Spank your Children and We Will Take Them!!!
[From spankings at home to rape and molestation in foster care]
Let’s apply a little commonsense to the nonsense in the state of Connecticut and their Department of Children and Family (DCF). In September of 2001, Andrea Starkweather of Gales Ferry Connecticut lost custody of her three children due to a form of corporal punishment being administered on the children by Ms. Starkweather’s fiancé. It was stated that the fiancé spanked the children using a belt. In my family and community in general, that’s called getting a good ole’ whipping … but we will stick with her verbiage … the children were "spanked."
Naturally, because children have the right to safety and protection under our laws, DCF without hesitation stepped in and removed the three children from their home. Eight months after being “rescued” by the state of Connecticut’s DCF agency, Ms. Starkweather’s five year old daughter was raped and molested while in foster care. Interestingly enough, the rape and molestation was not disclosed to the mother. It was not reported to the appropriate authorities, if reported at all; And form 136 was never filed by the agency. I wonder what happened to the urgency to protect this child? Was the child immediately removed from the foster home? Were charges ever filed and the perpetrator prosecuted? Why, if parental rights had not been terminated, was the mother not notified of the “incident” and involved in the care and treatment of her child? It was during one of the child’s many therapy sessions, in August 2002, that the rape and molestation was reported to the therapist. Despite the mother’s efforts to regain custody and while the state vehemently fought to terminate her parental rights, a recommendation was made to place the child in “long-term hospitalization.” I can only assume that the trauma of being ripped from her mom, siblings, friends, and family compounded with being raped at the ripe old age of five, rendered this child an excellent candidate for long-term mental health care. It truly sickens me to think about the long-term physical and psychological affects of being raped and molested at the age of five!
DCF would also refuse the mother’s request for full-disclosure submitted by her Attorney. Could this have been an attempt to hide pertinent information? Ms. Starkweather made several complaints about the child’s unusual and frightening behavior while in foster care but to no avail. Her complaints included the child's “unkept” physical appearance; the lack of safety and protection as the child attempted to jump from a moving vehicle in an attempt to be with her mom; and the many “bizarre sexual interpretations,” to include trying to “tongue-kiss” her mother. The child also threatened to kill herself. According to the mom, the story gets progressively worse … if you can imagine anything worse than what was previously described.
Ms. Starkweather feels that her treatment by DCF and the state of Connecticut was the direct result of her being an unmarried, “poor Black parent,” with four children by four different men. So I ask you, was the treatment of Ms. Starkweather and her children a “safety” issue or a “morality” issue? Or, as she implies a "race" issue?
She also questions whether DCF employees were slightly perturbed by her decision to marry a White man.
Knowing that “the mother” which is DCF terminology when referring to the “abusive and/or negligent” parent, gave birth to four children without the benefit of marriage … and by four different men, did she get what she deserved? Did the state have the right to use the “whipping” as an excuse to put these children in a better or morally sound environment? Before you make your decision here is a little more information about Ms. Starkweather: (1) she was an employee of the very government that participated in the “legalized” kidnapping of her children. Yes folks, Ms. Starkweather is a veteran of the Army National Guards and was honorably discharged from service; (2) She has “15 years of education;” (3) She had been on the same job for 10 years and owns her own home … and takes pride in the fact that she raised her children all by herself, before her succeeding nuptials.
Having stated the above I ask you, was Ms. Starkweather and her children treated fairly? Were they treated the way you or I would expect to be treated? The most important question is, did the short-term affects of a “whipping” justify the agency's decision to jeopardize the children’s long-term physical and emotional health? Did DCFs decision to prevent the children from sore, red tushies warrant the loss of a five year old girl’s innocence and virginity? Was their decision truly worth the emotional devastation and trauma inflicted on this family? Sounds like a lack of commonsense to me!
TMajor,
If you believe that foster care should be reserved for children that are orphaned, or have TRULY been abandoned by their parents and ALL extended family members; If you believe that children in foster care should actually be victims of abuse and/or neglect, once proven by a judge and jury NOT a social worker with a God complex; If you believe in the Constitution and civil rights for all, no matter what their economic, social, or cultural group may be – Please sign the petitions referenced at www.squidoo.com/abolishcps/ (scroll down to Get Involved!!!). Thank you in advance for your participation!
facts for Andrea Starkweather’s case are reported as printed at http://www.childcustodyattorney.com/connecticut/_disc26/0000002b.htm
Let’s apply a little commonsense to the nonsense in the state of Connecticut and their Department of Children and Family (DCF). In September of 2001, Andrea Starkweather of Gales Ferry Connecticut lost custody of her three children due to a form of corporal punishment being administered on the children by Ms. Starkweather’s fiancé. It was stated that the fiancé spanked the children using a belt. In my family and community in general, that’s called getting a good ole’ whipping … but we will stick with her verbiage … the children were "spanked."
