Citizens in Washington State and throughout the country were heartbroken to hear the tragic news about the two children of Utah resident and missing mother, Susan Powell. Questions, blame, anger, resentment, bitterness, and frustration from parents and those who have kept in tuned to the ongoing story of the disappearance of Susan Powell have flooded social media networks and blogosphere. The Marysville Parenting Examiner has taken some time to contemplate and solemn reflection on this devastating news story. Our family has included the Cox family in our prayers at this time since we believe that we are to mourn with those who mourn (See Mosiah 18:9) as our baptismal covenant in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Therefore, the purpose of this article is to place the blame where blame ought to be placed and in appropriate context. However, one may interpret the motivations behind this article, which is of their own opinion and interpretation. The other aspect of this article is an open letter to provide support, encouragement and comfort to the Cox family that have endured so much and lost so much in their lives – more than anyone of us could fathom.
First, and foremost, as most of us already know, Charlie and Brandon arrived at Joshua Powell’s residence in Graham, Washington by a Social Worker. This, of course, was supposed to be a routine supervised visitation. It is when Joshua Powell denied her access to the home, children already inside the home, and making a call to her supervisor that she witnessed the home engulfed with flames. A three-word email came to Joshua’s Attorney and read after the fact.
The overall question is why. Why did the visitation occur at Joshua Powell’s place of residence? Why could there be different places in which the visitation took place, where such a tragic event would never occur? This question comes in light of the fact that Joshua Powell had been denied custody of his children and court ordered to undergo psychological and sexual evaluation in light of his own father’s arrest and investigation into voyeurism and child pornography. More succinctly, had Washington State’s Department of Health and Social Services failed to uphold their stance in seeing to the welfare and best interest of the children? The problem of such concern has very strong foundational truths. Washington State’s Department of Health and Social Services have once again failed to protect vulnerable children.
The Social worker who had witnessed this tragic event did her job as best she could and as best as she was trained and understood. She did not fail the children, is not the perpetrator of the tragic event that took the lives of these innocent children, and therefore should not be condemned for her actions. She did her job, plain and simple.
With that said, Washington State’s Department of Health and Social Services, including the division of Child Protective Services are the ones to blame. No amount of investigation is going to bring back the lives of innocent Children. Charlie and Brandon are only recent victims of a long history of failed policy within the Department of Health and Social Services. Recent victims because in August of 2011 the Seattle Times ran an article by Christine Clarridge where the Department of Social and Health Services were the defendants in a Child Abuse and Molestation case. The case was filed on behalf of four victims who were in Foster Care, and that Washington State Department of Social and Health Services allowed a convicted drug felon to receive a certified license to be a foster parent – despite her past criminal activity. The four plaintiffs suffered physical and sexual abuse.
The Department of Social and Health Services is a broken, unrepentant government agency that places children in danger, and does not truly look out for the best interest of the children. It is an agency that is overloaded with stressed out case managers and workers that are attempting to do the best that they can with the tools and resources provided. It is the broken shovel syndrome and instead of stepping up to the plate, taking full responsibility and accountability, they are shifting the blame to the victims, to those parents and caregivers that want to take in children and give the children a chance at life. They leave children who are truly abusive in homes where complaints are filed while ripping children out of loving and nurturing homes under false pretense and Gestapo like fashion.
They are a government agency that looks out for their own best interest, abuse taxpaying dollars, and makes hurried and harried decisions that place children in unsafe conditions. Yet, multi-million dollar lawsuits and settlements do not phase the agency one bit and they perform obligatory investigations when tragedy occurs. In short, they failed the Powell children; they failed the Cox family, and must make a serious and sincere apologetic confession and take serious accountability for their decrepit actions. In fact, Governor Christine Gregoire needs to establish a task force of reputable citizens to perform such an investigation, DSHS needs to be revamped, case loads need to be made lighter and more stringent applications and policies ought to be put into place. If Washington State truly wants to protect her children, then she needs to re-establish the fundamental value of family and focus on shifting from blithely dismissing their faults and accountability.
Each one of us need to write a letter to our State Legislature, flood their offices, flood the office of the person in charge of DSHS and inform them with unequivocal terms that they have failed to protect our children. That they have consistently placed children in harmful situations and need to step up to take responsibility and admit their seriously flawed system within the Foster Care and Custody arena. This is because the blame is not on the social worker herself, but on the State of Washington and the Department of Social and Health Services.
With that said, the remainder of this article is to the grandparents of Charlie and Brandon. The world looks upon this tragedy with heartfelt condolences. We stand with you as you mourn the loss of your precious grandsons. No parent or grandparent should endure such a tragic end. We have stood with you in support concerning the disappearance of your daughter, Susan Powell, many of us have prayed for you and with you. At this hour, many parents have shed tears, have stood with you and continue to stand with you in mourning. Our love for the resilience of your faith, stalwart stance of doing what any parent should do – standing for and fighting for their children – has not ever gone unnoticed.
There are never any words to be shared, to be spoken, and to be offered in such a time as this. We never know why someone will use their agency to bring about such tragic events. One should never carry a burden alone. Because many of us who have read, seen, and/or heard the tragic news carry that burden with you and stand with you to not only celebrate the life of your daughter and her sons, but your sweet devotion to family values and tradition that make our communities and nation great.
Though the system may have failed, though you may have endured false and slanderous statements, remember the communities of friends, family and fellow believers have not failed, nor will fail you in this time of need. We hope and pray for healing in your heart, we hope and pray for comfort in your souls, and we hope and pray that our Heavenly Father is there wrapping his arms of love around you knowing the reality of suffering you have endured.
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