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| The CP$ Nightmare |
My boys were taken by a sheriff and turned over to CPS on December 3, 1999 due to my absence from the home when they got home from school that day. (A neighbor called them) I was stranded in Atlanta at the time and was just not able to get home to them at the required time. Any ways upon finally getting home I am told that the sheriff took my babies and I immediately tried to locate the address, directions, and phone number to the sheriff's department. I wasn't thinking clearly so just calling 911 and reporting the children missing didn't occur to me. I did call 911 but I only inquired about the phone number to the sheriff's department. 3 times I called information and 911 trying to get the number and all 3 times I was given the wrong number. I broke down into hysterics at my inability to locate the very place that had my babies. (Ages 11 and 7 years at the time.)
Well I had my boyfriend there at home with me and my best friend's husband was called over to the house by my boyfriend (Best friend arrived later when she got home from work) I was totally freaking and the 2 guys left me and my then 3 year old daughter at the house and went to locate the sheriff's office. While they were gone the sheriff arrived back at my home. I walked outside to meet him and inquired something about my babies and we went inside, he wanted to talk to me. ( I had very little knowledge of law and still don't know enough) He was literally floored when my daughter walked into the living room crying for her brothers. He asked questions but I was in no shape at all to give any sort of answer. I rambled making no sense at all. He told me to gather up my daughter and we would go to where my boys were. I did so almost in relief, I thought he was there to help me and to return my boys to me. That was what he led me to believe. He called ahead to the station on the radio and they told him my boyfriend and friend's husband was there and he instructed them to keep them there as we were on our way.
Well once there I met a Social Worker who asked a couple of questions then proceeded to take my daughter out of my arms and informed me they were taking my kids with the sheriff standing there. I was immediately told by the sheriff before I could even object to the SW's actions that I was under arrest for 2 counts of Cruelty to Children and he took me downstairs to do the paperwork. No rights read to me although he was kind enough to sit down and give me the law defining cruelty to a child.
December 6, 1999 I was informed by SW to appear in the judge's office for an "informal hearing". Well we went. The judge had the father of the boys there and asked him if he would be willing to take the boys until this matter was resolved. Father said yes he would. The judge then turned to SW and asked her some questions regarding the kids current placement and how that came to be. I have no idea what she said as I was in hysterics again. Judge told me point blank that I needed a lawyer to be present and not to speak as felony charges were pending against me and read me my Rights at that time. He also asked if I wanted a court appointed lawyer and I told him yes. He turned my boys over to their father and stated my daughter was to remain in foster placement. (Her father is not the father of the boys)
Destroyed me again. I couldn't take anymore and had to leave the room. I was so bad my family thought they would have to hospitalize me to calm me.
The father and his mother were distraught that I was so bad off at that point but very happy to be getting the boys.
December 13,1999 I was finally able to see my little girl again and it was all I could do to keep from crying. Was told by SW that she was a foster parent and did this sort of work as a second job and there were forms that needed to be filled out. Stuff regarding the kids eating habits, sleeping habits, what they liked, what they didn't like, medical history, that sort of stuff. She then asked me if I wanted my children back. I told her OF COURSE I DO! She then asked if my home was messy (HER report said it was messy and unsanitary, police report makes no indication of that) I told her my home was clean. She asked if she could come to my home as soon as my visit with my daughter was over. I said yes she could. My best friend and I were both present at the visit and all 3 of us went to my home together. The SW brought a camera to capture the "filth" she had already claimed was there. She never took the first picture. The house WAS clean. She told me that I had to appear in court again the very next day and left.
December 14,1999 I went to court. Appears to be an open court as everyone is sitting in court through all. My case came up and the judge asked if all parties were there. My court appointed lawyer stated that I was present and the lawyer for CPS stated that all their parties were there. The judge then proceeded to tell me once again that I should remain silent due to the felony charges still pending against me. The judge then turned to the CPS lawyer and asked what the department recommendations were. CPS recommended that my daughter be returned to me with full legal custody intact but that physical custody of my boys remain with their father while the state held temporary legal custody. The judge agreed to this and I was floored! We left the court and I was able to pick my daughter up from CPS office late that afternoon. I was crushed over the judge's ruling on my boys though.
