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Quid Pro Quo on the Homefront

I was recently made aware of an argument that had taken place between a Mother and her teenage son, six weeks ago or so, at their family home. The heated exchange was regarding the young man’s cellphone. Seems familiar to those of us who have young teens that consider their cellphones their everything, right? 

We’ve all threatened to remove that privilege as a parent, if our child doesn’t straighten up and fly right, right? If you bring your grades up, you’ll get your phone back, when you start being nicer to your little brother, you’ll get your phone back, you’ll get your phone back when you start helping out around the house. I believe I can say, with a high degree of “parent with a teen” certainty, that the reaction to this, “quid pro quo” if you will, is dramatic, and, one would think, life ending. 

Well, the following tells how this exact scenario went from a family situation to a system situation, faster than you could say “system situation”.

Their voices got louder, and emotions ran high, and the son’s anxiety level became more intense, as the possibility that his cellphone privileges may be revoked became real. He made the decision to start recording his Mother(s) discipline, and then proceeded to call CPS, and make a report that his Mother was abusing him. They were emotional decisions that he now deeply regrets, in more ways than one. 

Upon CPS’s arrival, and their watching of the recording the son had made of his Mother loudly attempting to discipline him, as well as seeing another child on the recording that was sitting on the couch, doing what appeared to be her school work, he came to the conclusion that not only was the Mother using an aggressive tone towards her son, she was neglecting her daughter who was sitting on the couch studying. He ordered the children to be removed from the home, and they were placed in foster care, for three days. After the three days, it was ordered that the children be placed back in the home with their Father, and a no contact order was placed on their Mother. She could not be in her home with her children, and was not allowed to contact them at all. For the following 30 days she stayed in a motel, alone, astonished and heartbroken. 

A Mother who’s life is her children, and who is there for them and involved with them, each and every day of their lives, and who loves every second of being a Mom.

In the meantime, the son recants his story, claiming he was just mad and had fabricated it and how he only recorded his Mother and neglected to capture and tell the whole story. The accusations made by the son, were eventually ruled to be unfounded, and his Mother’s record was wiped clean. However, his Mother, still staying in the motel, was waiting for word to come that she could return home. That word never came, and it was nearing 30 days that she had been out of her home.

Her daughter’s Birthday was coming up, and it just so happened to be on the same day as her soccer game. Mom had never missed her Birthday, or a soccer game, and she wasn’t going to start missing them now. Mother and Father attended the game together, waving and blowing kisses from a distance while cheering on their daughter and the team. It was rejuvenating for everyone, as well as completely harmless. 

Due to the watchful eye of someone there, a call was made to authorities to report that the Mother and Father were at the game. CPS ordered her held in violation of the no contact order, and the Father was charged with bringing the “Abuser” to the game with the children in attendance. It was then, that CPS ordered that the children be removed from the family home, with no contact allowed by either parent. The children were placed into foster care, and would remain there for 37 days.

Thirty seven days? For what? For violating a no contact order that had been placed on this Mother prior to accusations being declared unfounded? For violating a no contact order that was actually no longer a valid or needed order on the day of the soccer game, due to all accusations by this time, already declared unfounded and wiped clean from her record? 

Which seems to me would no longer be an enforceable violation. CPS still attempting, and succeeding, at enforcing this order, when all was dropped? How can this be? It couldn’t possibly be due to their negligence at not informing those that needed to be informed that the no contact order was no longer active, could it? 

Let’s say, for the sake of discussion, when a person is accused of, let’s say, murder. They are “ordered” to be held in jail pending further investigation. Then a couple days into the Investigation, all accusations are found to be untrue and all is dropped, and the once-accused is cleared of any wrong doing, and is released.

The once-accused does not remain under the court’s control, as one being released on probation or parole is. They are released, and free and clear of any and all of the accusations that were in question, and it is stricken from the record. They can’t be picked up for violating the “order” to be held in jail, when they had been cleared of everything that had been the reason for ordering them held in jail in the first place. Follow me? 

