The list is long and heartbreaking, the children on it have been beaten, broken, drowned, burned, strangled, starved or neglected, and all of them are dead. Headlines have drawn attention to the cases of some of them, Danieal Kelly, Erin Maxwell, Kayla Allen, and Christopher Thomas, but there are many more, Phoenix Jordan Cody-Parrish, Brandon Williams, Elizabeth Goodwin, Logan Marr and Alexis (Lexie)Agyepong-Grover, just to name a few.
The children on this list died in very different settings; some died in their own homes, some in foster care, while others were killed by their adoptive parents. Yet, all of these dead, abused, children had one thing in common, Child Protective Services.
Statistics
Bill Bowen in his short documentary film, Innocents Destroyed, states that, "Over 1,000 children die of neglect or are tortured and murdered each year, in the care of an entity where children are up to 600% more likely to die a horrific death, CPS."
According to Child Welfare Information Gateway, "The National Child abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) reported an estimated 1,760 child fatalities in 2007." All of these deaths are attributed to child abuse or neglect.
The math of these statistics is alarming, if these numbers are to be believed roughly 57% of all child abuse deaths in America have some type of Child Protective Services involvement.
In a report released by Every Child Matters, titled, "We Can Do Better", there is a list of 51 children that died between 2001 and 2009. During research on the children listed in this report, this reporter found the following:
- 27 of them (53% percent) had prior Child Protective Services involvement before their deaths
- 19 had no evidence or no evidence was found of prior CPS involvement
- 4 had previous investigations or convictions for child abuse on children other than their victim, 1 of these had a report of abuse made to the police and 1 was a known sex offender
- 1 was a police officer who killed his girlfriends child
The numbers are eye opening; more children are dying in this country with CPS involvement then without it.
How is this allowed to continue?
The pattern of these types of deaths has become the norm in this country. A child dies of abuse or neglect and then it is later discovered that CPS was already involved with the family, that the child was a foster child, or had been adopted by the parent who killed them. CPS is rarely held accountable in these cases, even when negligence is proven; there is no punishment for the agencies that are legally obligated to perform the duties of Child Protection.
The director's and social workers in these cases hide behind confidentiality laws, that were initially implemented to protect families and children, but that now seem merely in place to protect CPS. They also hide behind immunity laws that make it nearly impossible for them to be held accountable for these children's deaths.
Criminal prosecution for these workers is almost unheard of, even with proof of forged documents, perjury, failure to perform statutory duties, and in some cases a complete and total disregard for the well being of the children entrusted to their care. These workers, their supervisors and all involved, walk away from these deaths free and clear without any ramifications for their behavior at all, often times right back into the office and back to work, like nothing ever happened.
It is hard to get a District Attorney or the Police to investigate the people they work so closely with on a daily basis, who they may even consider friends.
Kayla Allen
Take for example the North Carolina death of Kayla Allen, Onslow County had received numerous reports of abuse on Kayla, they even received pictures of bruises on Kayla taken by the Michigan Police Department after Kayla's grandmother out of desperation to protect Kayla from the blatant abuse that was being ignored by Onslow County, kidnapped Kayla and took her home to Michigan.
Kayla's grandmother was arrested, and Kayla was returned to North Carolina into the care of Carolyn Furtell, Kayla would be dead 14 months later and Carolyn Furtell was eventually convicted of involuntary manslaughter in her death. Kayla's Grandmother committed suicide after Kayla's death because she had promised her beloved granddaughter that no one would ever hurt her again.
The Onslow County Department of Social Services was not held accountable for their failure to protect Kayla, in fact, Roger Penrod, Onslow County Director of Social Services stated, "I've reviewed the case, and no one has found any fault in what DSS was involved in," he said. "That doesn't satisfy some people. They are free to say what they want, but I can't comment on it."
"Allowing Child Protective Services to investigate themselves, is akin to allowing a murderer to be the judge and jury at their own trial, of course they will find themselves innocent of all charges."
How to end these needless deaths
The needless deaths of these children have to stop and the only way to do that is to change the laws that govern Child Protective Services.
- In this country when someone breaks the law, whether it is a police officer, a doctor, or an ordinary citizen they are charged with a crime. Should it be any different for CPS?
