tagged w/ DCFS
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Animal Blawg...
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Link Between Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse?
Posted on January 1, 2012 by David
Ciara Smyth
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On November 26th, 2011, Chicago police officers responded to a call and found little Christopher Valdez dead had been beaten to death in his home, as his family prepared to celebrate his fourth birthday. The boy was found to have died from multiple blunt force trauma and his death was ruled a child abuse homicide Saturday. Police were alerted to the house after he was discovered by his aunt and uncle, who had come to investigate after a neighbor told them that Christopher was sporting a black eye when he attended Thanksgiving at their home the previous day. Police charged the toddler’s live-in boyfriend, Cesar Ruiz, with first degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death, and for having a suspended driver’s license. The mother of the toddler was originally charged with concealment of a homicidal death and with endangering the life of a child. However, after it was revealed through police questioning that she observed Ruiz beating her son earlier in the week he was murdered, and had joined in by spanking the toddler herself, the charges against the mother were upgraded to include first-degree murder. Steven Valdez, the boy’s great uncle, previously described Ruiz, as anti-social and violent. He said that two weeks before the boy’s death, Ruiz beat a dog severely after it relieved itself in his home.
Family members want to know why Christopher was allowed to stay with his mother and Ruiz following her conviction in October for domestic battery after she admitted to punching Christopher in July “because she was angry” and to using make-up to cover his injuries. She was sentenced to parenting classes, given a conditional discharge, and was not sentenced to jail. Following the incident, but prior to her conviction, the Department of Children and Family Services determined that that there was “no credible evidence” of abuse and allowed the boy to remain in the home. The toddler’s death this month has naturally raised a lot of discussion and commentators to ask questions on DCFS’s oversight in allowing the child to remain at home.
What is disturbing to me however, is the statement by the toddler’s uncle that just two weeks prior to the deadly beating, the alleged killer had just severely beaten a dog for relieving himself in the house? This statement deserves further examination and attention, just as DCFS’s oversight does. His family wondered how little Christopher could have been allowed by social services to remain with his mother after the domestic battery incident. The next natural question that should follow is how the family let him stay with her and her live-in boyfriend after they knew he severely beat a dog just two weeks prior to beating the boy to death. And the fact that no one called the police to report that an animal had just been severely abused is beyond disturbing! Had that been done, perhaps the creep would be behind bars, which would have made it conceivably more difficult for him to beat the toddler to death. After all, under Illinois law, severely beating a dog could potentially constitute the felony of Aggravated Cruelty, pursuant to 510 ILCS 70/3.03, or even possibly Animal Torture, pursuant to 510 ILCS 70/3.02, depending on the facts. Sentences for both felony charges can involve jail time.
In a Utah State University study done in 1997 by Frank R. Ascione, Ph.D, Claudia V. Weber, M.S., and David S. Wood, on the connection between domestic violence and animal mistreatment and cruelty, women in domestic violence shelters were more likely to report that their partners had threatened to hurt their pets (52%) than the sample of women who were not living in domestic abuse shelters (16.7%). The severity of these threats was also higher in the shelter sample. Actual hurting or killing of pets was reported by 54% of the shelter women but only 3.5% of the women sampled who were not living in shelters. In the majority of cases, shelter women reported that multiple incidents of hurting or killing pets had occurred. In the shelter group, nearly one in four women reported that concern for their pets had kept them from coming in to the shelter sooner. Regardless of group membership, some women indicated that pets had been hit or kicked, or had been shot. The more horrific instances seemed to be restricted to the reports of shelter women who reported the following examples (among many others): pet was drowned, pet was nailed to the woman’s bedroom door, pet was given alcohol and poison, pet’s entire fur coat was shaved during the winter, and pet was thrown out of a moving car. Most of the incidents involved cats or dogs, but in the shelter groups, birds, gerbils, and rabbits were also mentioned as victims of abuse or killing.
The Animals & Society Institute’s website contains several links to recent studies that have been done on the connection between violent criminals and animal abuse. One such study done in 1997 by Northeastern University in conjunction with the SPCA in Massachusetts (MSPCA) revealed that 40% of all animal abusers had committed violent crimes against humans.
Studies also found that a history of animal abuse was found in 25% of male criminals, 30% of convicted child molesters, 36% of domestic violence cases and 46% of homicide cases.
While these studies reveal a lot of numbers and percentages, they also open the door to further examination on whether animal abuser is an indication of abuse against spouses, children, and other humans. In fact, taking into consideration what is potentially at stake, further exploration should be demanded. Consider the situation with little Christopher Valdez: in looking at the brutal bruises that covered his body from head to toe, police were shocked and horrified that a grown man could unleash so much violence on such a small little frame.
