tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52881751157471379042011-12-16T10:26:16.519-07:00Promoting and Protecting the Fundamental Human Right to Family AssociationSuzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.comBlogger771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-60502968343743863102011-12-16T10:02:00.000-07:002011-12-16T10:02:17.128-07:00

Readers can now get Knowing My Rules: Who Do I Trust for Nook and Kindle This book teaches children how to recognize when it is unsafe to answer questions by police, caseworkers or school personnel, and what to do when faced with unsafe questioning. We are living in an age where our children have become extremely vulnerable to influences that are destructive to the family unit. It is no secret

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-47534843987658530482011-11-05T11:13:00.000-06:002011-11-05T11:13:00.423-06:00

The video of a judge allegedly beating his sixteen year old daughter in 2004 has gone viral, and has even garnered the attention of mainstream media. The video was secretly recorded by the daughter and provides viewers with a sensational display. But what does it really represent? An abusive father? Perhaps. Permit me to draw some parallels from my extensive child welfare case files. I'll

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-4792399726548361762011-10-20T13:22:00.000-06:002011-10-20T13:22:28.008-06:00

One feature of courts taking jurisdiction over children has always shocked me. How many times judges, Guardians ad litem and child welfare professionals know the child is being abuse or neglected, and turns a blind eye, or even in some misplaced desire to prove the allegations wrong so that their personal agendas are protected, places the child with the abuser. Okay, justice is supposed to be

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-76572269097870290172011-10-16T15:04:00.000-06:002011-10-16T15:04:39.416-06:00

A BBC documentary has exposed a baby trafficking ring in Spain, perpetrated by the Catholic church. A similar child trafficking ring was exposed in Kansas recently. Children were taken by SRS (Social and Rehabilitative Services) from parents at birth. These were parents who had older children taken, allowing the agency to seize subsequent children as they were born. However, the removal of the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-5105152195253273402011-10-14T08:43:00.003-06:002011-10-14T14:59:58.784-06:00

Austyn Ackinson, 11; Tony Mitchell, 4; Tayla Mitchell, 10; Andy Dawson, 13; and Jeremy Franks, 17 were children in the home of Howard Mitchell in Kit Carson, Colorado. Three were foster children. Two were legal orphans that were adopted by Mitchell. Now, they are dead. The Denver Post reports: Howard Mitchell loaded 12 children into his van Thursday morning, preparing for the drive he made twice

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-50050254297804617782011-10-11T10:06:00.000-06:002011-10-11T10:06:16.968-06:00

A reader posted a comment to my story about Aging Out in Foster Care. I didn't approve it for publication because it contained her phone number. Having been the victim of phone terrorism by abusive, opinionated jerks who made threats of violence and death against me and my family, I cannot allow this publication to expose anyone to potential abuse or threats. However, I take this opportunity to

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-58079792085122941882011-10-07T20:05:00.000-06:002011-10-08T16:48:22.573-06:00

Washington D.C. engages in a practice that is duplicated in every state across the country. . .when a custodial parent is investigated for child abuse or neglect and the child is removed from the custodial parent, the agency does not place the child with the non-custodial parent who was not accused of abuse or neglect. Instead, the agencies will often make the non-custodial parent to prove their

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-68426600704388740532011-10-07T08:10:00.002-06:002011-10-07T09:13:57.124-06:00

A Denver Papa John's delivery driver smelled marijuana at a home where he made a delivery. So what does he do? He calls the police, reports the odor, and states there was child in the home. The police raid the home, naturally. Denver Post reports that the Papa John's customer is an authorized medical marijuana user. I remind the reader that medical marijuana use is legal in Colorado.