My point is: Why is it that CPS is not held to the same standard, or not equipped with a working “moral compass”? Why is It that they are allowed to continue holding this Mother accountable for accusations she was cleared of?

Why is the Mother held in violation of a no contact order that was placed upon her when the accusations had yet to be cleared? Since all accusations were determined unfounded, and all was wiped clean from the record, no “legal” reason for a no contact order necessary, let alone issuing a violation of one when there was no longer one In place, or shouldn’t have been. Hmmmm?

Why is she not allowed to go home and get her children back?

Well, apparently, through the eyes of CPS, and CPS only, non-existent claims are still enforceable infractions, in their book. They will ride it out as long as they possibly can. Why? For what reason?

The recanting of the initial claim, the record wiped clean, free and clear of any wrongdoings, yet the no contact order is still in place and still enforceable? Why are the children not back with their Mother and Father in the family home? No harm, no foul, It seems to me. Why are the parents only given one hour per week with their children? Why is it that CPS so “quickly” removed the children without doing a more in depth investigation at the time the original reported accusations were made? Yet CPS is taking their “slow sweet time” in reuniting the children with their Mother after all has been unfounded and wiped clean?

Why would CPS send a rookie case worker out on a case by himself and allow him to make a decision on his own of this magnitude? Or is this nothing out of the ordinary for CPS? Is this because CPS has lost sight of their mission, to keep the “best interest of the children” their goal at all times? Or has this never been their goal, just words that they needed to include in their “Mission Statement” when applying for grants or requesting funding of any kind? Or, is it the number of cases you acquire for the department, within each reporting period, that has your best interest? Increased caseloads, increased funding?

The children are devastated by what has, is, and will be upon them. The most devastated child, their youngest, their baby boy, is not only a victim of this nightmare, but is terminally ill, with a rare form of cancer that he puts up a fight with each and every day. He wants and needs his Mother desperately . She has been his everything his whole life, but most importantly since being diagnosed. Children always need their Mother, but not as much as they do when they are sick. A terminal illness at 8 years old must seem even more scary without your Mother there with you, as she’s always been. He longs for her and her loving hugs, and misses his own bed terribly. The foster home he is in drops off and picks up the children at schools, at different times, while having to be respectful of their own schedules. This leaves the youngest having to sleep in the car for 3 - 4 hours on any given day, as they wait for the other children to get out of school. Really? Is this what should be happening when it doesn’t need to be this way? Should any child, let alone one that is terminally ill, have to experience this, when it doesn’t need to be this way? One that is separated from his Mother and Father, when it doesn’t need to be this way? This is what you consider Is in the“best interest of the child?” Really? I would have to say that it appears as If CPS has “no Interest in this child”.

The other two children, one an honor roll student, with her eye on medical school, just received her first D. The other child, who’s always gotten A’s and B’s, has dropped to all D’s . This is not due to the fact that their IQ levels have suddenly plummeted . This has everything to do with the stress and anxiety placed upon them since being in this “system”. There Is no “legal” reason, or moral reason for that matter, to keep them separated from their Mother and Father, yet CPS continues to keep them separated, with no obvious care and concern for the “best interest of the children”. 

I believe CPS has failed tremendously with their handling, or I should say, mishandling, of this case. They appear to be inadequate, incapable, and unable to handle this department properly and legally. I also believe that they are influenced greatly from outside the department. They will obviously go to any lengths to make themselves appear as if they’re taking care of business, and keeping “the best interest of the children” their main priority, when it’s blatantly obvious in this case, that both of these couldn’t be further from the truth.

No contact still with the children, after nearly 70 days, except for one hour per week? Really? Is this how the system takes hold of children and keeps them separated from their parents without just cause, and gets away with it? Is it in the “ “best interest of the child” that this terminally ill little boy is separated from his Mother, at a time when he needs her most? A time when his illness limits the time he will have with his Mother, and family at all? Really? I don’t see it. And quite frankly, there isn’t an explanation that could or would convince me otherwise. 