Naturally, because children have the right to safety and protection under our laws, DCF without hesitation stepped in and removed the three children from their home. Eight months after being “rescued” by the state of Connecticut’s DCF agency, Ms. Starkweather’s five year old daughter was raped and molested while in foster care. Interestingly enough, the rape and molestation was not disclosed to the mother. It was not reported to the appropriate authorities, if reported at all; And form 136 was never filed by the agency. I wonder what happened to the urgency to protect this child? Was the child immediately removed from the foster home? Were charges ever filed and the perpetrator prosecuted? Why, if parental rights had not been terminated, was the mother not notified of the “incident” and involved in the care and treatment of her child? It was during one of the child’s many therapy sessions, in August 2002, that the rape and molestation was reported to the therapist. Despite the mother’s efforts to regain custody and while the state vehemently fought to terminate her parental rights, a recommendation was made to place the child in “long-term hospitalization.” I can only assume that the trauma of being ripped from her mom, siblings, friends, and family compounded with being raped at the ripe old age of five, rendered this child an excellent candidate for long-term mental health care. It truly sickens me to think about the long-term physical and psychological affects of being raped and molested at the age of five!
DCF would also refuse the mother’s request for full-disclosure submitted by her Attorney. Could this have been an attempt to hide pertinent information? Ms. Starkweather made several complaints about the child’s unusual and frightening behavior while in foster care but to no avail. Her complaints included the child's “unkept” physical appearance; the lack of safety and protection as the child attempted to jump from a moving vehicle in an attempt to be with her mom; and the many “bizarre sexual interpretations,” to include trying to “tongue-kiss” her mother. The child also threatened to kill herself. According to the mom, the story gets progressively worse … if you can imagine anything worse than what was previously described.
Ms. Starkweather feels that her treatment by DCF and the state of Connecticut was the direct result of her being an unmarried, “poor Black parent,” with four children by four different men. So I ask you, was the treatment of Ms. Starkweather and her children a “safety” issue or a “morality” issue? Or, as she implies a "race" issue?
She also questions whether DCF employees were slightly perturbed by her decision to marry a White man.
Knowing that “the mother” which is DCF terminology when referring to the “abusive and/or negligent” parent, gave birth to four children without the benefit of marriage … and by four different men, did she get what she deserved? Did the state have the right to use the “whipping” as an excuse to put these children in a better or morally sound environment? Before you make your decision here is a little more information about Ms. Starkweather: (1) she was an employee of the very government that participated in the “legalized” kidnapping of her children. Yes folks, Ms. Starkweather is a veteran of the Army National Guards and was honorably discharged from service; (2) She has “15 years of education;” (3) She had been on the same job for 10 years and owns her own home … and takes pride in the fact that she raised her children all by herself, before her succeeding nuptials.
Having stated the above I ask you, was Ms. Starkweather and her children treated fairly? Were they treated the way you or I would expect to be treated? The most important question is, did the short-term affects of a “whipping” justify the agency's decision to jeopardize the children’s long-term physical and emotional health? Did DCFs decision to prevent the children from sore, red tushies warrant the loss of a five year old girl’s innocence and virginity? Was their decision truly worth the emotional devastation and trauma inflicted on this family? Sounds like a lack of commonsense to me!
TMajor,
If you believe that foster care should be reserved for children that are orphaned, or have TRULY been abandoned by their parents and ALL extended family members; If you believe that children in foster care should actually be victims of abuse and/or neglect, once proven by a judge and jury NOT a social worker with a God complex; If you believe in the Constitution and civil rights for all, no matter what their economic, social, or cultural group may be – Please sign the petitions referenced at www.squidoo.com/abolishcps/ (scroll down to Get Involved!!!). Thank you in advance for your participation!
facts for Andrea Starkweather’s case are reported as printed at http://www.childcustodyattorney.com/connecticut/_disc26/0000002b.htm
posted by DCFSvictim | 2:23 AM
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