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-11919426107722242152011-09-02T16:01:00.001-06:002011-09-02T16:01:00.826-06:00

Starting with New York City, where a woman used aliases to adopt a dozen legal orphans, and proceeded to abuse them for years, unreported. One child is even missing and presumed dead, yet she collected funds for this missing child for years. She's telling all, laying the blame on the agencies.  The kiddies are unable to function after years of her abuse, and are suing the agencies. In another

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-38951110767314099502011-09-01T16:01:00.000-06:002011-09-01T16:01:15.509-06:00

According to wxyz[dot]com, a judge has dismissed the charges against Maryanne Godboldo arising out of her standoff with police when they arrived with child welfare and a S.W.A.T. team to take her child into custody. The reason cited was that the removal order was illegal. And it was, according to Federal law and state law. Like that's a surprise? This is a typical shortcut taken by child

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-87518184365760781712011-08-15T08:56:00.001-06:002011-08-15T08:58:10.582-06:00

A Detroit mother who resisted child welfare attempts to place her teenage daughter on a psychotropic drug that is not approved for children has been found by a jury to have neglected the child. Another story here. According to reports, the Maryanne Godboldo had removed her daughter from Rispardal under medical supervision, and was proceeding with alternative treatment for the child's medical

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-85505717793357716692011-08-13T19:21:00.002-06:002011-08-14T07:45:03.729-06:00

I remember the campaign when I was much younger, at 10 p.m. on television, "Parents, do you know where your children are?" In this child-centric society we don't even dare ask that, until it gets violent. In a schizophrenic response to unsupervised children causing public mayhem at night, committing assaults and roaming the streets in flash mobs, Philadelphia has instituted a curfew for children

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-66725855608298161722011-08-09T17:10:00.000-06:002011-08-09T17:10:42.138-06:00

It is rare we see a criminal prosecution of any child welfare professional for any reason. Kentucky, as every state, has laws against tampering with public records, but no matter how many complaints are made, there is almost never a prosecution. In El Paso County, Colorado, several years ago, we held a press conference and presented the DA with proof of the crimes. She declined to prosecute,

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-74651968754623014882011-08-03T16:46:00.000-06:002011-08-03T16:46:53.192-06:00

Kansas. Again. Kansas SRS terminated parental rights to the biological parents of a certain child and created a legal orphan. Then allowed these people to adopt him, and paid them a monthly stipend to be his parents. I wonder if family poverty played into Kansas SRS's reasons to seek termination of parental rights? Doug and Valerie Herrman. Parents-for-Pay. These parents collected that money

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-65567831063968840272011-07-31T20:26:00.001-06:002011-07-31T20:28:43.806-06:00

Odd twist on Cupid turns simply stupid In a story that has gone viral, Jordan Cardella is being touted on the world wide web as stupid. He asked a friend to shoot him so that his ex-girlfriend would feel sorry for him and take him back.  This isn't the first time Cardella asked a friend to injure him in order to obtain sympathy and to manipulate someone. About ten years ago, Cardella was a child

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-17850033115685365412011-07-13T18:55:00.004-06:002011-07-13T19:35:59.619-06:00

Again we have experts advocating the micromanagement of families by recommending that obese children should be removed from their parents (see article)  for no other reason than the child is fat. Fox News [dot]com reports: Should parents of extremely obese children lose custody for not controlling their kids' weight? A provocative commentary in one of the nation's most distinguished medical

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-58965688369017824772011-06-16T11:26:00.000-06:002011-06-16T11:26:03.212-06:00

While this decision is not a child welfare case, it is exceptionally instructive into the legal principle known as the "bests interests of the child" and the improper application of that standard in the context of the presumption of parental fitness. In this case, the parents decided that their children should not be permitted to see their grandparents. The grandparents petitioned the court for

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-30521437078204513372011-06-13T15:18:00.002-06:002011-06-16T12:53:07.187-06:00

The online Family Rights groups are all abuzz with this story from Texas. Surprising Twist in CPS Case Involving Psychotropic Drugs: MyFoxHOUSTON.com The not-so-astute leaders are rallying the masses, calling this case a victory. They just don't get that it's not a victory. The article reports that CPS was adamant about terminating the parental rights. This is obviously in error. When this

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-83177015503395975172011-05-27T13:43:00.008-06:002011-06-05T07:55:56.982-06:00

This is the first of our regular columns analyzing an actual child welfare case. We will present the background and development of the case in this blog. The analyses of the case will be conducted on two web sites. The first analysis will be from the perspective of the legal professionals representing the parents and children and the judge on our Legal Resources Web site. The other analysis will