Not only has this been devastating within the family, on many levels, It has caused much distane within the community towards the parents, as well as between each other’s children. The parents are active in Class A Soccer with their daughter, which has created many good relationships with the other parents. The professional people in the community, Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, Police Officers, Dentists, etc. They travel to out of town games and attend gatherings throughout the year as well. They have always maintained a good standing in the community and been well liked and respected by others. Since this unfortunate situation has been upon them, the camaraderie is distant, if at all. It has caused much undue hardship upon them, and severed many relationships due to the unfounded accusations being pinned on them. It’s been more disheartening to them than they can express. 

Their family may be fighting this fight, but the real fighter in the family is their baby boy. The terminal cancer that he deals with each and every day is the fight that is more important to fight than anything. He desperately needs his Mother, his everything. He needs her love and hugs and her way of making everything alright. He went from being a busy little boy that attended fund raisers that were held for him, he was honored at center court at an NBA game, community dinners were held for him, etc. etc. Done so because people truly cared and loved this little boy and his family. They were lights in his life when things at times seemed so dim. He felt their love and care for him, and they brought joy to him and big smiles to his face. He went from feeling this abundance of love from everyone, most importantly the love, hugs, nurturing and security of his Mother every day and night, he went from all that, to a place “where he never gets hugged” and where he feels no one cares. I can only imagine the sadness this little boy deals with every day and the loneliness that must be so overwhelming to him, especially at night. 

And this is ok how? And after 70 days, their has not been anything done to correct it? No reuniting of this Mother with her terminally ill child? How Is this happening? Where Is the compassion and understanding by those that keep “ the best interest of the child” their number one priority? Or is this little boy, that is stuck In a situation, without a voice, completely accurate when he says he feels no one cares? 

This is not acceptable, and not how caring, compassionate and loving individuals treat anyone, let alone those that have no voice and are our most precious commodity…our children. Taking it a step further, a terminally ill 8 year old little boy, that’s Innocently caught up in a system that has no concern for his need to be in the loving arms of the person that he knows cares, and that makes him feel the best, his Mother.

The difference between the “CPS system” and a strong and loving family “system,” is a loving family will never lose sight of their mission, to keep “the best interest of the child(ren)” their number one priority, and they mean it.

Update: The children are scheduled to be placed back in the family home on February 24th — without their Mother.

23 Comments

  1. Lisa Taylor February 12, 2020

    CPS. Child Protective Services. This agency is the most damaging, power hungry, ineffective, unchecked, lying agency that has ever been created in the US. They get children killed across the country every day leaving parents powerless to save their children. They are the single most dangerous predator to the welfare of this country’s children. I worked for social services and found out working there that they don’t give a rats ass about our children. They could care less if the report from an angry child is bull shit. They get high and are addicted to the power and the chaos they create in families. They obviously have no power in their own lives and so they not so self righteously destroy our most defenseless population. This agency is at the root of this country’s slow demise. THEY create criminals and psychopaths out of our children. That is if our children survive going thru the system. There are children that do need intervention that they ignore. This agency is out of control. They are not held accountable for their fuck ups when sometimes they are more abusive to the children than the parents. They do irreparable psychological damage over stupid shit like this. Who do they think they are? They think they are GOD. WHY? Because they are more untouchable and have more power than the IRS. passing the buck and dropping the ball are all in a days work for them. Then they deny any responsibility for anything that may happen to our children. If I knew how to create change to have this dangerous agency dismantled and abolished I would be out there doing it right now. I never had to deal with these evil people when my kids were growing up because the one time my son threatened to call them I put fear for all of our lives in them. And I was going to really abuse him to the point of a bloody mess and go to jail. And that was an arguement about doing chores. Something needs to be done about this agency. How do we bring about the change that needs to take place to save the children from the false saviors? Let’s get it done.

