated from her brothers and sisters. She received neither the glasses she needed, nor the orthopedic shoes, leaving her with a limp. Now 10, she has spent more than half her life in foster care, having been returned to her mother only to be removed again, a routine that has been repeated multiple times.

New DFPS report shows 826 deaths under CPS' watch

New DFPS report shows 826 deaths under CPS' watch

A new report by the Department of Family and Protective Services gives a rare, comprehensive glimpse inside child deaths on CPS' watch.


Kansas City-area foster children fighting for more rights

Kansas City-area foster children fighting for more rights

April marks Child Abuse Awareness month. In the metro last year, there were nearly 25,000 reported child abuse cases.

“They gave my child to somebody who killed him,” mother outraged after son is allegedly killed by foster parent

“They gave my child to somebody who killed him,” mother outraged after son is allegedly killed by foster parent

A Comanche County woman faces one first degree murder charge after her two year old foster son died Sunday evening.

Prosecutor decides not to terminate dad's parental rights

Prosecutor decides not to terminate dad's parental rights

The Livingston County prosecutor's office will no longer pursue to terminate the parental rights of a Brighton father recently sentenced to county jail time for abusing his then 11-week-old daughter.

Foster-bed registry urged for Manitoba

Foster-bed registry urged for Manitoba

The revelation that Manitoba has seen a spike in the number of foster children being placed in hotels – even after the government promised last fall to reduce its reliance on them – is spurring calls for a centralized system that tracks available foster beds across the province.


Foster Mother Wants Kids Back After Abuse in Adoptive Home



Amber Butera says her children adopted through the foster care system were abused by the woman who adopted them, who is now serving prison time.

Trial Opens Today for Accused DCF Worker

Trial Opens Today for Accused DCF Worker

Circuit Court jurors will begin hearing testimony today in the trial of a former child protective investigator with the Department of Children and Families accused of threatening to take custody of a woman's children if she didn't have sex with him.

When babies die, a disputed diagnosis sends parents to prison for abuse

When babies die, a disputed diagnosis sends parents to prison for abuse

For decades, when a child appeared in an emergency room with certain symptoms, including bleeding behind the eyes and bleeding around the brain, many doctors assumed violent shaking to be the cause. But in recent years, the Shaken Baby Syndrome diagnosis has come under intense scrutiny, and so have many of the resulting prosecutions and convictions. Special correspondent Jackie Judd reports.


Monday, March 23, 2015

Improving Representation and Outcomes for Children

Improving Representation and Outcomes for Children

Slipping through the cracks in the system, a child's story ends in tragedy. A young person lingering in foster care for years, moving from place to place with no permanent home. These are the perceptions of life in the child welfare system in Philadelphia.

Tribes face hurdles, cultural concerns, with federal foster care

Tribes face hurdles, cultural concerns, with federal foster care

When the federal government opened foster care assistance to Native American tribes in 2008, more than 80 expressed interest in the program.

Arkansas House OKs two ‘rehoming’ bills, Rep. Harris votes for both

Arkansas House OKs two ‘rehoming’ bills, Rep. Harris votes for both

A pair of bills that would seek to end the practice of “rehoming” in the state of Arkansas received overwhelming approval in the State House Friday (March 20), including from a state representative whose personal controversy brought the issue to the legislature’s attention.

DSS wants child endangerment suit dismissed

DSS wants child endangerment suit dismissed

State officials want a lawsuit accusing South Carolina’s child welfare agency of endangering children in its care to be dismissed, saying it is an attempt to force the court system to get involved in the agency’s funding.

TFI failed to disclose child's mental health history to adopting family, lawsuit alleges

TFI failed to disclose child's mental health history to adopting family, lawsuit alleges

In early 2012, TFI Family Services, the Kansas company that at the time helped run the state’s privatized foster care system, approached Don and Ellen Adkins about adopting three brothers. The couple expressed interest and made multiple trips to Kansas.

The one thing they couldn’t and wouldn’t do is adopt a child with sexually and physically abusive tendencies.

But the Adkins say that is exactly what happened.

Manitoba foster children still being left in ‘last resort’ hotels

Manitoba foster children still being left in ‘last resort’ hotels

There were at least 10 foster children – most, if not all, aboriginal – staying at the downtown hotel on March 9. Among them was Tina Fontaine’s cousin. Tina, a Sagkeeng First Nation teenager, was found dead in August after going missing from her Best Western placement. Her killing sparked fresh scrutiny of the child-welfare system and reignited calls for a national inquiry into Canada’s murdered and missing native women.