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-19636079132182791882011-05-06T09:39:00.005-06:002011-05-06T12:34:01.426-06:00

Jeremiah Lovato gets 119.5 years I have written quite a bit about El Paso County, Colorado Department of Human Services over the years, in part because their practices are so abysmally horrible, and in part because I live there. So it comes as no surprise that they approved an adoption by the man pictured here. He adopted a teen boy. Nobody saw anything wrong with that. Then he proceeded to

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0Colorado Springs, CO, USA38.8338816 -104.821363438.703803099999995 -104.9518689 38.9639601 -104.6908579tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-50962552611968822352011-03-20T07:12:00.003-06:002011-03-20T07:12:00.105-06:00

It didn't take long before the author's long-suffering patience and selfless goodness on behalf of yet another abused child pegged the needle on my should-be-nominated-for-sainthood-NOT meter. Come one. The author writes under a pseudonym. I wouldn't put my real name on this delusional piece of self-stroking egotism, either. However, the book is not a total loss. To the critical, inquiring

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-79475049411896338082011-03-19T07:01:00.002-06:002011-03-19T07:01:01.056-06:00

I aged out of foster care. The day I graduated from high school--with honors--I was booted out onto the street without a dime. I didn't have a driver's license or a car. I didn't have a job. I went straight back to my father's home. That was June. By November, I had a job, a car and an apartment. I couldn't have done it without the support of my father, and the upbringing of my parents. Before

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-40448318274905751492011-03-18T07:07:00.044-06:002011-03-18T14:31:07.889-06:00

I want to provide a perspective on foster care that many readers aren't aware of. That of a foster child. So many people claim to speak for these children, and to act in the best interests of these children, but they don't have a clue what the child would say, or what would be best for that individual child. Most of the child welfare professionals don't make their recommendations or take their

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-66223403843267788162011-03-17T09:17:00.002-06:002011-03-17T09:55:58.107-06:00

Florida's child welfare agency, DCF, is not unique in losing children or placing the legal orphans they created in abusive "forever families." In this case, two states are involved, Wisconsin, who removed the children from their parents and placed them with these state-approved parents, and Texas, where the parents lived. Yes, Virginia, once a child is a legal orphan, they can be sent anywhere,

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-28013751515435220402011-03-16T07:54:00.011-06:002011-03-16T07:54:00.805-06:00

I promised it in this post, when I asked, "Are these professionals [child welfare caseworkers] really that petty and vindictive?", and here it is. . . Kansas Attorney General's findings on a case involving the death of a child after multiple reports of child abuse. This kind of government admission is a rare circumstance, and very welcome since it supports my contentions about child welfare

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-80309917409464279542011-03-15T07:00:00.019-06:002011-03-15T07:00:06.770-06:00

Edward Bryant, 58, and Linda Bryant, 54, adopted nine children out of foster care. The concern of officials is that these parents fraudulently obtained adoption subsidies for two of these children who went missing in 2003 at ages seven and under. They are looking for these boys, but it seems to be too little, too late.  El Paso County, Colorado, is the agency who licensed and approved these

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-65620689717427751912011-03-14T12:24:00.002-06:002011-03-14T20:18:57.444-06:00

The final report on Nubia Barahona's death at the hands of her adopted parents in Florida has been released. This report was authored by experts, professionals in the field of child welfare. I have consistently bemoaned the fact that "professionals" dominate the issue when it comes to investigations, or recommendations, and that parents, who are the only true experts regarding their own children

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-48804809379283822272011-03-06T11:29:00.000-07:002011-03-06T11:29:10.382-07:00

In all the sensationalism of the murder of one adopted child in Florida and the torture of her twin brother, nobody is asking the important questions. . . How on earth did the "evil" Barahonas qualify to be foster and adoptive parents? There were multiple complaints against these licensed, state-approved parents. Why does DCF give such latitude to state-approved, licensed foster and adoptive

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-46088674911958055052011-03-02T09:21:00.001-07:002011-03-02T09:21:32.509-07:00