  2. N February 12, 2020

    Wow your comment is humbling and very descriptive with truth! Thank you so very much AVA and to this person whom wrote the article as well as this amazing person who left thier comment..this is more serious then others in our county and community know and if only 3 families would speak out we could make some serious eyes open past county courts onto the state. Thank u to all for this

  3. Friend of the family February 12, 2020

    I know this family and I seen them on a daily basis almost! There’s absolutely no damn reason for this! This family loves those kids and mom has been the most amazing supportive person for those kids! Grades slipping? Those kids are in sports daily!! Because someone thought to pull the kids out of the care of the loving parents!! Because of a heated argument which was unfounded!!! Crock of shit!!! I am really heartbroken for this family and hope and pray they are all reunited!!! Mendocino County Child Protection Services are morally inept!!!

    • T February 12, 2020

      You are a clown for actually believing what my mother and this man said

      • N February 12, 2020

        Whom is ur mother or this man? If this is the older daughter i think that you have not been around this damkky atnall nor where u anywhere near the situatuon due to ur own unhealthy life style and choices so until u have facts please mind ur oen unless this is one of the malicious sports parents what man or mother are u referring to please

  4. T February 12, 2020

    Wow I think that this is actually pretty ridiculous and funny more than anything. To have the nerve to actually follow and make an entire report only based off the words of the defensive mother in this case is pretty pathetic. You have no other source of information other than the mother than actually abused her children in this case. The phone was wanted to be taken away only because the mother felt like she needed to be in charge of at least something because she was so pissed off that her family had turned against her. And of course he first action is to turn to the easiest target, her 16 year old son. She is a chaotic and bipolar mother that only brings fire to the home the second she walks through the door. And to actually make an entire report based off of what only the mother says is REALLY pathetic in my opinion and kind of embarrassing. I suggest that next time, you actually check your facts before writing a bullshit report like this one.

    • N February 12, 2020

      T…also in ur comment btw thier is no dr reports stating any issues of mental issues that is a bioist ststement i work for the dept. And have all what i need to know. Also a ttenager not giving a cell phn to the parent whom pays for the bill and phn is not abuse. I think these children are loved and provide for quit well and both parents have done an amzing job as it shows with whom the chidlren are today btw. But thanks for your comment of no facts