State, Clark County differ on public disclosure of child deaths

State, Clark County differ on public disclosure of child deaths

Nevada and Clark County are clashing over what state and federal laws actually require when it comes to reporting child fatalities and near fatalities to the public.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Kerry McDougall: Pregnant Mom, Deemed ‘Too Dumb’ To Parent, Flees Country To Save Unborn Child

Kerry McDougall: Pregnant Mom, Deemed ‘Too Dumb’ To Parent, Flees Country To Save Unborn Child

Kerry McDougall is living a nightmare. Deemed unfit to parent her two young sons, aged three and five, the young mother has fled her home country of Scotland for nearby Ireland in order to protect her unborn child from being taken from her, as well.

Note: I know that Kerry is a good mom.  This is bullshit!

Child Killed While In Foster Care

Child Killed While In Foster Care

A two-year-old is dead and his foster mom is being charged with first degree murder.

14 dissolved adoptions in Manatee spark concern, new county program

14 dissolved adoptions in Manatee spark concern, new county program

Fourteen Manatee County parents have returned adopted children in 22 months, a rate equal to nearly 12 percent of all cases in the state over the same time period.


Saturday, March 21, 2015

Justice Department Weighs In On Assembly-Line Justice For Children

Justice Department Weighs In On Assembly-Line Justice For Children

The Justice Department for the first time is weighing in on a state court case on whether some courts are depriving juveniles of their rights to a lawyer.

L.A. County supervisors debate whether to lock up at-risk foster youth

L.A. County supervisors debate whether to lock up at-risk foster youth

It's a universal principle: Lock up the criminal not the victim.

Social worker pleads not guilty to sexual assaults

Social worker pleads not guilty to sexual assaults

A former San Mateo County social worker pleaded not guilty Friday to 30 counts of having sexual relations with three underage girls who were under his supervision.

Hancock County Children’s Protective Services Accused of Wrongdoing

Hancock County Children’s Protective Services Accused of Wrongdoing

The Hancock County Commissioners heard from a Findlay woman accusing the county’s Children’s Protective Services of wrongdoing.

More than 400 Washington foster parents object to flu shots

More than 400 Washington foster parents object to flu shots

More than 400 Washington foster parents are giving up on caring for children younger than 2 because they don't want to get a flu shot, which is required for the license to care for babies and toddlers.

Salem DCF social workers say caseloads are up

Salem DCF social workers say caseloads are up

About 40 employees of the Department of Children and Families regional office shared their struggles and frustrations with North Shore lawmakers on Friday.

Friday, March 20, 2015

State to lose hundreds of foster parents over flu shot requirment

State to lose hundreds of foster parents over flu shot requirment

More than 400 Washington state foster parents say they’ll no longer care for babies and toddlers younger than 2 if they have to get flu shots to do it, newly released state figures show.





Secrets won't protect children

Secrets won't protect children

The public's right to know is more than some noisy neighbor's curiosity.


When adoption is not a “forever family”

When adoption is not a “forever family”


In 2010, the Chicago Tribune told the story of an adoption that speaks to the fears of many parents who are contemplating adoption. In the article Adoption Interrupted, a story is told of a loving family, the Gertzes, who seem to have all the right resources, and adopt a baby girl and how everything goes terribly wrong. The Gertzes adopted daughter Ellie frequently had uncontrollable temper tantrums from the slightest frustrations such as not having the right color of bowl to simply being told no.

Facebook disables ‘rehoming’ adopted children page: UK news outlet

Facebook disables ‘rehoming’ adopted children page: UK news outlet

A Facebook page used by Americans to “rehome” adopted children has been disabled, a United Kingdom news organization said Thursday.

Former DCF investigator accused of falsifying records faces judge

Former DCF investigator accused of falsifying records faces judge

A former agent with the Department of Children and Families faced a judge Thursday afternoon after being accused of falsifying records in a case involving the death of a baby.

Parent blasts actions by caseworker

Parent blasts actions by caseworker

A Findlay woman on Thursday told the Hancock County commissioners that the county Children’s Protective Services agency is guilty of “illegal and unethical behavior.”

How social workers can achieve successful reunifications for children in care

How social workers can achieve successful reunifications for children in care

Last year over 10,000 children returned home from care – the most common outcome for children in care. It is, of course, right that we support children to remain at home with their families, but sadly research shows that half of children who return to their parents are re-abused or neglected and almost half of returns break down within two years.


New Law Will Open Access to Adoptees' Birth Certificates

New Law Will Open Access to Adoptees' Birth Certificates

Thousands of Ohio adoptees are hoping to learn more about their history, including family medical information, thanks to a law granting them access to their adoption files and birth certificates.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Claims of satanic cult and child sacrifices in London are baseless, judge rules

Claims of satanic cult and child sacrifices in London are baseless, judge rules

Note: Maybe the judge is in on it too.

A high court judge has dismissed claims that children in north London have been abused by paedophiles in a satanic cult.