One of the amici in Greene v. Camreta included this observation in their amicus brief: Children's Advocacy Institute ". . .the system in place includes numerous checks to protect the rights of suspected parental abusers, including required “reasonable efforts” not to remove a child; a detention hearing before a neutral court with the burden on the State to show child danger; appointment of

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-65865357308654029922011-03-01T15:31:00.006-07:002011-03-02T11:22:40.504-07:00

Oral arguments were this morning. The transcript has been published. What can I say? I am underwhelmed at the arguments presented on behalf of the respondent Greene, by Carolyn A. Kubitschek, Esq. She faced a court that appeared to be in support of the respondents, and hemmed and hawed apologetically for even daring to suggest that case workers do not have the right or authority to seize

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-85022521558979644682011-02-26T16:44:00.035-07:002011-02-26T16:44:00.338-07:00

In view of my recent discussion on SCOTUS hearing the Camreta case, I have occasion to discuss the prevailing practice by child welfare agencies of excluding parents, even non-offending parents from observing agency interviews with their children. Many of the briefs in support of the parents in this case advocate the use of child advocacy centers for conducting interviews of children who are the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-69482371498872472572011-02-26T07:27:00.006-07:002011-03-02T10:22:05.175-07:00

In support of neither party: Children's Advocacy Institute ". . .the system in place includes numerous checks to protect the rights of suspected parental abusers, including required “reasonable efforts” not to remove a child; a detention hearing before a neutral court with the burden on the State to show child danger; appointment of counsel for all involved parents; mandated “reasonable efforts

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-48374795738944155492011-02-25T16:08:00.003-07:002011-03-02T10:23:04.862-07:00

In past posts here and here, I discussed a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling (Greene v. Camreta) which determined that removing a child from a classroom and subjecting that child to a two hour interrogation was a violation of the child's and the parent's fourth amendment rights. I mentioned that the states were in an uproar, doomsaying that this would cause more children to be abused. Gasp.

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-5311100211188304542011-02-23T11:11:00.000-07:002011-02-23T11:11:54.437-07:00

In my recent post about the Florida children adopted out of foster care and one was killed by the adoptive father, I wondered why the children were removed from their parents. Now we know. . .perhaps. According to the article included with this video, Victor Bustillo is the birth father of these children. In what is most certainly the rarest of circumstances, the mother's parental rights were

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-36065950555082353662011-02-19T12:01:00.014-07:002011-02-23T11:20:59.884-07:00

Did I say there was no recourse when child welfare agencies and caseworkers do wrong? Here is a graphic example of caseworker immunity, where nobody wins but the caseworker.  Unusual case evolves around welfare, abuse of siblingsBy Kevin VaughanThe Denver Post Did I say in a prior post that this wrongdoing and abuse was institutionalized? So many times there was the opportunity to do the right

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-17208296036545594442011-02-18T14:59:00.033-07:002011-02-18T14:59:00.824-07:00

I happens rarely, but sometimes we will find a government agency or official who actually looks into wrongdoing by child welfare agencies, and even tries to hold wrongdoers accountable.  I am reminded of a case in Ohio several years ago, where the mother was the victim of a false report of child abuse during a domestic relations custody dispute. Dad turned her in in order to resolve the custody

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-84225985095665005762011-02-17T14:54:00.001-07:002011-02-17T15:50:01.587-07:00

How many times must we see this, in conjunction with repeated reports to child welfare agencies, and focusing on state-approved, state licensed parents? The creation of legal orphans and artificial families has proven to be much more dangerous than the child welfare agencies would have us believe. Here is one from this week. This family adopted four children from foster care in Florida. One is

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-5450384657961271962011-02-02T09:37:00.001-07:002011-02-18T09:46:09.723-07:00

UPDATE Feb. 19, 2011 See this article on entitlement programs from Fox News. Social security and medicaid/medicare comprise 57% of the national budget. Original post a few days ago: You may be wondering what child welfare has to do with Social Security. I'm glad you asked. Most people are not aware that the Federal Funding for state-run foster care and child abuse comes from the Social

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-91545121236090457142011-01-24T14:44:00.012-07:002011-02-02T08:59:09.174-07:00