  5. Merideth C. (pen name for confidentiality) February 12, 2020

    Where do I even begin! I want to write something profound, something that grabs hold of every person who reads this and makes them want to begin to be part of a crusade. This family..is my family! Not by blood, but by community! They are my birds of a feather! While this brilliant writer describes the horrifically irresponsible actions of CPS in Mendocino County, I know of many other families who have been destroyed at the hands of this degenerate agency. Yes I said degenerate! If you think that is too harsh a word, and if you are thinking to yourself that “this is just an isolated incident” than may I suggest that you go to Mendocino County’s website and read the Grand Jury reports dated all the way back to 2012! I believe that information is exactly what will change the minds of those who read these articles and stop there. You see, I have known that this agency has been blatantly abusing their power for years now. How? Well, I’m one of those parents who, at the hands of a “social worker” (mind you that title is only earned with the proper education 14-15 GJ report found that MC CPS was negligent in hiring employees who had the education required under CA State law, then giving them carte blanche decision making abilities to remove children from the home) am still trying to piece my children back together again after the destruction they had to undergo in the system. I’ll be the first one to admit, I was in the wrong, I am a recovering addict. However, the emotional abuse, the lies in the reports, the removal of my visits, right down to my services being terminated have forever left a mark on my kids. Each one will tell their story, each one would say that they came out of the system more broken than when they went in. My services getting terminated was due to “my inability to obtain housing quickly enough.” You see the end of the time allotted for a case to stay open was nearing it’s end, and with no financial resources, lack of housing, no support from any outside agencies and an agency full of undereducated “social workers,” I was deemed “not adequate for reunification.” 6 yrs later, researching the Welfare and Institutions code for an appeal I filed for with Social Services on homeless assistance, I see an amendment made in 2011 that when the only barrier is housing in an open CPS case and keeping the children from returning home, special funding was available as a resource to break that barrier. My case; 2013. Whats worse, I appealed the decision in a higher court and the appeals judged ruled in the agency’s favor!! It was exactly 1 month after the case was closed with their dad (thank God for the VASH vouchers that the V.A. funds and they went home with dad) that the kids came back to live with me and their dad and I now co-parent. Oh I forgot to mention that the social worker pitted my ex-husband and I against each other and thats why he is now my “ex.” If there was more room, I could tell you another horror story about someone who had been demonized by CPS, kid taken away, removed from county to a group home without informing the parent, and at the beginning of it all, (as it ended coming out in the wash) child was coached by a “friend of the family” on what to say, her employment; CPS worker! Still has her job too! My point is, while people read things like these articles, and I commend the writer and the newspaper for speaking out, so many people do nothing about it. You see, automatically (just as this article states) the parents are assumed to be awful, unfit and are judged based purely on the idea that CPS got involved. Hell, I should be judged; I was doing stupid ass shit and with the exception of the horrible things that happened to my kids while in the system have some level of gratitude but only for the services I had outside of CPS. I am an amazing woman today! However, when the parents who have had dealings with CPS know that both our rights, our children’s rights and the law has been abused speak up about it, it falls in deaf ears! This article is the first I have ever seen come from someone who WANTS to be a voice for the parents, and has an inside edge having had seen the damage caused from the inside out! My goal for the rest of my years; go to law school and become a voice inside the courts for the parents. I wish I had the credentials now! I would be right by this family’s side fighting for them all the way up the judicial ladder! This agency has been scorned and chastised many times by the Grand Jury. They have literally been found negligent and lacking in performing the duties required under the Welfare and Institutions Codes yet not one thing has been done! Why? Because there is officially no written law that provides repercussions for any CPS agency (at state level either) or its employees when they are found to be insufficient and lacking in carrying out the laws provided for both parents and children who for whatever reason get caught up in the system! In the 6 years I have been free from the wrecking ball, I watch, I read, I listen, and I research. It keeps the fire lit in my belly to do something about it. Right now, I still go unheard. I get written off as a scorned parent who still hasn’t come to terms with my part in it. Yeah, easily written off. I have come to terms with it, I am still in therapy working in the guilt that comes up for me every time I have to deal with a suicide attempt, or an anxiety attack that turns into a trip to the emergency room, or trying to find a more clever way of getting my kid to find her self love and self esteem; oh so many other things I could list! Before the “intervention” (with a very facetious tone) I had 2 cheerleaders, a softball player and a competitive skater. After the “intervention,” I now have lost children who don’t trust anyone, scared to venture into the world and launch, and are afraid of the world. Where is CPS at now; not here to clean up the emotional mess they left, thats for sure! No, they’re too busy off ruining other kids’ lives like my friends here, in this article. Yet this I could say with absolute confidence, if for some reason, some self-righteous person decided that they didn’t like the way I am trying to piece my children back together, and called CPS to report me, they would be banging down my door once again citing that I am the bad guy and that they need to “protect my children” from my poor parenting! Now there’s an oxymoron for ya!!

    • N February 12, 2020

      Thank u so very muxh for ur comments

  6. S.S February 13, 2020

    This article is absolutely ridiculous for many reasons. I am appalled at the fact that you published this without checking for actual facts of the situation.

    The children would still be in the home if it was not for the parents disregarding the rules of the order. Plain and simple. If the parents wanted to make things better, they would have FOLLOWED the orders and everything would be back to normal already. As a mother – even if it was my child’s birthday and I knew I would put my parenting time in jeopardy I would not have seen them. It’s called following the law.
    “Poor baby boy”.. please. That boy is perfectly fine. I would love for this paper full of such FACTS post the medical records of the “terminal illness” that he has. I’ll wait for those to be published. Stop trying to turn this into a pity party when the fact of the matter is – sickness has nothing to do with this situation.
    Why on earth would the “poor baby boy” have to SLEEP in a car for 3-4 hours when ALL the schools in the Ukiah Unified School District get out within an hour of each other? hmm… more fake news. Almost comical. k
    I’m not sure how their daughter can be pre-med when she is 12 and attending middle school. I am not taking away from the situation that the children are not with their parents – that is devastating for a child to go through – but who’s fault is it that they are not with their family… oh wait.. the parent’s fault for not following the orders, I forgot.