In conclusion, little Christopher Valdez died in vain. But perhaps he did not have to. Had this community stepped up to the plate and protected its most vulnerable members when required to, perhaps he would still be alive. I hope this brings encourages everyone person who has read or heard about this case in the news, to never take animal abuse lightly.
.Animal Blawg...
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Link Between Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse?
Posted on... more
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UPDATED WITH VIDEO FROM STORY.
I really do not post my "own" story or issue but i thought you all might want to read what me and my partner are going through. This is also a open forum for debate with constructive comments no bashing. I personally think if anyone has everything done according to state law and guidelines that anyone should be able to adopt or foster a person who has been given a bad deck of cards. You see with me personal discrimination is 1 thing (i could care less) but well when it involves someone who wants to have a loving family or someone to call a family i think that these "Faith" based organizations do no justice with helping wards of the state. Its all about a ID number with them and revenue from the state.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/special_report/matt-nalett-fred-steinhauer-lutheran-child-family-services-gay-dads-adopt-adoption-20101108
By Mark Saxenmeyer, FOX Chicago News
Chicago - Gays and lesbians have been serving as foster parents, and legally adopting children in Illinois, for decades. But now, one Chicago couple says they've been turned away by a faith-based adoption agency, because of their sexual orientation. That agency freely admits they won't let gays adopt.
So, is it a case of blatant discrimination, or religious freedom?
FOX Chicago News recently launched an investigation into the issue that has both government and civil rights leaders scrambling to settle the law.
The story begins in the Lakeview home of Fred Steinhauer and Matt Nalett, who have lived together for seven years and got legally married in Canada.
"We've tried to really make this a comfortable, safe secure place," Steinhauer said. "We're starting to get ready for Christmas. Family really is something you have to define for yourself as life goes along."
But they never really considered having kids together, joking that they had two cats and a ferret instead. However, in the last few months, Nalett has begun working with a teenage runaway group that assists kids in the Boystown area of Lakeview. He met a 15-year-old who, in order to protect his identity, we'll call Kenny.
"He was not just a runaway, he was a missing kid," said Nalett.
Removed from his biological family because of unsuitable living conditions, Kenny has been a ward of the state for seven years, bouncing between foster and group homes. He ran away from a group home because he was being bullied by residents and he decided it was in his best interest to be on the street.
Kenny is also now coming to terms with his sexuality. He, too, is gay.
Kenny was in the care of Lutheran Child Family Services (LCFS), and Steinhauer and Nalett began the process with the agency to become foster parents. They said they passed background checks, went through a home inspection, and met with Kenny's therapist, his caseworker and state child welfare agents.
"I made it very clear, crystal clear at the beginning of the meeting, that Matt and I were a gay couple," Steinhauer said. "And never once was it mentioned that our sexual orientation was an issue."
But then, just as they were about to start child development and guidance classes required for foster parents, the orientation instructor handed them a policy statement.
"She's like, 'Um, you need to read this. I don't want to waste your time. And have a nice day,'" said Nalett.
The LCFS policy statement said the agency "will not develop or license adoptive or foster care families who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or questioning."
"Devastated. It's like my brain just like hit the floor," Nalett said.
"I couldn't believe that anyone would be so blatant in actually handing someone a written policy of discrimination," Steinhauer said.
But was the policy statement an example of illegal discrimination?
When FOX Chicago News called LCFS for an explanation, President and CEO Gene Svebakkan told us his agency must uphold the doctrines, practices and beliefs of the Lutheran church. And the policy of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, he said, does not condone same sex adoption.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) confirmed that the Illinois Human Rights Act actually exempts religious-based adoption agencies from the anti-discrimination rules every other agency must follow.
Lutheran Child and Family Services received $19.9 million in state funding in fiscal year 2010. And, according to DCFS, two other adoption or foster care agencies--Catholic Charities, and Evangelical Child and Family--also cite religious reasons for excluding gays. Those groups received more than $23 million in state funding in fiscal year 2010. Civil rights attorney Camilla Taylor, the senior staff attorney for Lambda Legal, told FOX Chicago News that state contractors are prohibited by law from discrimination, and provided several similar state and federal court rulings that she said set a clear precedent.
"That is contrary to Illinois law but it's also a terrible wrong done to kids," Taylor said.