Coming together to study a "dark period" in U.S. adoption

Coming together to study a "dark period" in U.S. adoption

Karen Wilson Buterbaugh and Rebecca Ricardo have, in some ways, lived parallel lives, but their experiences have been wildly different, leaving them with unparalleled views of adoption.


Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Why I wish I had given back my adopted daughter

Why I wish I had given back my adopted daughter

A few weeks ago, my husband Robert and I paid a visit to our adopted daughter, Louise. Now 36 and in a home of her own, she looked well, confident and content. We stood back and watched, hoping she’d wave goodbye, but she just shut the front door behind her, without looking back.

Legislation proposes separate watchdog for foster care

Legislation proposes separate watchdog for foster care

Foster homes are supposed to provide a place of refuge for children in the state's care, but sometimes their living situations go from bad to worse.

Child protection workers to strike on Thursday

Child protection workers to strike on Thursday

Child protection workers will walk off the job for an hour at lunchtime on Thursday in protest against a shortage of caseworkers.

Foster parent pleads guilty to years of sexual abuse against a teen girl in his care

Foster parent pleads guilty to years of sexual abuse against a teen girl in his care

A Manitoba foster parent has admitted to years of sexual abuse against a teen girl placed in his care by Child and Family Services.

Man admits he abused, beat, chained boy up; gets 6-10 years

Man admits he abused, beat, chained boy up; gets 6-10 years

He was beaten and starved, forced to sleep on a floor chained to part of a railroad tie. His punishment was just as harsh: Dorian Harper twisted the boy's fingers with pliers. When Harper believed the boy had killed a chicken, he handcuffed him by his ankle to a porch with the dead animal around his neck to "teach him a lesson," prosecutors said.

North Carolina man who chained boy, hung dead chicken around his neck, pleads guilty

North Carolina man who chained boy, hung dead chicken around his neck, pleads guilty

A North Carolina man accused of chaining an 11-year-old boy to a porch with a dead chicken hanging around his neck pleaded guilty on Wednesday to child abuse charges and was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, his attorney said.

Ex-DCF Investigator Arrested for Falsifying Records in Fatal Hot Car Case: FDLE

Ex-DCF Investigator Arrested for Falsifying Records in Fatal Hot Car Case: FDLE

A former Florida Department of Children and Families child protective investigator has been arrested after authorities say she falsified records in the case of a Miami-Dade mother whose son died after he was left in a hot car.

‘Crisis level’: Report says many govt. officials in US convicted of child porn, sex abuse crimes

‘Crisis level’: Report says many govt. officials in US convicted of child porn, sex abuse crimes

At least 22 local, state, and federal government officials in the US -- including leading military and police figures -- have been convicted of child pornography and child sex abuse crimes in recent years, according to a new report.

Mom Asks Police To Teach Sons Stealing Is Wrong, Cop Arrests Her, Kids Go To Foster Care

Mom Asks Police To Teach Sons Stealing Is Wrong, Cop Arrests Her, Kids Go To Foster Care

A 29-year-old mom in New York City caught her young sons stealing money out of her purse, so Tyeesha Mobley had an idea. Why not call the police, and see if they’ll send an officer around to help explain why stealing is wrong, and has serious consequences? So that’s what she did. She certainly never expected to be the target of one cop’s racial abuse. And she definitely did not expect to be arrested and lose her children into foster care.



Child abuse, pure and simple




12-Year-Old Pregnant Girl In State Custody... Man Believed To Have Abused Her In Police Lock-Up

12-Year-Old Pregnant Girl In State Custody... Man Believed To Have Abused Her In Police Lock-Up

The Child Development Agency (CDA) has launched an investigation into the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old pregnant child, and the man suspected of impregnating her is now in police custody.


DHS worker firing raises more questions about maltreatment reporting


Two children whose mother was an employee in the Division of Children and Family Services of the state Department of Human Services were ordered removed from her custody last year by a judge who found the children were in "imminent danger" at her home.

Governor Orders Review of Child Welfare System

Governor Orders Review of Child Welfare System

Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday he has ordered a review of the state’s child welfare system.

Aboriginal care organisation warns of 'critical gap' in child welfare system

Aboriginal care organisation warns of 'critical gap' in child welfare system

Now to our coverage of the royal commission into child sexual abuse.

And today, a director of Victoria's lead Aboriginal child welfare organisation has warned of a "critical gap" in the system.

Conn. teen in chemo fight asks to go home

Conn. teen in chemo fight asks to go home

A Connecticut teenager undergoing court-ordered chemotherapy told a judge Tuesday she wants to leave the hospital.

Fewer children are being adopted from the NYC foster system as eligible kids increase

Fewer children are being adopted from the NYC foster system as eligible kids increase

Fewer kids are getting adopted out of the city foster care system - even as more are waiting for new parents.