    Last I saw, the children were with an amazingly LOVING family who had volunteered to take the children so they were in a familiar place. They are lucky they are not in an actual foster home. Count your blessings.

    Fact of the matter is – if the parents would step up, get their shit together, and follow the law then this wouldn’t even be happening. If you care so much for your kids and have such a “sick” child then do EVERYTHING you can to make sure you don’t break any of the rules in order to get them back. Yes it will hurt, yes it will be hard, but do what YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO and then you will have your perfect little lives back with your children. Simple as that. Stop trying to make the county feel sorry for you getting your kids taken away when it is your own damn fault. Take responsibility for messing up and move on.

    • James Marmon February 13, 2020

      “The children would still be in the home if it was not for the parents disregarding the rules of the order. Plain and simple. If the parents wanted to make things better, they would have FOLLOWED the orders and everything would be back to normal already.”

      “Last I saw, the children were with an amazingly LOVING family who had volunteered to take the children so they were in a familiar place. They are lucky they are not in an actual foster home. Count your blessings.”

      Spoken like a county social worker, or foster care provider. I, unlike this person do not know all the facts to the story so I will suspend judgement. But what I’ll tell you is that I am not a proponent of removing children from their homes for being at “risk only”. They’re confusing the intent of the assessment tools due to lack of training and education. Risk issues are something to be addressed and fast, not just reasons to detain and keep families apart. Those tools if used right will guide them in their decision making and action steps that could be more beneficial to the overall situation.

      Most Mendo’s so called social workers do not have professional degrees and are allowed to rise up to high positions just by the number of years they work there. The County took a big step backwards when they shit canned Merit Service Systems.

      James Marmon MSW
      Former Social Worker V
      Mendocino County Family and Children’s Services (Court Unit)

  7. S.S. February 13, 2020

    N – You don’t work for the department.. you are the child’s mother. We all know this already!

  8. C.C. February 13, 2020

    S.S. hit the nail on the head. So many inaccuracies. “A Mother who’s life is her children, and who is there for them and involved with them, each and every day of their lives, and who loves every second of being a Mom.” If this were so, she would not have violated the rules. Obviously, the rules don’t apply to her or to this “news source.”

    • S.S. February 13, 2020

      James-

      I work neither for the county or for foster. I know the family. I know the facts. And this is all false and an attempt to cover up what is actually going on. If people only knew the whole truth. It’s sad that anyone even has the chance to read this an believe what is written because it is so far from the truth. It will all come out eventually. Until then I believe the kids are in the safest place they can be at the moment. Once the parents step up and start acting like parents and not like children then my opinion may change.

      • James Marmon February 13, 2020

        So it appears that the family that has the kids now is wanting to adopt, wonderful, they should contact Camille. However, it is not the Agency’s or your job to go around and find better homes for these kids, sounds like that’s what’s happening here by your account. I once did a survey in the Ukiah office and asked social worker aides what they thought our jobs were and most of them answered, “find better homes for kids”. No, that is no one’s job, or at least it shouldn’t be. I bet you I could find your kids a better home than your place if that was my objective. Sadly, that’s what’s been going on for the last 20 years in Mendocino, I tried to stop it, but the “Redwood Empire” is strong, very strong, and it’s taking me more time than I had hoped it would have.

        James

        • S.S. February 13, 2020

          Never said it was my job, never said I could find them a better home. I doubt the family who has them now wants to adopt. More false news.

