Published May 19, 2012If you haven’t check out our facebook at the following url if you need help with anything or if you want to learn more about the situation with cps: https://www.facebook.com/groups/328325713866/
Nationwide Protest Against CPS/DCS etc.
Published May 19, 2012Check out the nationwide protest at https://www.facebook.com/groups/169948093071681/. Darton is having a second one this year.
Rare Disease Mimics Child Abuse and Tears Family Apart
Published April 5, 2012William “Dave” O’Shell, distraught over charges of child abuse that were being leveled against him, snapped on June 30, 2008, killing his wife, Tiffany O’Shell, in their Henderson, Colo., home before taking his own life.
Just a few weeks earlier, their green-eyed, 3-month-old daughter, Alyssa, had been placed in a foster home because x-rays revealed 11 broken bones and doctors assumed that she had been beaten.
But they were wrong.
On the same day as the murder-suicide, a doctor at Colorado Children’s Hospital suspected something else and was later proved right: Alyssa had a rare genetic disorder that caused her bones to fracture — one that authorities had confused for abuse.
Alyssa died of spinal muscular atrophy on Oct. 28, 2008, but the tragedy has rippled through a family and an aggressive social services system that is meant to protect children.
Now, four years later after all lawsuits have been unsuccessful, Alyssa’s maternal grandparents are saying the tragedy could have been averted.
“We were looking for action. We could care less about the money,” said Paul Cuin, Tiffany O’Shell’s adoptive father. “We wanted someone to sit up and say, ‘This is wrong and we need to change things.’”
Cuin said there were no avenues for the O’Shells, both respected police officers, to plead their innocence.
Michigan Father Killed in Marijuana Child Removal Incident
Published March 25, 2012A prosecutor in northern Michigan has cleared the police officer who shot and killed a Grayling man as police and Child Protective Services (CPS) employees attempted to seize his three-year-old. The attempted removal of the minor child came after a police officer who came to the scene on a call earlier that same day reported that he smelled marijuana and reported the incident to CPS authorities, who decided the child needed to be removed. The dead man, William Reddie, 32, becomes the 17th person killed in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year.
Editor’s Note: This case illustrates the difficulties that arise in determining which deaths qualify as being a direct result of drug law enforcement. Police here were enforcing child protections laws, not drug laws, but the only reason CPS was called in was because of the allegation of marijuana use. There was no allegation of crazed behavior due to marijuana use; only the allegation of use. For Michigan CPS authorities, that was enough to remove the child. Bottom line: This guy died because the state tried to take his kid because he was accused of smoking pot, so he merits inclusion. That doesn’t mean his own actions didn’t contribute to his death.
Reddie’s killing took place on February 3, but we only became aware of it when news broke this week that prosecutors had decided that the police officer’s use of deadly force in the incident was justified.
According to the Crawford County Avalanche, Grayling police Officer Alan Somero was called to Reddie’s apartment for an alleged domestic disturbance. Somero made no arrests, but believed he smelled marijuana and reported it to CPS. Two CPS employees went to Reddie’s apartment to check on the situation. They then got a court order to remove Reddie’s 3-year-old son, Cameron, and asked police to escort them to the apartment to serve the court order.
The Gaylord Herald-Times, which obtained the CPS removal order, added more detail. It reported that Reddie had been accused of smoking marijuana in front of his son, and that Reddie had become “agitated” and threatened police when confronted by that accusation earlier in the day.
Read More: http://cannabis.hawaiinewsdaily.com/2012/03/24/michigan-father-killed-in-marijuana-child-removal-incident/
Changes could be coming to Child Protective Services
Published March 19, 2012Families dealing with child neglect and abuse often go through lengthy and emotional struggles when dealing with Child Protective Services.
But, the question remains: Should CPS be able to take children away at their own discretion, without a court order?
Changes could be coming as a review of CPS practices is underway.
Police have to get a warrant if they want to search your house. Detectives have to get a court order to seize your property. But, in Kern County, Child Protective Services does not seek court orders or warrants when removing children from their parents.
It can be a tough line to walk. In one case, a child was taken from their parents and a later investigation found no abuse. That sparked a lawsuit against the county.
On the flip side, there was another recent case where CPS didn’t act on a report of abuse and the child was subsequently killed.
“The problem I have with CPS is, frequently they overstate their power and authority.” said Bill Slocumb, a local attorney.
And, many people have no clue what is and isn’t allowed when they have to deal with CPS, so parents just go along with what social workers say, trying to save their families.
But, there could be changes in how CPS operates.
“The whole idea of reviewing our current procedures and policies is to determine whether we do need to make any changes, and that’s what’s going on right now. And, in following that review, if we determine we need to make changes, different forms or different processes, then that would be put into place,” said Mark Nations, Deputy Kern County Counsel.
If CPS social workers get a report of abuse, they must act on it and investigate. One of their worst fears is leaving a child in an abusive situation.
“Social workers are very concerned about that type of situation, where you leave a child in the home and something worse happens down the road. And, that is one of the issues we are addressing as we review these policies,” added Nations.
Source: http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Changes-could-be-coming-to-Child-Protective/8G-kkji1oUuUV01-UppUBg.cspx