- When a doctor is negligent in performing his duties and his patient is injured or killed because of that negligence he is held accountable. Should it be any different for CPS?
- When a child dies, and there is even the suspicion that the other parent could have known of the abuse, that parent is charged with failure to protect. Should it be any different for CPS?
- When a government agency in this country isn't following the law, and performing its duties as required, they are investigated and if needed, the Federal Government intervenes to make them perform those duties or shuts them down. Should it be any different for CPS?
Evidence shows that Child Protective Services isn't working in this country, it is a broken system not merely full of cracks, but riddled with big gaping holes that America's children are falling into. Hasn't the time come to change this department?
Complaints about Child Protective Services at the federal level are met with the assertion that CPS is not a federal issue, but a state issue. How can that be when children in every state are dying with Child Protective Services involvement? Children dying in America are not just a state issue, it is a national issue and until these American children's deaths are viewed as an American problem, the deaths will continue.
Comments
I give my permission to Internet users for the first two paragraphs of this article to be posted with a link to this story.
i have to agree with everyones comment for the system fact i was a mother of three angels that the cps came in and broke me and my children up by pulling them and thru out my raising them there was some reason or another someone used the the system to get even but in all there investigation that they done in all the yrs the cases got closed well then i went to the law inforcement when i incountered a very bad relationship to where i was the victim and out of protection of my children well the law informent didnt do anything to him and kept lettiing him walk well then later my oldest came to me and tell his dad which was my ex prior to this guy and told me that daddy poked him with a stick and right after the out cry i turned and took them to my best friends house and left going for blood well when i get to my exs and after he denied it i went bk home and explained what was said and the next morning took the kids to the dr and the dr said there did not apear to b anything wrong well i believed the dr i had 17yrs so i didnt think i had to do anything else well now in 2011 i am looking at going and serving 30yrs for something that cps said i failed to do and i did protect them it was the law inforcement the cps that failed to protect them and they just now after splitting me and the kids up finilly in 2010 put the offender in prison for life but they r trying to say i didnt protect my kids mind u they already took my kids and the two youngest have been adopted out
i have to agree with everyones comment for the system fact i was a mother of three angels that the cps came in and broke me and my children up by pulling them and thru out my raising them there was some reason or another someone used the the system to get even but in all there investigation that they done in all the yrs the cases got closed well then i went to the law inforcement when i incountered a very bad relationship to where i was the victim and out of protection of my children well the law informent didnt do anything to him and kept lettiing him walk well then later my oldest came to me and tell his dad which was my ex prior to this guy and told me that daddy poked him with a stick and right after the out cry i turned and took them to my best friends house and left going for blood well when i get to my exs and after he denied it i went bk home and explained what was said and the next morning took the kids to the dr and the dr said there did not apear to b anything wrong well i believed the dr i had 17yrs so i didnt think i had to do anything else well now in 2011 i am looking at going and serving 30yrs for something that cps said i failed to do and i did protect them it was the law inforcement the cps that failed to protect them and they just now after splitting me and the kids up finilly in 2010 put the offender in prison for life but they r trying to say i didnt protect my kids mind u they already took my kids and the two youngest have been adopted out
Thank you for finally giving voice to what many of us Americans are asking. CPS is out of control, failing not only the children they have a duty to protect, but the entire family units and the nation as a whole. I have said time and time again, if this system continues as it is our country will have the largest population of elderly homeless of record because when these kids reach positions as politicians, lawyers, etc they are going to be saying, "You didn't care about us when we needed you to , why should we care about you?"
Its sad that only a portion of the population guilty in these cycles of abuse and neglect are held accountable.
Sherri, I love what you said "You didn't care..." Do you mind if I repost that line on SOCKs fb page? I agree with you totally. I started SOCK because no child should feel alone. I wanted to make that difference and have been lucky to find others to agree that I could start an organization. Thank you for caring and making such a wonderful statement!
Lisa,
Thank you for being one of the warriors that the children in this country and even in other countries need so badly. Sadly, we have enough victims and we could use a thousand more like you that know what is going on and will not stop fighting until the cancer in our society AKA CPS, is cut out. Someday people who have finally become more enlighten and finally aware of the nightmare these tiny and helpless children face while in the hands of CPS and who only want to play and be happy and make the big people they care about happy as well, are being subjected to while in the custody and care of CPS/DHS. I beleive those people and even the former children who will survive will look back and say, "Lisa helped."
