Dear President Obama, I have written you and your wife, several times concerning my Grandchild in Washington State living with her caregiver’s, Laura Anderson and her Boyfriend Tommy. Shayna’s Mother Jennifer and my son her Father, Jarel have failed to follow reunification plans set by Children Services in Washington State. Shayna has been with her caregivers for almost two years, costing the tax payers of Washington State, over $100,000 in that 2 year time frame, not to include W.I.C., medical and court, while with suitable placement, a shame! I told Washington, Children Services, the very beginning of Shayna’s placement in September 2008, to please place my grandchild with my wife, Sharon and I in Ohio, at no cost to the State. Chrissie Wright, caseworker and Supervisor Kim Gabbard, at first told us Ohio was too far, now the State is moving to terminate parental rights, using the same old tactic, bonding with placement routine. The suitable placement Laura Anderson and her boy friend has expressed their wishes to adopt Shayna, Washington State paid attorney’s, are fighting for Laura Anderson and her boyfriend Tommy, to make that happen. Sir, how is it that, State paid attorney’s, at the tax payer’s expense is representing these caregivers? I wrote Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington State, she refused and said, “Unfortunately, as a United States Senator, this is out of my jurisdiction because it does not fall under the authority of the Federal Government.” I asked Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio for help, he refused saying, “We have thoroughly reviewed your correspondence, and unfortunately we know of no action that can be taken by a United States Senator with this matter.” Senator Patty Murray of Washington State and Senator George Voinovich of Ohio, stated they would look into this matter. I wrote Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio and his wife several times also, in the last 23 months requesting help, he stated “Unfortunately, the concerns you expressed have to do with issues that are outside the jurisdiction of the Ohio Department of Job and Family services“. Sir, I know Governor Strickland could help, he has the power to take a murderers off death roll, pardon inmates, then he has the power to free my grandchild out of Washington State, if he cared. Governor Strickland has let me down as a voter. I expected Change, but all I feel is, I’m getting’ change. Mr. Obama, your Mike Kelleher, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence wrote, “We received your request for President Obama’s support on an issue that is important to you. All concerns related to local or state legislation or regulation should be addressed by agencies and elected officials at the appropriate levels of government.” Sir, I call this, the Run Around. As you can see, I have written elected officials. When politicians say, they want to help the American People, I feel, that means only the, rich and famous. Mr. Obama, I have heard your story about your Grandmother raising you up. I respect her for that, she did a fine job. Sir, what about my grandchild’s story, “ raised by suitable placement, Laura Anderson and her boyfriend. “ Not getting to know her family, that’s Not Right! A child has the right to be with appropriate family when available. My wife Sharon and I are State approved foster parents and have an approved adoption home study, forwarded to Washington State. Laura Anderson stated, “she fells like family in court,” she’s a paid caregiver, not family. Anderson and her boyfriend have completed an adoption home study, their not supportive of reunification like my spouse and I, but back stabbing, plotting to steal Shayna from family, that‘s not family! After I drink two Cherry Coke’s, I feel like Superman, but I’m not. Sir, put yourself in Shayna’s place, how you like it, if you were raised by a boyfriend, girlfriend suitable placement? What if they break up, or something happens to one or the other? What about Shayna? not giving your grandmother a chance, the results wouldn’t have been the same. We want a chance to raise our granddaughter, just like your grandparent did for you. I have never asked anything for my Services to this Country, I felt proud to have served, but now. I’m calling it. I want my adopt granddaughter for payment my years of Services to this Country, I mean it! Shayna has a right to be with appropriate family. Please contact Washington State. In the name of Jesus, please help!!!

Max Lawson of Ohio
Grandfather,
United States Armed Forces, Retired

But that scenario is not likely to happen.
A problem is left for so long and all the original people involved are old and nobody wants (or can) do anything to them.
Basically, money was misspent. Money was lost. Money was stolen. It should be returned.

In response to your post, I was also falsely accused by two teenage step daughters of all sorts of things. Fern is absolutely correct that teenagers in particular, know how to use the system. These two girls both had made sexual accusations against two different male teachers. One made an allegation against me, 3 years ago which was dismissed in about 30 minutes because of the impossibility of it. My therapist (suggested by DSS) told me if I let her back in the house, she would do it again.

I was a single Dad with 3 kids whose mother, bless her heart, gave in to a long battle with crack addiction. The step daughter’s Dad really did not want to deal with all their “emotional; baggage”, their mother left town.

DSS gave me kinship care and for 15 months, I was a hero.

Then fueled by anger, pain, greed, these two girls concocted a scheme to get out of the house and live where they thought they wanted to be. One of them moved in with her boyfriend’s parents, and yes, she DID get what she wanted. The other is in her 5th horrible group home and was recently jailed at 16 for assualt and battery.

They knew the chances of making allegations that I abused THEM were likley not to be believed, so they cooked up a story that I abused my 12 year old son. He denied it instantly and continues to because it never happened. These girls were sharp, manipulative, and just credible enough to get away with it, *almost* .
They didn’t even tell DSS directly, but approached another family member and convinced him that a “friend” of my 12 year olds told them that the 12 year old “confided” to him that “I touched his penis”.

That was all it took. The family member who fell for it has recanted, signed a sworn affadavit. he has also gone on record that the case worker called him after the “investigastion” and said my child denied it, and “was there anything else he could come up with against me?”

A criminal investigation which lasted 4 harrowing months spanning 25 years of my life, involving interviews of 17 persons, 133 pages of interview notes, 33 pages of Police reports resulted in not one single charge being brought against me.