I just watched a video entitled The Time is Now, presented by West Virginia Court Improvement Project. These court improvement projects are funded with Social Security funds under federal grants associated with the administration of child welfare cases. The video was created to educate parents involved in child welfare cases. It does much more than educate parents. It provides the reason why the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-21177998595830393392010-11-11T13:37:00.002-07:002010-11-11T13:40:58.495-07:00

Baby taken by child welfare agency at birth alleging mom had drugs in system at birth, and the agency refuses to return the child even after learning Mom's positive drug test result was in error. Oh, let's not forget, the baby had no drugs in her system at birth, either. How do you spell O-V-E-R-Z-E-A-L-O-U-S? Taking a newborn baby (or any child) without conducting an investigation, without

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-659339701583550602010-10-01T18:49:00.001-06:002010-10-01T18:58:04.118-06:00

This story has not even been picked up by news organizations yet.  A daycare center approved by DCF and used by parents accused of child abuse/neglect has been exposed as the source of abuse and neglect of children. The only reason parents weren't accused was because one of the parents was a client of Family Rights Advocacy Institute, whose advocacy exposed this abusive daycare facility. Reports

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-91156958411475349722010-09-30T21:57:00.001-06:002010-09-30T21:58:54.980-06:00

"JEFFERSON COUNTY (Colorado) - A couple accused of beating and starving a 6-year-old adoptive son was formally charged on Thursday morning." See article. This child was adopted through Jefferson County Social Services when he was two. At that time, the article describes he was of above average height and weight. Four years later, he had lost weight, suffered bruising all over his body and his

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-83860797123919076982010-08-19T15:24:00.001-06:002011-01-24T15:36:48.144-07:00

Hud has stepped up to the plate that CPS walked away from. It's providing homes for the indigent to prevent the removal of children in to foster care. But. . .but. . .that's CPS's job, isn't it? If a family needs a home, Reasonable Efforts mandates that CPS provide a roof for the family before it removes the children. Yet, they don't do their job. This has got to be embarrassing for the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-5268018204471823752010-08-18T15:22:00.001-06:002011-01-24T15:38:07.245-07:00

The generally accepted practice when a child is at risk of abuse or neglect is to swoop in and remove the child, rather than remove the danger from the child's environment. The most absurd snatch and grabs occur in hospitals, shortly after the child is born. Right when the most critical bonding between the mother and the child is supposed to occur. According to an article in The Scientific

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-90742131220141108802010-07-28T14:30:00.001-06:002010-07-28T14:33:35.152-06:00

. . .they are wrong. I know, it sounds strange. . .CPS tells the court mom is "enmeshed" with her child. She dotes on him, pays too much attention to him, praises him, smothers him. They express concerns that the child is not permitted to be his own person. This is unhealthy, they say. The child must be protected from this sick parent. They ask the court to limit the parents's contact with this

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-51615038701242265722010-05-27T15:38:00.001-06:002010-05-28T11:48:56.292-06:00

In this final review, I discuss the video game component of this presentation. There are two games offered, one for attorneys representing parents in dependency cases, and one for attorneys representing children - Guardians ad litem (GAL). Each completed game is worth 2 California Minimum Continuing Legal Education credits. The game takes you through a typical day in your dependency practice,

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-36695447412464362462010-03-30T12:07:00.001-06:002010-03-30T12:10:00.906-06:00

In the second presentation for dependency lawyers, the Hon. Pat Bresee hosts What Juvenile Dependency Attorneys Need to Know about Basic Child Development. This program was presented in a game show format, where four hypothetical situations taken from actual case files are described, two contestants play, and a panel of four experts discuss the hypothetical situation.  This format facilitated

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-68414499625840491262010-03-27T15:47:00.001-06:002010-03-28T13:52:27.453-06:00

The family rights grassroots movement is mourning the loss of former Georgia state Senator Nancy Schaefer. I did not work with her personally due to conflicts with those who were in contact with her, however I did follow her work to expose and correct the abuses in Georgia's child welfare administration. She was quite pro-active in the arena of child welfare reform. But to read the news articles,