  9. Merideth C. (Pen name for confidentiality) February 13, 2020

    S.S.- followed the law? I suppose you’re an attorney? It is actually not against the law for parents of detained children to be in any public event knowingly or otherwise where the children are present. Despite the “facts” you are claiming to be withheld, the fact of the matter is that this agency takes the Welfare and Institutions codes and spits on them! The exact LAW they take an oath to uphold! What’s even more ludicrous is that your comment actually reinforces and condones their misuse of power. Even the assumption of a parent having to steer clear of any public place is absurd! Let alone in this specific situation the allegations were unfounded and dismissed. It is beyond me how this agency still even has the children detained and out of the home at all when that was the outcome! For 6 years I have from afar watched, followed and interacted with other families caught up in the CPS system who have been abused on a whole different level at the hands of this agency who flagrantly disregards the law with NO ACCOUNTABILITY! Whats even more upsetting is the fact that the sick cycle this agency has created as a platform for themselves forces good judges to allow it. I’ve personally been victim to that. The “unspoken” professional courtesy that is expected empowers this behavior and in the end, the only ones involved who ultimately pay the price is the kids involved! This is not about the details of any certain case, this is about the way an agency as a whole works in opposition of what they are there to do! REGARDLESS OF THE ALLEGATIONS OF THE CASE! Unless you have ever had your children detained and had personal experience with them, your comment is nothing more than a personal opinion. Personal opinions have no place in the eyes of the law. The law is based on fact and is in place to protect all involved from that. It is very obvious (based purely on fact that a judge found allegations unfounded) somehow, the children not being returned home immediately after the judge’s ruling in and of itself screams unlawful and dishonest behavior! Perhaps you should consider the fact that the agency has ulterior motives in keeping the children detained. Because I can say with certainty that funding is received and only produced by the number of “detained” children in the system, not by reunification of families. When other local agencies are even disgusted with the way CPS misuses and abuses their authority, it should rightfully have some type of intervention to set the boundaries of right and wrong within the scope of the law. As stated though, in the initial essay, all throughout the country, CPS agencies are untouchable and continue to do more harm to children than good. Anyone who would condone that speaks volumes about personal character and has no place judging any parents who have had to deal with this kind of experience!

    • James Marmon February 13, 2020

      I was thinking S.S. might be the foster parent’s attorney. Could be the children’s attorney too. They should mix that up some. When I worked in Del Norte County the 4 contracted defense attorneys rotated on each case as to who they represented, child or parents (each parent is assigned separate representation), and in some cases de-facto parents. They did that in order to keep an open mind and not be biased one way or the other. In Mendocino that rarely happens unless a conflict of interest arises. From my experience Mendo’s contracted children’s attorneys hate parents and often go against their client’s best interest based on what they think is best. They have too much power with the judges, very dysfunctional.

      James

      • James Marmon February 13, 2020

        They also don’t get paid for closed cases, they’re livelihoods depend on open cases.

      • S.S. February 13, 2020

        No ones attorney. Just someone who is sick of this families lies! They seem to have everyone fooled!

  10. Merideth C. (Pen name for confidentiality) February 13, 2020

    Typical..let’s discredit the parents! THE JUDGE FOUND THE ALLEGATIONS TO BE UNTRUE! Are we now saying that the judge who made this ruling is inept at doing their job? Which BTW IS FOLLOWING THE LAWS! Something that the agency has total disregard for! Giving any merit to pure opinion after a judge has determined the outcome based on law is simply pure foolishness and a true definition of juvenile behavior! Perhaps you should re-examine the difference between the two James and S.S.!

  11. S.S. February 13, 2020

    I am not an attorney Merideth – nor would I want to be one.

    I am simply stating that if the parents would have followed the simple rules – they would have their children in their home as we all waste our time writing to each other. Never once did I say anyone is inept of doing their jobs, calm down.

    Did you ever think that maybe something else was going on to have the children kept away? Wait.. I forgot, you know everything about this situation and about how shitty CPS is. My fault.

    I don’t need to re examine everything because I know first hand what is happening, but thank you so much for your input, it is greatly appreciated.

    I have never had my kids detained because I obey the law.

    Have a glorious day!

  12. JH February 17, 2020

    Update: the boy is not terminally ill. He may be sick, but this is all a con to get him everyone on their side and not against them. PULL THE MEDICAL RECORDS. HE IS NOT DYING!

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