After our investigation started, DCFS provided FOX Chicago with this statement:
"DCFS and the Illinois child welfare system have a proud history of tolerance and inclusiveness. We have licensed tens of thousands of foster and adoptive parents without regard for sexual orientation, and we know from experience and research that sexual orientation does not affect parents' abilities to provide a safe, loving home for children. DCFS met last week with Lambda Legal, along with the Governor's Office and Attorney General's office, to begin to resolve these very complex legal issues. We all share a commitment to shape Illinois law and policy to respect the rights of all Illinoisans, and we will continue working together toward that goal."
FOX Chicago's latest calls to Lutheran Child Family Services for comment have gone unanswered. However, a new check of their website shows the policy denying gays the right to adopt has now been removed.
Steinhauer and Nalett said that legalities aside, they're more concerned with how their rejection is affecting Kenny.
"Kenny had been holding out hope that this would be a source of having a supportive family for him. And now he's thinking, 'Well, is that really going to happen? Am I simply going to be disappointed again? Because no one really cares'," Steinhauer said.
And they point out that the line of people clamoring to take in, to help, and to support a troubled gay teenage runaway is pretty much nonexistent.
Kenny is now set to be transferred to a different child welfare agency-- one that does allow gay adoption. And Steinhauer and Nalett have once again begun the application process to become his guardians.
"The real reward of dealing with the rebelliousness or the immaturity or the confusion about what he wants to do with the rest of his life comes when he says 'I think I'm now part of a family again,' when he gives you a hug," said Steinhauer.
And when he calls us 'dads'," added Nalett.
Because in their Lakeview home, they said family is important.
"You make your own family, whoever's right in your heart," said Nalett.
Join the Facebook Group
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=153138244707688
Mark Saxenmeyer welcomes comments, story ideas and tips at mark.saxenmeyer@foxchicago.com
Here is the First 3 Stories i posted on Current About Kenny So as you can see i have pretty much been dealing with this subject a while now.
http://current.com/technology/92550118_homeless-teens-caught-in-the-system.htm
http://current.com/technology/92553486_homeless-teen-caught-in-the-system-part-2.htm
http://current.com/items/92554955_homeless-teen-caught-in-the-system-part-3.htmUPDATED WITH VIDEO FROM STORY.
I really do not post my "own" story or... more
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So this Story Comes From the following 2 other threads i posted.
http://current.com/technology/92550118_homeless-teens-caught-in-the-system.htm
http://current.com/technology/92553486_homeless-teen-caught-in-the-system-part-2.htm
Today was a good day i was able to leave a message with his Case Worker and also as well find out he was doing ok at the shelter (I did not get to talk to him yet) but i found out he was at Day Camp for the day so he must be doing ok.
The state is very out-dated i must admit since it took over 20 phone calls in the same building or main building to figure out what the number for his case worker was since she had changed locations (organizations with the state) and the so called Case Tracking System still had old records since 2003 i find that very disturbing and pretty sad.
There was this really nice lady who helped me with all this process with the DCFS and her name was miss walkins she was the biggest help and she told me i should get on to Kenneths Visitor Listing so i can come visit him in the shelter. So i left a voice mail with the Caseworker and also as well i left a voicemail with the Supervisor to call me and also i sent a email to the main mailbox of the organizations website so sooner or later someone will contact me i hope.
I am going to speak to a lawyer in the morning to see if i could somehow get guardianship of kenneth if he wants to live with me and my partner and get out of them foster care units, group homes or shelters
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You are probably asking Why am i doing this for when i am not related or family? Since there is still nice people in this world who care for people and not everyone is going to harm a child physically, mentally or sexually. I have this bond with Kenny since i have known him for a few months in my area of town and seeing him every other day on the streets and giving him food and hanging out with him. I think of him as my little brother or kid.
I feel sometimes people are connected in this world for a reason and i think my reason was to help kenny get off the streets and be there for him. But me and my partner wants to go thru all the legal channels to help him in this process since we do not want to harbor a runaway but also we do not want to see a 15yr old kid out on his ass on the streets and i really do not want to see him in a group home or shelter so before saturday i had made a judgement call to allow him to sleep on our couch and be normal for a couple days before me and him went to the police department so he could re-surrender himself back over to state custody.
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The DCFS system sometimes sucks since there is so much Political and Red Tape and from what i have heard it takes about 3-6 months before your application is even approved and well i hope with the help from this local Lawyer and also talking to kenneth and his caseworker it will be a much faster process if he wants us to take care of him. Otherwise i will be just as happy to be on his Visitor List and visit him in the shelter and be a friend.So this Story Comes From the following 2 other threads i posted.... more
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This is a update from my previous Thread
http://current.com/technology/92550118_homeless-teens-caught-in-the-system.htm
On saturday Me and Kenneth went to the Chicago Police Department and he turned himself back into state custody since he was wanted on missingkids.com and also as well a runaway from the Chicago Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), also he was only 15 years old.