House Judiciary Committee passes 'rehoming' bill


A bill that would ban “rehoming” in Arkansas was approved by a key committee Tuesday morning, and later in the day, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said he was launching an “independent review” of the state's child welfare services.


Misconduct found at privately run child-welfare agency

Misconduct found at privately run child-welfare agency

Workers at Broward County’s privately run child welfare agency spent so much time doing free work at the Miami-Dade home of their boss that they jokingly called it the “Coral Gables office.”

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Aust foster care system lags behind UK

Aust foster care system lags behind UK

Note: That's pretty sad, eh?

AUSTRALIA'S approach to the recruitment, training and oversight of foster carers falls behind standards in the UK, a witness has told a royal commission.


DSS, contractor to pay $515K to mother, victimized 6-year-old

DSS, contractor to pay $515K to mother, victimized 6-year-old

The S.C. Department of Social Services and a private contractor it hires to place children in foster homes have agreed to pay $515,000 after a 6-year-old Columbia-area girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by a teenage sexual predator, according to court records.

Suspect’s name in foster child’s death released

Suspect’s name in foster child’s death released

Investigators have identified the suspect in the death of a foster child as 24-year-old Heather Adams, the child's foster mother.

Cops: Ridley Township man charged with molesting children

Cops: Ridley Township man charged with molesting children

Police say a 20-year-old township man sexually abused several children who were being cared for by his parents at their Hazel Avenue home.


Teacher's assistant accused of assaulting foster child

Teacher's assistant accused of assaulting foster child

An Overton High School teacher's assistant and foster parent has been placed on leave after being arrested in Murfreesboro last week on child abuse charges.

Foster parent in jail following infant's death

Foster parent in jail following infant's death

A Fletcher woman is in jail following an infant's death Sunday night that is currently being investigated as a homicide.

3 Ore. workers on leave in foster child treatment probe

3 Ore. workers on leave in foster child treatment probe

Three Oregon state child welfare workers have been placed on leave while the state Department of Human Services investigates a Yamhill County neglect case that left two young children in hospital care for malnourishment.

U.S. jails sex-trafficked kids in human rights abuse, groups say

U.S. jails sex-trafficked kids in human rights abuse, groups say

The United States violates human rights by treating sex-trafficked children as criminals and throwing them into jail, rights groups told an international commission on Monday.

Three Arrested in Union County Child Abuse Case

Three Arrested in Union County Child Abuse Case

Three people are behind bars after investigators say they were notified about a cardiac arrest of a three-year-old child.

What's best for kids? Michigan adoption bills would protect faith-based agencies, limit LGBT options

What's best for kids? Michigan adoption bills would protect faith-based agencies, limit LGBT options

Proponents and opponents of Michigan faith-based adoption legislation argue they're both fighting for the same goal: Ensuring loving homes for foster kids.

Six siblings at foster home who begged council to stay together finally get their wish

Six siblings at foster home who begged council to stay together finally get their wish

More than 100 families have offered a loving home to six brothers and sisters who were desperate to stay together as a family,

Note: Awwww.

Brockton couple sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing foster children

Brockton couple sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing foster children

A husband and wife from Brockton have been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two foster children over a period of several years.

Children abused/neglected in 2 Moncton-area foster homes

Children abused/neglected in 2 Moncton-area foster homes

Foster children in the Moncton area have been abused or neglected at the hands of those tasked by the provincial government to care for them, CBC News has learned.

SystemSuckology and the Unanimous Passage of Child Welfare Legislation - A Legally Kidnapped Exclusive Report

I did not want to get into a big long thing today, as I simply have too much to do but I have noticed a trend that I feel warrants your attention.

To me, this suggests that nobody in family rights is being heard.   No CPS victims are making an impact and that our Governments at both the federal and state levels can vote on bills without having a clue as to what they're doing or the consequences of such legislation, but do so because it makes for a good photo opportunity later on down the road.

More simply put, if a bill that comes before a legislative committee or a state house or senate is attached to the line, "will help keep kids safe" or has anything to do with the system that is supposed to protect children from abuse or neglect, it is destined for universal passage regardless of the cost or consequence to the child, parent, foster care provider or even the CPS Agent.