Lisa, I am very happy that you have become an examiner and have started off with such a good article. If enough of us speak up, we can create a critical mass that will bring about CPS reform.
Another superb article by the Examiner and their excellent reporters on CPS. Thank you Lisa; I will be putting a link to your article on my youtube channel.
Child Protective Services should be re-named Parent Protective Services
If you parent the child you can almost kill the child and not be prosecuted
How can innocent babies protect themselves In Michigan the system has failed these broken desperate children.
I am going to change the laws if it take my last breath of life!
Marybeth: The children in this story did not all die at the hands of their biological parents, they died at the hands of biological parents, foster parents and adoptive parents who had adopted them out of foster care. Sadly,the one entity that these children have in common is CPS.
It's not just the CPS its the Doctors making the determination of child abuse , the child advocacy Doctors who in all their cases presented have never once said a head injury to a child was an accident , even when there is no sign of abuse and the only Injury to a child is a head injury. These accusations are based on studies done with little or no control subjects and are taken as facts by the medical community despite well documented and scientifically performed studies that show different.
It's not just the CPS its the Doctors making the determination of child abuse , the child advocacy Doctors who in all their cases presented have never once said a head injury to a child was an accident , even when there is no sign of abuse and the only Injury to a child is a head injury. These accusations are based on studies done with little or no control subjects and are taken as facts by the medical community despite well documented and scientifically performed studies that show different.
Good luck on changing the laws by the very government who is allowing this to happen. There is too much money involved and they don't want to turn loose of it. If the Social Security Administration would stop paying the states to steal these children and put them in foster care or up for adoption that would take care of a lot of it. However the House and the Senate just passed the bill to double the price on these childrens heads so now there is even more incentive to steal more children. The horror stories I could tell you and the documents that prove what I am saying would blow your mind. I have been trying for a long time to expose what is going on but so far all it has gotten me is thrown in jail. All I was trying to do was protect children only to find out they don't want these children protected. Everybody is afraid of DHS/CPS because they know what they can do and they don't want to end up like me or worse dead.
Sorry not enough room anyway I am a law abiding citizen never even had a traffic ticket but yet was arrested 3 times and commited no crime. All I did was take my evidence to all members of the media here, The House of Representatives, The Senate and the Governor. Evidence to prove that they are responsible for the death of my son and the ongoing abuse of my grandson by this very agency. Also evidence of DHS/CPS workers with criminal records who are responsible for the abuse being done to my grandson and still nothing happens. Right now my grandson is living in the house of a convicted felon who is a drug dealer and has already tried to kill him once. DHS/CPS says they have to do what is in the best interest of the child and in their opinion it is better to live there then with his mother and grandmother who have no criminal record. I worked for the court system until I exposed this information I was then forced out of my job. Don't you just love our government?
I need help to get my little grandson away from a very twisted
unhealthy situation involving a cps child advocate volunteer in
Harrimon, Tennessee. The cps worker is a child I conceived in
rape at 14 and relinquished for adoption and later fornd me. My grandson is NOT HER CHILD. He is the child of my son who I conceived and birthed much later in life (32). I am now 61. MY
little grandson has so many serious health issues in her care
and I believe that he is the victom of her resentment of my son
who I kept and her anger toward me for her relinquishment.He now has brain damage because she purposefully neglicted an ear infection (for quick aadoption of disabled children in Tenn
seizures and heart problems and almost died. He is 3 now. Please
tell me what I can do. She is not even LEGAL family. She resents my son because I kept him and he was not
conceived in rape.