Now there was nothing me and my partner could really do to help him in the long run for now until we speak to his caseworker on monday and also i am going to meet with a foster care and adoption lawyer on tuesday. I was thinking if he is going to keep running away from group homes and shelters why not just get guardianship of him and me and my partner can take care of him instead. Since i know kenneth (Kenny) from the streets in my area of town if he ever runs again he will just run back to the area here and well there is probably a 100% chance he will end up back at our place. I thought he was just a teen homeless person before doing research on him on the internet and found out the Missing Kids Poster and also as well talking to kenny about his whole ordeal the next day it was in our best interest to try and get him back into state custody.
Sure it sucks since the shelters are not really all that great, everyone is treated like a ID number and a Source of Revenue for the state of illinois based on how many kids they got into the system or in different group homes across the city it is sort of depressing in all aspects of the situation. I was homeless at 1 time myself but i was not a runaway and well i was almost a legal adult anyways so my circumstance is a bit different then his but he is just younger.
He was getting bullied and messed with by other people either older then him or around his age and he did not want to be in that type of environment so that is why he always ran away he told me and also he is not in the greatest part of town i must admit a lot of gangs, drug dealers and other interesting things happen over on 50th st and michigan ave in chicago.
Also due to his lifestyle (he is a gay teen) that does not help him in some of these group homes or shelters that have people who might be against GLBT Youth who are homeless in the system as well. From what i have gathered he has been in state custody for about 7 years now with a short break around age 14 when he lived with his sister and she was going to move to colorado and gave him back up to DCFS Custody, also found out she never moved so it was mostly just a drop off to state custody, i must admit very sad your own family member would do that to you. But like everything you hear there is always parts of the story that is left out so there might be some things even kenny has not told me and i will find out later in time.
I had Met Kenneth (Kenny) walking around my area of town around 3am a few months ago and he was just wondering spaced out looking so i known right off the bat he was homeless since he was hanging out with some regular street people i have seen many times in the area. So i bought him food pretty much everytime i seen him and hung out with him on the streets until i got tired enough to go home but never invited him over to our place. I have known kenny for about 3 months now and the other day i seen him during the daytime on Thursday and it was a very HOT day so i invited him over to relax and eat some food and watch some movies or play some video games. So he came over had a nice meal, he was able to get his clothed washed he had a nice shower, and played video games ALL day and watched a few movies, so the time was getting to be around 10pm so i just told him to sleep on our couch. So i started doing some online research on kenneth and found the missing person poster and contacted missing kids to let them know he is safe and fine and i would be talking to him about turning himself back into the state. so by Saturday we went down and took care of business and i am just stressed out since i have to wait until later today to find out how he is doing.This is a update from my previous Thread... more
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Brian Gerrish, Common Purpose, CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, F4J, M4J, Family Courts, Forced Adoption, Adoption, Foster care, Social worker, Social Services, child abuse, Department of Children Family and SchoolsBrian Gerrish, Common Purpose, CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, F4J, M4J, Family... more
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Brian Gerrish, Common Purpose, CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, F4J, M4J, Family Courts, Forced Adoption, Adoption, Foster care, Social worker, Social Services, child abuse, Department of Children Family and SchoolsBrian Gerrish, Common Purpose, CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, F4J, M4J, Family... more
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CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families, F4J, M4J, forced adoption, Ian Josephs, child abuse, adoption, social work, social services, Department of Children Family and SchoolsCAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families, F4J, M4J, forced... more
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CAFCASS, Common Purpose, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families, F4J, M4J, forced adoption, Ian Josephs, child abuse, adoption, social work, social services,
Department of Children Family and SchoolsCAFCASS, Common Purpose, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families,... more
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CAFCASS, Common Purpose, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families, F4J, M4J, forced adoption, Ian Josephs, child abuse, adoption, social work, social services, Department of Children Family and SchoolsCAFCASS, Common Purpose, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families,... more
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CAFCASS, Common purpose, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families, F4J, M4J, forced adoption, Ian Josephs, child abuse, adoption, social work, social services, Department of Children Family and Schools
Tony Blair greated this SS policy. If you look at negative eugenics and british social worker policy, see if you can spot the difference...CAFCASS, Common purpose, CPS, DCFS, John Hemming, Brian Gerrish, Justice families,... more
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Brian Gerrish, Common Purpose, CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, social workers, John Hemming, Justice Familes, F4J, M4J.