CPS did not stop there. They hired the Top Guin in the state in forensic psychology conerning child sexual abuse. She came to fame during the Little Rascal’s Day Care case of the 90′s. You may have heard of it.

Another grueling, invasive “investigation” lasting 3 more months during which most of my family members and even THEIR children were interviewed. Psychiatric reports alleging that one of the step daughters was having “recovered memeories” od MORE abuse I had done to her. In essence, some of the worst pseudo science around was employed. This Top Gun teaches District Attorneys and Police Depts on how to interview suspected victims of sexual abuse. her very presence on a case usually means certain conviction. I found out her ONLY clients are CPS agencies. She is paid to produce results.

9 months into this, DSS issues 27 subpoenas of either persons, members of the medical profession, or medical records to use against me in Court. My lawyer says even John Gotti never had that many. The DSS attorney tells the Judge to “clear a space in the calendar for about 3 full days”.

Meanwhnile my innocent 12 year old is living in an illegal foster home with a convicted felon. I can see him one hour a week in a room with two way mirros, cameras in the corners and a scoail worker scribbling away furiously at every word I say. I see him die a little each day. I know he wants to tell me, but we “are not allowqed” to talk about the case or his foster setting

Finally, one day during a visit he breaks. Told everythng these horrible people were saying to him, how he was treated, the things he endured. Right in front of the case worker. She flips! He begs her not to “say anything” to these people until he is GONE. She gives her word she will not and promises to place him with a “nice family”

Two months later, he is still there. I finally convince my (ex attorney got a new one now) to DO something, but only after I had started making phone calls andwriting letters. He gets my child moved in with his older brother. Judge never knew the child was even in foster care. He exlpodes from, the bench. CPS had been falsifying their paperwork to show he “was living with relatives”. I still have my copy.Judge orders him removed and “out by 3 p.m. today”

2 days before the Big Trail. DSS drops all charges alleging sexual abuse. No trial. No three ring circus.
I had to be guilty of something after all this, so I pretty much got to choose what I admitted to. I gave in.
I want my son back in his own home and his own bed.

I finally get to talk to him when I want. We are in family thepray together, and this therapist is no fool. He sees what has really happened and the reports he writes dont make DSS very happy. He is coming home!!!!!!

Dont know when, but my new lawyer is not joke. I did research, homework on him and his appeals. Contacted him, explained what was going on. He goes to the Judge and somehow, gets himself appointed as my attorney. This sint supposed to happen, but I am glad it did.

So there. Ann. I too was “advised” to admit. I was interrogated by a Detective in a room with only two chairs and a card table, just like on TV. Five hours. No good cop bad cop, just ONE guy who turned out to be honest. I am not syaing he was on my side, but I can say he helped me write a statement and the DA took this guy’s observations and declined to prosecuie.

In the end, I could not contiune to hold up under the relentless pressure, CPS has unlimited money. They have their own psycholgists. They have the best attorneys. They dont really mind if an innocnet child suffers in foster care. They win. They will hold your family hostage until you break.

It never was about the truth. It wasn’t even about the best intersts of the children. In the end, they sold my step daughter out. She will age out of the system in two more years. Shye lives in a 24 hour monitored facility and has no provacy, almost no privelges. She has changed schools 3 times. No one visits her except her sister. In very many ways, she is a vicitm of CPS as much as I was.

I know “hatred” is a strong word. But I have found myself thinking a lot of things I nver believed I was capable of. I truly hate these people. not the ones who try. I have even met some of them. it is the power hungry, the blionded by some false inner belief ones I hate. The destroyers, who always live another day, for another chance to decimate yet another family. Only God knows why.

Anyone who is a parent knows that there are children and TEENS who use CPS as a weapon.

I have known a number of parents in such a predicament.

If the children are *emotionally disturbed* that testimony should have been elicited in Court.

I think many folk are suspicious of CPS.

What a sad, horrible story.

Believe me, this all started after 1974.

CAPTA should be totally revamped.

So sorry for your family. All of them.

Her name is Judith Leekin.

Airing 8PM, EST.

Don’t know at what hour it airs in your time zones.

Very informative.

Again, very similar to the NJ debacle.

Had not the neighbor called police when the young man rattled his trashcan lids, DYFS would have never found out, although their *caseworkers* had visited the home 38 times.

Police finally came.

None of the boys stood over 4 feet tall and none weighed over 55 pounds.

They gained poundage and height after being liberated from DYFS.

Supervisors were charged, but it never went anywhere.

DYFS another stunning * investigation* on your part.

Mom was sentenced. Fost/Adopt Dad died before trial.

It did finally spur some change in NJ.

An ombudsman was appointed with some real power.

Oh….and DYFS changed its name to DCF.

http://waysandmeans.house.gov/hearings.asp?formmode=all&comm=2

Old-timers might remember the 04 hearings where California was rightfully incensed. And where many folks did go to Washington, DC and testify and we heard.

I believe a Calif. Congressperson was helpful in this regard.

Because of you and others, we do have some attention from legislators.

Linda this link deserves to be a Headline story for you, b/c it shows what the computer pioneers have achieved.

Foster care is a DISASTER. By and large.

ASFA, by extension, is a disaster.

BTW, I have been following this story and the woman collected 2M in subsidies.

She moved down from New York to a more lenient FL.

The FL press has done a few stories on this. But this is fraud, pure and simple.

Linda, how about an RSS section where we can submit short tips about practical advice re: CPS.

Thanks. F. ( Not a Web guru )