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-22879392313597602342010-03-24T14:11:00.003-06:002010-03-24T16:11:56.754-06:00

This is the first in a three part series reviewing Continuing Legal Education information provided to attorneys who represent children and parents in dependency cases in California. I requested and was graciously provided with a copy of the presentation for the purposes of this review. The DVD includes two discussions and a video game. Today's topic is a review of the first presentation,

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-76967877114803437112010-01-07T07:08:00.001-07:002010-01-07T07:08:00.784-07:00

timesunion.com reports "Richard Cressy, 47, and Margie Cressy, 41, were charged with four misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. . ." And what was their alleged crime? How did they endanger their children? " The couple is accused of violating a state law that requires parents who are home schooling their children to register their curriculum with the local school district."

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-25545739650675022102010-01-06T06:59:00.002-07:002011-01-24T16:26:04.150-07:00

Last time I discussed the ruling in Greene v. Camreta. This time I want to point out another typical tactic practiced during child abuse investigations. Improper interviews of children. Camreta and Alford seek to justify the length of the seizure by pointing out that as the interview progressed, S.G. began disclosing sexual abuse by her father. S.G. maintains that for "over an hour" she

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-42977962375512077862010-01-05T17:03:00.002-07:002011-01-24T16:29:37.660-07:00

Business as usual by Oregon child welfare has been nipped by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case  where a family sued a child welfare agency for unconstitutional search and seizure arising out of their interview with a child at school and subsequent removal from home. Exhibiting their typical knee-jerk overreaction to anything that appears to protect anyone accused of child abuse or

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-17661002424698751742009-12-15T10:47:00.001-07:002009-12-15T10:49:29.832-07:00

Parentalrights.org is forwarding a parental rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  This has been tried and failed before in various states. Repeatedly. Right concept, wrong way to do it. In 1996, Colorado lost this attempt, and I immediately saw why it failed. In response to this failure, I reframed the issue from children's rights vs. parents rights to family rights. That concept has caught

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-79570528906199039642009-12-01T11:51:00.002-07:002009-12-01T14:50:35.443-07:00

During the Civil Rights movement in our country, the state engaged in a hush-hush practice designed to quell any first amendment activities (petition the government for redress of grievances, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of religion) of civil rights activists. We all know about the well-publicized efforts of local, state and Federal government agencies to

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-90927063180048162042009-11-30T12:10:00.005-07:002011-01-24T16:37:22.047-07:00

There is a certain Florida judge, at least one that I have reliable information about, who issues gag orders restraining parents from talking about the specifics of their child welfare cases, prohibiting them from disparaging or denigrating anyone who has worked on their case as a condition of keeping custody of their children after they win a TPR (Termination of Parental Rights) hearing. In fact

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-52706388652840231062009-05-08T07:32:00.009-06:002009-11-30T17:39:50.261-07:00

I periodically get mail from foster care givers. They have their own groups online and every now and then one of them will find my letter to foster children on my web site and go into various iterations of tizzies. They'll tell all their foster friends on the groups and they will all contact me to tell me of their outrage, secure that they know more than I know about these children. Like the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-89407891467470135082008-08-06T14:07:00.006-06:002008-08-06T15:46:22.368-06:00

Alice F. Barlow will not sign the CPS safety plan, and CPS wants to retaliate and take her kids away from her. Supervisor Lyn McFadden stated no changes would be implement to the safety plan, in other word, take it or leave it and lose your kids, lady. Story and docs here.The affidavit in support of the motion to take the kiddies away states, "Due to the ongoing joint investigation between CPS

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-45345928652957934892008-07-29T12:23:00.009-06:002008-07-29T13:06:37.845-06:00

We have 'experts' chiming in on the polys, and Marci Hamilton seems to have the answer! . . . criminalize child sexual abuse. No, really! Yes, even as I say this, my eyes are rolling.She proposes to amend the RICO laws to include child sexual abuse. She evidently thinks religion is a racket like the mob is. . . and she doesn't appear to limit this to a religion that believes in plural marriage.