For example:
Which of course would be great if not for the total nonsense associated with it...
"I strongly value parental rights," said Hargrove, R-Covington. "But when it is clear that a child’s birth parents have no interest in reunification, we need to more quickly enable that child to find a permanent, loving home with their foster or other adoptive parents. With a typical stay in foster care lasting 33 months, this is a small, but important step in the right direction for the stability and well-being of these children."
This omits so many possible factors including the major piece of the puzzle that every case is different and it sometimes takes a little longer than a year for a parent to get their shit together but that's still actually what's best for the kid.  It leaves out possible factors and important points such as a CPS Agents refusal to recognize the progress that a parent has made or the fact that there is nothing stable about the foster care system in any State especially one like Washington which has had many foster care sex abuse lawsuits over the years.  
It also leaves out possibilities such as a capable and loving grandparent who is fighting for custody.  It lumps all cases together as if there were only one worthy solution.  Then it passes UNANIMOUSLY in the Washington House of Representatives because some idiot said it would help foster kids.

Now I'm all for helping foster kids in regards to what's best for them, which is to be with their families.  I'm all for helping families to keep their kids safe in the home.  I'm all for grandparents or other family members taking the kids when the parents can't take care of their kids, but the Rep. Hargrove bill isn't going to help anybody.  It's simply going to cut the chord and clog up the system with older kids who they can't get adopted out and can't send home later on down the line after they took the drastic step to terminate the parents rights.

Here's another bill that came up recently in the State of Washington.
Which will not do much for social worker recruitment or job retention in an industry with turnover rates that rivals a fast food joint.  It will harm more kids by making it harder to go home.  Some believe that it will keep kids safe though.  And with so many newly grad's on the job, a chronic lack of experience among new child welfare workers and such added complexity, you gotta stop to wonder how they come up with this stuff, but if you read the last line in the article which claims...
The measure passed the senate unanimously.
Then again you see that word come up.  "UNANIMOUSLY"  And the senator can later on call on his record of helping to protect the states most vulnerable kids as a photo opportunity when he is up for re-election without having to have a clue as to what they're voting for.

Okay, granted this is only one state but check this article from Vermont out...
or this article from Florida...
You see that word pop up again.  And check this out...
When have you ever known the two parties of Congress to come together over anything?  Yet when it involves Child Welfare Legislation the house can pass a bill Unanimously?  Congress can say, "We can all come together!" Not one legislature would call shenanigans?  Not one would question the cost?  Not one would stand up and say that half of these kids never should have ended up in foster care to begin with?  Nobody can say, the root cause of the problem is that they're taking too many kids and therefore forced to lower the standards in order to house them all when they should be helping the families who need and could benefit from counseling, drug treatment, housing assistance, daycare or whatever the problem is?

What is going on here?  How do we address this problem?  Why is nobody offering better solutions?  Why are we not being heard?  Is anybody even contacting their legislators?



No!  You're all sitting there pissing and whining on Facebook and half of you are making the rest of us look like kooks!

I'm sorry but it's true.

Peace, Love and Flowers.

LK



“My wife hurt the baby,” Oklahoma foster mother arrested following death of 2-year-old boy

“My wife hurt the baby,” Oklahoma foster mother arrested following death of 2-year-old boy

An Oklahoma woman is in jail following the death of a toddler in her care.

NC Man Accused of Handcuffing Boy to Porch Rejects Plea Deal

NC Man Accused of Handcuffing Boy to Porch Rejects Plea Deal

The North Carolina man accused of handcuffing and chaining an 11-year-old boy by his ankle to a porch with a dead chicken around his neck as punishment has rejected a plea deal.

Lawmakers To Consider New Bill Being Pushed For Future Missing Children's Cases

Lawmakers To Consider New Bill Being Pushed For Future Missing Children's Cases

An upstate sheriff and two New York legislators are announcing legislation that would force Child Protective Services to quickly turn over records when a child is missing.

Teen In Chemo Fight 'Wants To Be With Her Mother'

Teen In Chemo Fight 'Wants To Be With Her Mother'

Her lawyers say that Cassandra C. has been a powerful advocate for herself throughout her ordeal, first in refusing chemotherapy in the fall and, at a hearing Monday, now cancer-free after several months of court-ordered treatment, in accepting chemotherapy and asking to complete the regimen at home.

A woman who handed back her adopted three-year-old son says: 'I didn't abandon him'

A woman who handed back her adopted three-year-old son says: 'I didn't abandon him'

Nobody thinks, when they adopt a child, that it will last just two years. But that’s exactly what happened to Claire Patterson, who brought an 18-month-old boy home to live with her on Valentine’s Day 2011 – and then made the agonising decision to hand him back in April 2013.

Transgender Teens Struggle In Foster Care

Transgender Teens Struggle In Foster Care

Alex lived with her family in a nice home in an affluent San Antonio suburb, where she had all the comforts and advantages that come with that life. Although she was born male, Alex identifies as a female, a revelation that led to friction with her family and her eventual estrangement from them.


Monday, March 16, 2015

Foster child sexually abused on state’s watch wins $1.3M settlement

Foster child sexually abused on state’s watch wins $1.3M settlement

A former foster child abused in three state-licensed foster homes after Washington child services workers took her from her drug-addicted mother has won a $1.3 million settlement with the state.