February 22, 2000 was my first scheduled court appearance on the felony charges and found this out through much run around on the phone calling everyone to find out when I was supposed to go. My best friend and I went to the courthouse and inquired about where I was to go in the building for this initial hearing. The clerk checked the calendar then checked her computer and returned to me to say the charges had been dropped on February 11, 2000 and gave my 2 pieces of paper from the file. It was the warrants that had been issued and filed on December 21, 1999.
April 13, 2000 was the date of the First Placement/Best Placement meeting. The SW, her supervisor, the assessor, and the psychiatrist who did out psychiatric evaluations, the father of my boys, and my brother were all present until time for the meeting to start. At that time the psychiatrist excused himself and left. I had not seen my boys since New Years Eve 1999 and that was my very first question. The SW announced to all I had no right to see them but was quickly corrected by the supervisor. They exchanged words, I threw in a few of my own, and I had the last word which was to bring in the judge and let me hear them tell HIM that! Well overall the meeting was awful. They wouldn't tell me much other than they were removing the boys from their father's home.
April 14, 2000 the boys were removed from their father's home because he spanked them which is something you can not do if the children are in custody of the state. I said spank now, not beat. No marks, no signs of abuse at all. The children were transported at this time to separate state run group homes.
June 13, 2000 I was finally able to get a schedule of visitation and began seeing the kids every second and fourth Wednesday beginning with an emergency visit June 14, 2000. 6 months of fighting to see me kids I was finally able to hold them in my arms and kiss their foreheads and cheeks.
June 14, 2000 we saw the boys today. FINALLY!
June 28, 2000 we saw our youngest son today. The oldest is in on vacation. We do not know where other than to say the beach as that is all we were told.
July 12, 2000 we saw the youngest son again but once more the oldest was absent. Was told he was at camp and didn't want to miss it.
July 26, 2000 the father and I are having a visit with the boys and are told that the supervisor had quit. We had been dealing with her and her alone since the April 13 meeting. At some point in the game the SW who took the kids to begin with had also quit so now we had lots of questions about our cases. My oldest child had not been present at the previous 2 visits. He had been at camp during one of those visit times and in Florida during the following visit we were told. We had expected to be notified of such things but so far they have told us little more than a pack of lies so this is no surprise. The new SW has decided to ask us to move our visit days up a day to second and fourth Tuesdays and we agreed.
August 8, 2000 I find I will be the only parent at the visit with the boys because WE were served to be on court the very next day. Only problem was that I was never served and this was news to me. I found out the nature of the court appearance, to get court permission for the boys to spend every weekend at their paternal grandmother's house, and that in December the SW plans to give custody of my boys to their dad. Needless to say I am devastated. I have never been away from my kids till now and this is just too much. The boys grandmother shows for this visit with 2 cousins of the boys. We enjoy the time together as always.
August 9, 2000 I went to court as scheduled, the court granted permission. The father's visitation was addressed in court but I was never mentioned in any way.
August 11-13, 2000 The boys have made it safely to the first visit with grandma. I called to talk to them on the 12 but allowed the rest of the father's family this first weekend as they have not seen the kids in 4 long months. I will definitely be seeing them next Saturday though as that is the only day I can get in to see them.
Now all the while these events have been taking place I have written numerous e-mails to the governor of the state and the director of DHR. I do not understand all of these events as they have unfolded and I want someone, anyone, to step up and help me. I have called and talked to the media, countless lawyers, written the Rutherford Institute and the ACLU all with no success. I have copies of the police report, the 2 case plans, the first placement/best placement, and all the files they would give me from the courthouse. The lies had mounted so much I no longer believe what they tell me unless it's bad news. The discrepancies in the paperwork I have don't add up. My youngest has been a mental hospital for a week and placed on Zoloft, Resperdal, Ritalin, and an antibiotic. The antibiotic is for an infection in the root of a baby tooth that got knocked out somehow. So far in the care of the state he has lost that baby tooth damaging the root severely and broken 3 permanent teeth, also he has injured his arm and they never took him to the doctor for that although it was badly bruised, swollen and he couldn't straighten it. Never have they sought to notify us, the parents, of anything they intended to do as far as medical nor sought consent from us. They never sought to notify or gain consent to allow my oldest to leave the state either.