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-19508467608011394982008-07-29T10:50:00.008-06:002008-07-29T11:46:23.592-06:00

5 more arrested from Texas polygamist sect AUSTIN, Texas -- Five indicted members of a West Texas polygamist sect turned themselves in to authorities Monday to face charges related to allegations of child sexual abuse. The five men were indicted last week with Warren Jeffs, the already-jailed leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The charges stem from a

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-2256451191576969132008-06-21T12:01:00.001-06:002008-06-21T12:01:51.218-06:00

The press conference held yesterday by Kansas family rights group Citizens-for-Change has resulted in yet another front page article in the Wichita Eagle condemning certain practices by Kansas Social and Rehabilitative Agency, and Secretary Don Jordan.It seems that Mr. Jordan has become the target of a feeding frenzy which looks like more of a knee-jerk reaction than a well thought out solution

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-72742426652599628982008-06-08T11:37:00.002-06:002008-06-08T12:22:47.119-06:00

The Wichita Eagle has just broken a story about SRS practices in that state which mirror practices we have seen in the Texas FLDS cases related to the YFZ Ranch.It seems Don Jordan, secretary of the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has blabbed some very incriminating information and it was caught on tape. I have it on good authority that Jordan was accompanied to the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-16809844322934568612008-05-29T11:20:00.002-06:002008-05-29T11:24:34.018-06:00

Q. What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 60? A. Your Honor.It took a very embarrassing public spanking from the appeals court to get Her Honor to do her job, if she is doing her job. She will insist upon a full blown adversarial hearing. . .says Her Honor of the cases being heard this past week.Yet, during this hearing, the origin of the shocking photos of Warren Jeffs kissing a child bride

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-31089595760405963022008-05-25T10:19:00.007-06:002008-05-25T10:50:31.271-06:00

/>p{ margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1px}hr{ height: 0.0125in; background-color: black}span.WPFloatStyle{ visibility: hidden; position: absolute; left: 10px; right: 10px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 225); border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; border-color: black; margin-top: 25px; padding: 6px; line-height: normal}span.WPNormal{ font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-215329631281527052008-05-24T13:53:00.003-06:002008-05-24T14:01:15.846-06:00

Well, well, WELL. Carolyn Jessop is fueling CPS hysteria about the YFZ ranch FLDS children. I hear she's never even been to that ranch, yet she is CPS's consultant about that community.No wonder the CPS testimony and petition sounded so much like her book. No wonder CPS found no evidence to support the kind of child abuse Ms. Jessop described in her book.I wonder how much she is being paid for

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-30362790734878704012008-05-24T10:33:00.014-06:002008-05-24T13:37:42.111-06:00

CNN Legal Expert Commentary way off the mark. How bad is that when just a mom knows more about child welfare law and exposes media endorsed experts flunking the entrance exam? These commentators don't know jack about child welfare law, and to be publicly spouting their windy opinions makes one wonder what orifice the noxious content is being expelled from.This refers to the ignorant legal expert

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-29308429580595614222008-05-23T17:13:00.005-06:002008-05-23T20:33:58.636-06:00

Less than one day after the Texas Third Court of Appeals said that CPS had no evidence to support the removal of the 463 children from the YFZ Ranch, and that CPS did not make "reasonable efforts" (I told you so) CPS announces it will appeal that ruling.Big surprise.CPS is actually governed by precise laws which insure that children will not be removed from their families unnecessarily. CPS just

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-78744053636558638942008-05-23T10:50:00.001-06:002008-05-23T10:39:56.009-06:00

According to the following AP Texas News article, the case plans for the FLDS families do not outline a specific allegation of abuse involving a particular child but only repeats broad accusations made previously of the entire sect.FLDS spokesman Rod Parker says the Child Protective Services plans listing what the parents must do to get their children returned are identical except for the case

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-70195540095475702022008-05-19T10:13:00.003-06:002008-05-19T11:29:50.577-06:00

I told you so. . .hereCosts for raid on polygamist sect in the millions and mounting By JOHN MORITZStar-Telegram staff writer AUSTIN -- Providing foster care for the 460-plus children seized at a polygamist ranch six weeks ago could cost taxpayers as much as $1.5 million a month, and that does not take into account the