The Sickening Child Porn Crisis Infecting U.S. Government Agencies

The Sickening Child Porn Crisis Infecting U.S. Government Agencies

Daniel Rosen, a senior State Department official arrested last month for soliciting sex online with a minor, was reportedly arrested again Sunday night in Washington, D.C., and charged with an earlier crime of voyeurism after police searched his cellphone. And he is only the latest in a long string of government employees to have been accused of crimes against children.

Govt money 'not going' to abuse victims

Govt money 'not going' to abuse victims

While millions of dollars are being spent on bureaucracy, those who survived horrendous abuse in institutions as children are no better off, one survivor says.

Funding boost to move more Victorian children out of residential care


More of Victoria's most vulnerable children will be moved out of residential care and into home-based care, under a funding boost from the State Government.

Leaked report calls for reviews of all child deaths in care

Leaked report calls for reviews of all child deaths in care

High-ranking child welfare officials arbitrarily decide whether to investigate the deaths of children in care, without reasoned guidelines or oversight of any kind, according to an internal report obtained by the Journal.

Racism ‘a factor’ in child removal

Racism ‘a factor’ in child removal

An alarming number of Indigenous children are being taken from their parents.


Senate passes bill to reform DFCS

Senate passes bill to reform DFCS

Changes might soon come to a much maligned Georgia agency.

Young people not supported after they leave care

Young people not supported after they leave care

There are currently two national inquiries into the experiences of children in out-of-home care (OOHC). One is examining how child welfare authorities respond to allegations of sexual abuse in substitute care systems, while the other is broadly analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the OOHC system.


Tearful ‘hot car mom’ expected to plead guilty


Shanesha Taylor’s teary mug shot got worldwide attention. It was taken after she was arrested for leaving her kids in a 100-degree car while she went on a job interview.

Aboriginal children's commissioner reviews 1000 cases in out-of-home care

Aboriginal children's commissioner reviews 1000 cases in out-of-home care

Victoria's commissioner for Aboriginal children is reviewing at least 1000 individual cases of children in out-of-home care amid a steep increase in those living away from their parents.

Teen In Chemo Fight To Testify In Effort To Go Home

Teen In Chemo Fight To Testify In Effort To Go Home

The Windsor Locks teenager who battled the state over chemotherapy treatment will testify at a court hearing Monday in an attempt to convince a judge to lift an order that put her in custody of the state.

Officials in Albany work to change CPS laws involving missing children

Officials in Albany work to change CPS laws involving missing children

Lawmakers are pushing for an update on a bill that would make it easier for law enforcement to access CPS records when investigating missing child cases.

Trial to start for man accused of chaining chicken around boy's neck

Trial to start for man accused of chaining chicken around boy's neck

 The trial of a man accused of chaining a dead chicken around a child's neck starts in Union County on Monday.

Oregon DHS Investigates the Starving of Foster Children

Oregon DHS Investigates the Starving of Foster Children

Last December relatives of foster parents, John and Danielle Yates, were shocked when they saw the frail condition of their two foster children. The children are five years old and four years old. The relatives took the children to the hospital where examiners found they were malnourished and had lost weight in the four years that they were in the care of the Yates family.


Mom With Disabilities and Daughter Reunited After Two-Year Court Battle

Mom With Disabilities and Daughter Reunited After Two-Year Court Battle

Sara Gordon* cuddled her 2-year-old daughter, Dana, on her lap and read her a picture book—nothing they hadn’t done before, but this time it was different. For the first time, Sara knew that Dana would finally be permitted to spend the night at her house. Dana will now be spending every night with her mom and her grandparents, Kim and Sam, with whom Sara lives. After a two-year court battle, Kim and Sam have finally won full custody of Dana.


The Drugging of Children in Foster Care



The Drugging of Children in Foster Care

It's no secret that here in America, foster children are being prescribed psychiatric drugs, especially neuroleptics, as a means of controlling their behavior.  A great deal has been said and written on the matter.  Politicians have declared the practice deplorable.  Children's advocacy groups have expressed concern, and, of course, those of us in the antipsychiatry movement have screamed till we're hoarse.  But the problem persists.

After death of 2-year-old foster child, DHS acknowledges failure in Cherokee County case

After death of 2-year-old foster child, DHS acknowledges failure in Cherokee County case

An Oklahoma Department of Human Services child-welfare supervisor has been demoted for mistakes found after a new foster mom murdered a 2-year-old girl placed in her care.

City: We’re Stemming Flow of Foster-Care Kids Into Homelessness

City: We’re Stemming Flow of Foster-Care Kids Into Homelessness

On the morning of February 9, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his preliminary 2016 budget proposal, which earmarks over $26 million in new funding for New York City's Administration for Children's Services over the next three years.