NO one in Tennesssee seems to care. 2064271779
I live in canton ohio I have 2 kids both of my kids are in foster care Im still fighting for my 2 kids we have to all come together in all states we have to stop cps & family court my case worker want my kids to be put for adoption / sale my kids grandmother live in chicago il my kids grandmother had a home study done for placement of my 2 kids the workers in chicago il genied my kids grandmother placement of her 2 grandkids I would like to know more about the interstate compact I need help saving my 2 kids from being put up for adoption I would like for anyone to contact me my e-mail is kindnessohio33@yahoo.com
(welfare warriors) in milwaukee can help you fight aginst cps fraud call 414 342 6662wmvoice@execpc.com
DSS, CPS and all workers absolutely need to be held accountable, and until the law changes to make them accountable I fear there will be many more children dying. Michigan DSS and CPS is terrible and there are alotof children placed into foster homes that are abused, neglected and murdered simply because DSS only does one home visit, along with the fact that they are not held accountable for the children under their care.
Another huge problem with DSS is that for each child placed under their care that gets adopted out DSS gets money from the government for each of those children.
Laws definitely need to be changed!!
FOR HELP AGINST CPS FRAUD CALL(WELFARE WARRIORS)IN WILWAUKEE 414 342 6662 OR EMAIL:wmvoice@execpc.com
It is awful that these people are not being held accountable. Most of the DHR DSS CPS staff are not even social workers - or college educated...they are off the streets! Small towns are the worst because everyone knows someone and any report is biased. The people who are in charge of the welfare and protection of babies and children are often just imbeciles with a "badge" - Most of them wouldn't know abuse if it bit them on their _ _ _!
The sad thing is that CPS is not only failing children that are abused or placing them in abusive situations that sometimes end in death. They are also taking children away from families based on false allegations or they are confusing other things such as poverty and a handicapped parent as neglect. There are studies that prove that unless a child is experiencing actual abuse, they do better if they remain with their parents. If a family needs help that CPS can provide to keep the family together, why do they not do it? Why are the allocations of money so uneven? They are given a very small percentage of funds to keep families together and bonuses and large amounts of money to put and keep children in foster care.
I know they do nothing put, abuse and murder the children with their Foster, drug addict and abusers, like Jacksonville I have been working against this place of monsters, and not rights for the people for sometime now and I will say, I do not know which is more corrupt the Mafia or CPS DCF and Judges. We have proof,
Thank for this many wont even listen we are many, children kidnapped out of school, returned to be killed, They have quota to meet, one even saw a couple waiting for a child. Its all in our archives. God Bless You 727-320-5540
I am a social worker and I work for the gov and I assure you we don't like to leave kids in abusive homes or with people who hurt them but most often are MADE to! In the state of Missouri, CPS does not have the authority to take a child from a home. The Juv office, police officer, or a doctor has to sign a CS-33 before the child can be removed. In the county I work for, we ask to remove children from homes over and over only to be denied by the Juv Office and the court. Then if we do manage to get the approval, the court can and sometimes does send them back or order we place them in relative homes that aren't any better and may be worse than what we got them from. We don't have a choice! This is why CPS turnover is so bad. You get real tired of being given the responsibility to protect children and then not given the authority in which to do it! My heart breaks everyday for the children I serve. I fight day in and day out with the systems of authority to protect my children, but I don't always win:-( I work with a bunch of good people who do what we can with what hand we have been given. I would be first in line to change laws! They do not protect children! I realize parents have rights but children should have the right to not remain or be returned to an abuser. I hate my job but if I wasn't there, how much worse would it be for these kids? Who would fight for them at all? I realize there are some bad workers out there but don't judge us all.
Lisa, I am one of the children that Missouri CPS failed. It is one of the many reasons I do this. I understand your frustration, is there anyway you would be willing to speak out about some of the children that you have failed because of the policies in Missouri, it could help change the laws.
I have been involved with cps since mid sept.2011 my two kids have had bites,scratches ,brused heads ,exsposed to drinking and adult nudity .Worst of all my 4 yr old has a very good idea of what oral sex is.I have filed complaint after complaint.Today I lost pareting time because i have been "TO" agresive for a judge in the Lawrence county Ind court system.I have numorus pics police reports and the kids telling cps there side of the story , not a writen report by a 6 and 4 yr old but any person with some common since can see YES these kids r being neglected.I have been force by a judge to give up parenting time to shut me up .I refuse to be a victim here if my babies r getting hurt than I as a Father will fight with all I know and I know learning is part of the fight I need some sound advice My attorney says every thing will pan out I say bs these kids r being hurt and know way to much about sexal activity. please help
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