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-82384478449915975232008-05-18T14:55:00.004-06:002008-05-18T21:04:38.091-06:00

At the end of this blog, I have included links to letters written by staff members from Hill Country Community Mental Health who observed CPS and the FLDS mothers during their incarceration immediately after the children were seized from YFZ ranch. These are mental health professionals, presumably objective expert observers.The conduct of CPS reported in these letter does not surprise me. I have

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-15674976271494812342008-05-13T14:49:00.002-06:002008-05-13T16:38:09.815-06:00

Another excerpt of the sensational and provocative Carolyn Jessop bestseller raised some questions for me.Ms. Jessop claims she witnessed child abuse while she lived in the FLDS community in Arizona. Abuse of children. Why didn't she report it?Ok. Ok. . .she was brainwashed. She was controlled. She couldn't. Hmm.....But. . .she went to college. She had an outside job. Access to phones and

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-24135498110490346632008-05-07T09:29:00.001-06:002008-05-07T09:49:02.803-06:00

Give the System Time to Work by Jim Shields, Justice for Children is a sterling example of experts who get it wrong.These kids don't have time to wait for the system to work. It hasn't worked already, a point which I have made in previous posts. These kids only have twelve months before this case - or is it these cases? - go to permanency. By the time of the dispositional hearing, where the case

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-69371139235913826332008-05-01T10:24:00.003-06:002008-05-01T14:04:57.001-06:00

Many of you may not know this, but there are a plethora of parent's rights groups online, addressing issues of divorce/custody and CPS intervention. Well, duh. The Internet is perfect for meeting up with like minded individuals and spreading the news, whatever it is.I have been a sometime participant and full-time observer of this dynamic since my initiation into the CPS world in 1991. Granted,

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-58841462343319431712008-04-29T10:46:00.009-06:002008-05-19T13:55:22.113-06:00

Texas recognizes common law marriage as a legal marriage.Common-law marriage is generally a non-ceremonial relationship that requires "a positive mutual agreement, permanent and exclusive of all others, to enter into a marriage relationship, cohabitation sufficient to warrant a fulfillment of necessary relationship of man and wife, and an assumption of marital duties and obligations." Black's Law

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-63811692457291165572008-04-28T11:13:00.008-06:002008-04-28T18:06:54.581-06:00

Are you aware that by taking 437 (436 - revised number) children from the FLDS compound, that CPS seized almost 2/3 of the children residing in Shleicher county?What will the impact of that astonishing seizure be on the local (county) economy?First and foremost - every single parent will be "required" to pay child support for the entire time their children are in foster care. An attorney who

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-32638275355951142092008-04-23T12:36:00.003-06:002008-04-25T09:19:36.254-06:00

I've got to get a quick item out before I leave for a conference this weekend.Her Honor ordered DNA testing to sort out the mommies and daddies of the 437 kiddies taken into custody. The more astute analysts have pointed out that this testing could be used to convict the parents, both mothers and fathers, of crimes.I mentioned in an earlier blog that a child welfare case is unlike both a criminal

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-80423503411734895292008-04-22T20:03:00.005-06:002008-04-22T21:09:14.167-06:00

While I was extremely frustrated at the sham courtroom follies directed by Her Honor, I was more disgusted by the attorneys who failed to raise the single most salient issue on behalf of their clients: CPS's failure to make Reasonable Efforts* to prevent the removal of the 416 children or to reunify the families. I don't know all the facts of this case, but even I came up with several

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5288175115747137904.post-57599139777996470302008-04-19T18:05:00.020-06:002011-07-13T20:10:28.208-06:00

NOTE to reader: this discussion today is not about the religious practices of FLDS. I’ll discussFLDS in a later blog, so be patient and stay on topic with me today.

 “I was standing in a copy store this afternoon when my cell phone rang. It was Carolyn Jessop. ‘They raided the compound. It’s sealed off. They went in there with an armored personnel carrier, Texas Rangers, everything.’” Quoting

Suzanne Shellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03184108525093721029noreply@blogger.com2