Sunday, March 15, 2015

Hide the Baby! - Baby LK Report For March 15th 2015

DHS admits mistakes found after foster mom murdered 2 -year-old girl placed in her care

DHS admits mistakes found after foster mom murdered 2 -year-old girl placed in her care

An Oklahoma Department of Human Services child welfare supervisor has been demoted for mistakes found after a new foster mom murdered a 2-year-old girl placed in her care.

4 charged with forging documents to get children into government-subsidized child care

4 charged with forging documents to get children into government-subsidized child care

Four child welfare workers have been charged with forging documents designating children as at-risk in order to obtain government funding for child care.

Cook County demands payment from state for kids left waiting in jail


For the first time ever, Cook County is sending a bill to the State of Illinois for the cost of holding state wards left waiting at the juvenile jail by the Department of Children and Family Services.


Trial set in abuse case with boy found dead chicken around his neck

Trial set in abuse case with boy found dead chicken around his neck

The high-profile trial of a man accused of shackling a child to a porch with a dead chicken tied around his neck starts Monday in Union County Superior Court.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/crime/article14509793.html#storylink=cpy

Child-safety director shakes up agency

Child-safety director shakes up agency

It wasn't a soft landing for Greg McKay when he became director of the state Department of Child Safety last month.


Connecticut Teen Forced to Undergo Chemo: 'I Feel Like a Prisoner'

Connecticut Teen Forced to Undergo Chemo: 'I Feel Like a Prisoner'

She has tried to make the hospital room where she has been held for the last three months as comfortable as possible – hanging pictures of her family, friends and beloved cat, Simba, on the walls and drawing pictures of flowers on the windows.


Former Fremont County foster parent faces sexual assault charges involving kids in his care

Former Fremont County foster parent faces sexual assault charges involving kids in his care

A 66-year-old Lander man has been accused of sexually assaulting two children about seven years ago while he was their foster father.

Maine Couple on ABC’s 20/20 Fighting Child Abuse Charges

Maine Couple on ABC’s 20/20 Fighting Child Abuse Charges

Brandon and Cynthia Ross from Bath have been battling the Maine judicial system since Brandon was accused and charged with child abuse. Their story, first told by Katie Thompson on WMTW last November, was shared this week on ABC’s news magazine, 20/20. See the video below.



Saturday, March 14, 2015

Kinship carers: Overwhelming public backing for improved rights and support for those who take full-time custody of their grandchildren or siblings

Kinship carers: Overwhelming public backing for improved rights and support for those who take full-time custody of their grandchildren or siblings

Grandparents, older siblings and close friends who take on the full-time custody of children should be accorded the same rights and supports as parents who adopt, experts say.

Arkansas Republican who gave girls to rapist used foster daughter illegally in campaign ad

Arkansas Republican who gave girls to rapist used foster daughter illegally in campaign ad

Allegations of wrongdoing continue to pile up against Arkansas Republican state Rep. Justin Harris, who adopted two girls out of the foster system, then “re-homed” them with a man who raped one of them when the girls became too difficult to care for.

Questions unanswered in fmr. Jeffersontown foster parent's death

Questions unanswered in fmr. Jeffersontown foster parent's death

Police are continuing the investigation into the death of a foster parent and Jefferson County Public Schools middle school teacher who was killed Friday at his home in Jeffersontown.

Child sex abuse inquiry: Foster carers' register 'could make situation worse for Aboriginal children'

Child sex abuse inquiry: Foster carers' register 'could make situation worse for Aboriginal children'

Improved checks for a new foster carers register in New South Wales could make things worse for some Aboriginal children, a highly respected veteran of the child welfare sector says.


Republicans defend Arkansas rep who ‘rehomed’ adopted girls with a rapist

Republicans defend Arkansas rep who ‘rehomed’ adopted girls with a rapist

A pair of Arkansas Republicans have stepped up to the plate to defend an embattled state lawmaker accused of “rehoming” his adopted daughters to a rapist, using Facebook to attack the media coverage of their colleague.


Theresa May: Child abuse runs through British society like 'a stick of Blackpool rock'

Theresa May: Child abuse runs through British society like 'a stick of Blackpool rock'

People in Britain do not yet "appreciate the true scale" of child sexual exploitation that runs through society "like a stick of Blackpool rock" Home Secretary Theresa May has warned.


“Safe at Home” Federal Waiver to help West Virginia keep children with families in home communities

“Safe at Home” Federal Waiver to help West Virginia keep children with families in home communities

In October 2014, the Department of Health and Human Resources Bureau for Children and Families (BCF) received a competitive Title IV-E Waiver from the Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau. This waiver will allow BCF to have more flexibility in delivering services through Safe at Home West Virginia, a demonstration project to strengthen and support families by reducing the number of children receiving services in out-of-home care facilities.

