OH: DCFS Shenanigans
Portage County OH Update from Family Defense Network of Ohio
Here is the latest update on the Portage County case where a rookie social worker ripped an eleven-year-old girl from her parents because she had a "black eye" and a "bruise" on her back. Even after proving that the black eye occurred in gymnastics class, and the so-called "bruise" was a birthmark the girl had on her back since birth, the DCFS still has the girl in foster care.
As usual, the truth doesn't matter to social services. When the mom sent me a synopsis of what had happened during the past several days, she wrote, "You will not believe what they pulled today... Well, you probably will, but not anybody else." Believe it folks, here are some of the shenanigans going on in Portage County.
The Ohio revised code demands that when a child is taken from their parents by social services, the DCFS must first attempt to place that child with a relative, if there is one available. If the social worker decides that the relative is unfit, then they must submit to the court, in writing, why the child is not being placed with that relative. The actual law reads as follows:
§ 2151.314 Detention or shelter care hearing.
(B)(2) The court shall determine whether there are any relatives of the child who are willing to be temporary custodians of the child. If any relative is willing to be a temporary custodian, the child would otherwise be placed or retained in shelter care, and the appointment is appropriate, the court shall appoint the relative as temporary custodian of the child, unless the court appoints another relative as temporary custodian.
If it determines that the appointment of a relative as custodian would not be appropriate, it shall issue a written opinion setting forth the reasons for its determination and give a copy of the opinion to all parties and to the guardian ad litem of the child.
Here is another example of how the law means nothing to social workers. When the parent's attorney submitted a request that the dad's brother and sister in law be assigned as custodians of the girl while the case was pending, social services started their antics.
First, social workers went to the uncle and aunt's home and did a white-glove inspection. Then they did their background checks. When they could find nothing wrong, they insisted that an inspection needed to be conducted by the fire marshall, an electrical inspection was required, and the water needed to be tested for safety. And it all had to be done within 24-hours!
So the aunt and uncle went to work. They got the inspections the social workers demanded and had their water tested to make sure it was safe for human consumption. Well, that didn't satisfy the social workers. The social workers told the prospective custodians that they needed to come to the house themselves and draw the water to have it tested (the implication being that the aunt and uncle "switched" vials, much like a dishonest drug addict at a random urine test). So that test was conducted, and walla... the water was safe.
So after jumping through all of the hoops like little puppies trying to please their master, everyone found out today that social services never intended on placing the girl with the aunt and uncle. Can you guess why? (Keep your paper bag handy, you can either use it to keep from hyperventilating or you can barf in it).
The reason the girl was not placed with the aunt and uncle is because they do not believe the girl was abused by the parents!
You may as well take the entire Ohio Revised Code and throw it right out the window with these people. They didn’t bother to submit their reason in writing, either. But then again, did any one of us expect them to follow the rules?
Detective Robert R. Surgenor (Retired)
Family Defense Network of Ohio
Office Box 26348 Cleveland, Ohio 44126
Phone: (800) 438-8277
Labels: child abuse, CPS, FDNO, Ohio, Portage County
posted by Annette M. Hall @ 5/27/2007 12:19:00 AM
4 Comments:
I have tape recordings of phone conversations with attorneys and caseworkers, records from ODJFS that prove how they ignore the laws.
I have an internal audit that was perfomed in for the portage county commisioners in 2002 which proves that they knew of disfunction within the agency.
I am in the process of creating a website, PortageCountyFamilyJustice.com and will be adding a big ole link to this wonderful website.
I went with the parents to court and they told me after I stated if Riss had to leave the home she could come and live with me to this the Preble county worker said "you won't get any money for her" I didn't want any... then they told me I had to have a background check.......I found this info later...
(2) The appointing or hiring officer may appoint or employ a person as a person responsible for a child’s care in out-of-home care conditionally until the criminal records check required by this section is completed and the officer receives the results of the criminal records check. If the results of the criminal records check indicate that, pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section, the person subject to the criminal records check does not qualify for appointment or employment, the officer shall release the person from appointment or employment.
So I still can't figure out why they won't let Marissa come here.
so much more to this situation. I am posting this in feb 2008
Also , I went thursday to begin the process to be a foster parent...Marissa should be back home by then and damaged by her foster parents who don't run short when it comes to verbally abusing her and by her foster dad who has to hve his Jack Daniels and beer everynight.
Thanks for letting me spout off.
Tracie.
We as grandparents were totally ignored to care for the kids even tho we made an appointment with the caseworker and asked for temp custody.
My g-daughter was returned 4 years ago and my g-son was just returned last week. CPS accomplished what they wanted....torture of my grandkids till they got all our money.
My grandkids are entitled to a collective 20 years of compensation for the loss of their rights. It's time for a class action law suit against the State of Ohio and CPS!
saludevil at aol dot com
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