Hang your head in shame.Brian Gerrish, Common Purpose, CAFCASS, CPS, DCFS, social workers, John Hemming,... more
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Brian Gerrish who outted Common Purpose now tackles Social Services.
CAFCASS, social services, CPS, DCFS, you should hang your head in shame!
Department of Children Family and Schools, DCFS
- Department of Corruption, Fraud and Scandals.Brian Gerrish who outted Common Purpose now tackles Social Services.
CAFCASS, social... more
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Dedicated to the appalling social workers of Fife Council in Scotland, for their legendary breaches of Human Rights of the children they are charged with protecting.Dedicated to the appalling social workers of Fife Council in Scotland, for their... more
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Coram are the UKs 3rd largest adoption agency, and CAFCASS uses them - against the rules.
This started 3 days after the Government had to abandon forced adoption targets. Bit more than a coincedence? yeah, we thought so too..Coram are the UKs 3rd largest adoption agency, and CAFCASS uses them - against the... more
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ondon 25th Nov 2009
#63 - Most Discussed (Today) - Nonprofits & Activism - United Kingdom
#63 - Top Favorited (Today) - Nonprofits & Activism - United Kingdom
#55 - Top Rated (Today) - Nonprofits & Activism - United Kingdom
Social workers who forced a couple to give up their 11-week-old baby for adoption have been accused of 'child kidnap' by an MP.
Staff waited until the girl's father was out before launching a raid with police at the family home to 'snatch the baby from the arms of her mother'.
Tory MP Tim Yeo used Parliamentary privilege to make the allegations in the Commons, saying Suffolk County Council had declared the couple to be unfit parents despite having no evidence of physical or emotional abuse.
'This council actively seeks opportunities to remove babies from their mothers,' he added.
'Its social work staff do so in a manner which in my view is sometimes tantamount to child kidnapping.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
Tim Yeo
Timothy Yeo, the MP for Suffolk South
Constituency:
Suffolk Southondon 25th Nov 2009
#63 - Most Discussed (Today) - Nonprofits & Activism -... more
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Tim Yeo MP, House of Commons, Westminister, London 25th Nov 2009
Social workers who forced a couple to give up their 11-week-old baby for adoption have been accused of 'child kidnap' by an MP.
Staff waited until the girl's father was out before launching a raid with police at the family home to 'snatch the baby from the arms of her mother'.
Tory MP Tim Yeo used Parliamentary privilege to make the allegations in the Commons, saying Suffolk County Council had declared the couple to be unfit parents despite having no evidence of physical or emotional abuse.
'This council actively seeks opportunities to remove babies from their mothers,' he added.
'Its social work staff do so in a manner which in my view is sometimes tantamount to child kidnapping.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
Tim Yeo
Timothy Yeo, the MP for Suffolk SouthTim Yeo MP, House of Commons, Westminister, London 25th Nov 2009
Social workers who... more
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Over and Over we hear of “no funds available” yet if the dollars where truly accounted for, one would find just the Children alone bring in TRILLIONS of dollars.
Again, as I have said, as the REALITY goes (and there is even more)… :
1) First a Child’s name and address come up to Social Services. It could be by anyone, and more often by doctors these days....Over and Over we hear of “no funds available” yet if the dollars where... more
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By Sandra Ami ~ http://amiablyme.wordpress.com/
Both these videos above, are not special to their area. This problem is infecting the entire country, and if one has done research as I have, will notice this is not just an American problem. Though I focus on American Families and children most. This is a disease within this country that MUST BE STOPPED! The only way we will be able to stop this, is by those who have not YET had their children taken.By Sandra Ami ~ http://amiablyme.wordpress.com/
Both these videos above, are not... more
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How would you feel to see a child’s face terrified with fear, with tears flooding their cheeks, arms reaching out for help “MOMMY! MOMMY! DADDY! DADDY!” The child is being pulled away by strangers, the pain and pure agony of fear. The screams so piercing they draw a crowd. It not only breaks your heart but makes one think.
Where is the compassion and where was the law?How would you feel to see a child’s face terrified with fear, with tears... more
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This is only ONE story of the horrors families and children all over are facing each day. In Orange County California alone, over 3000 children are taken each month. I’ve been told that number is conservative, and is more like 4700, though I haven’t verified that as of yet.
I was also told by a CPS (Social Worker) that over 50% of the children come from average, good homes.This is only ONE story of the horrors families and children all over are facing each... more
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critic
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