Overloaded NSW caseworkers forced to ignore child’s pleas for help due to lack of staff

Overloaded NSW caseworkers forced to ignore child’s pleas for help due to lack of staff

A 10-YEAR-OLD girl living in fear of her alcoholic mother and ice-using partner sobbed down the phone to her overseas relatives for help as overloaded caseworkers put her case to the side for almost two years.

Judge to consider request that mom let CPS see daughter

Judge to consider request that mom let CPS see daughter

The prosecutor’s office is asking a judge to order a former Brighton mother to stop hiding her 1-year-old daughter — the victim in a child abuse conviction against the infant’s father.


Divorced dads plead with lawmakers for more time with their kids

Divorced dads plead with lawmakers for more time with their kids

Divorced fathers made what’s become an annual appeal to state lawmakers Thursday for more than every other weekend with their kids.

'We can keep her': Disabled mom wins daughter back after legal battle


Sara Gordon, a pseudonym for the now 21-year-old mother, had been told by Massachusetts child welfare officials in 2012 that she was unable to care for her daughter because of her disability. While still in the hospital, according to official records, Gordon had missed a night feeding because she couldn’t read the clock and she failed to burp the baby properly.

DHS employees put on leave after foster parents charged with not providing food, medical care

DHS employees put on leave after foster parents charged with not providing food, medical care

Three employees of the Department of Human Service's child welfare program are on paid administrative leave following the arrest of two foster parents on charges they did not provide adequate food or medical care to two young children.






Man allegedly beat, stabbed former foster parent to death

Man allegedly beat, stabbed former foster parent to death

A man accused of beating and stabbing his foster father to death was found by officers with blood on his hands, according to Jeffersontown police. 

Dead man's family outraged they have no legal claim to 7-year-old

Dead man's family outraged they have no legal claim to 7-year-old

An attorney for a 7-year-old girl whose mother is in jail on charges related to the fatal stabbing of her father said the girl will remain in foster care until the court approves placement with a relative.

The Worst Adoption Therapy in the World

The Worst Adoption Therapy in the World

The family in Arkansas that perhaps thought their adopted daughters were possessed were following controversial practices to force adoptees to submit to their new parents’ wills.

Sen. Charles Schwertner introduces two bills to help children in foster care, improve child safety

Sen. Charles Schwertner introduces two bills to help children in foster care, improve child safety

Two bills filed by State Sen. Charles Schwertner on Thursday are aimed at improving the lives of children in foster care and providing new resources to ensure child safety.

The Republican senator filed SB 1406 and 1407, which would allocate more resources to state agencies during foster care investigations and protect foster parents and agencies from punitive damages.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Independent review launched into treatment of foster carers

Independent review launched into treatment of foster carers

An independent review has been launched into historical complaints of alleged unfair treatment of foster carers in Norfolk.


Norfolk County Council: Probe set up into 'wrongly removed' children

Norfolk County Council: Probe set up into 'wrongly removed' children

An independent review has been launched into allegations foster parents have been unfairly treated in Norfolk.

Tacoma woman settles foster abuse case for $1.3 million

Tacoma woman settles foster abuse case for $1.3 million

A Tacoma woman who accused the state of failed to protect her from abuse at three licensed foster homes has settled a lawsuit with the state for $1.3 million.

Prosecutors won’t seek charges against DCS, Damar in teen’s death

Prosecutors won’t seek charges against DCS, Damar in teen’s death

A Department of Child Services employee and two Damar Services workers visited an Indianapolis home six days before a paralyzed young woman died but did not report concerns about her well-being.

Quincy woman charged with kidnapping her 5 children

Quincy woman charged with kidnapping her 5 children

Police arrested a Quincy woman early Friday morning for allegedly kidnapping her five children, officials said.

House Bill 568 would require DNA test for child support

House Bill 568 would require DNA test for child support

Rep. Katie Dempsey said Thursday that requiring DNA testing in new child support cases is a way to end wrongful paternity claims prior to legal action.

Woman allegedly tried to kidnap baby from Oregon hospital

Woman allegedly tried to kidnap baby from Oregon hospital

March 09--Medford police have arrested a Jackson County woman who they say falsely represented herself as a child welfare worker in an attempt to kidnap a child last week.


Kidnapping and child-abuse convictions upheld in Rilya Wilson case

Kidnapping and child-abuse convictions upheld in Rilya Wilson case


In a case that shook Florida's child-welfare system, an appeals court Wednesday upheld kidnapping and child-abuse convictions of a caregiver for 4-year-old Rilya Wilson, who disappeared in 2000 in Miami.

Guess what

It Could Happen To You