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October 9, 2008
David Coughlin
Department of Social Services
24 Farnsworth Street
Boston, MA 02210
RE: JOHN CORREIA (COURT DATE OCTOBER 14, 2008)
REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION OF DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN & FAMILIES FORMERLY DSS-FALL RIVER, MA 02720
Dear Mr. Coughlin:
Thank you for taking my phone call earlier this week. I am writing you requesting that your department please look into DSS in Fall River and my children (Justin Strollo, 13 and Samantha Correia, 10). My children have been going through this for over 7 years and I don’t know where else to turn.
I apologize if I repeat myself and that this letter is lengthy but there are so many details and I didn’t want to leave anything out. I tried to give a timeline and keep the details in order the best I could but it was difficult. Please review this letter and call me with any questions [protected] or cell [protected]).
Everything in this letter is supported by evidence, reports, dismissal letter from District Attorney, etc. My attorney, Joseph Silvia [protected]) has all paper work and his secretary, Dee can fax or email all reports to you. (DSS report, DA report and dismissal letter, Juvenile Court Investigator Report)
I believe DSS did not do their investigation properly in 2001 and still continues to do their job incorrectly. DSS has SUFFICIENT PROOF from a District Attorney my ex-wife Carrie Correia lied regarding an allegation she made against me in 2001. DSS also has proof my children were happy with me and my family for the past 2 years but they are trying to take away my rights as a father.
I BELIEVE DSS is ONLY INTERESTED IN PROTECTING THEIR MISTAKES and have NEVER had my children’s best interest at heart.
I cannot believe a service that is supposed to help families would be allowed to continue to get away with what they have been doing for years. Someone needs to take this serious and correct the problem so this doesn’t happen to other families.
I believe DSS was more interested in building a case against my ex-wife but over the years while they were in the process of building the case and adding more paper work to her file, DSS was putting my children’s lives at risk. DSS made mistakes and my children are caught in the middle and have been for 7 years.
1. DSS never contacted anyone in my family to take my children in 2001 or recently so they wouldn’t be separated. My children are extremely close and I know my son is having separation issues without his sister. I believe this is going to affect my son very badly. I told DSS this and they do not seem to care or take me serious. DSS will not even tell me or anyone in my family if my children are okay.
2. DSS has refused to look at sufficient evidence and legal documentation
3. DSS has left out extremely important facts in their reports, facts that have a severe impact on my children and this case
4. DSS refused to take information from me regarding my children or investigate any of my complaints
5. DSS has worded their reports incorrectly
6. DSS has contradicted themselves
7. DSS has not conducted themselves professional or appropriate
8. DSS (Steve Paquin) has tried to persuade other important people that have authority in deciding what happens to my children’s future
9. DSS has not followed their codes of value or statement according to the State of Massachusetts DCF website
10. DSS has allowed my children to suffer and live in an unstable home for years and I believe has caused my children many problems
11. DSS has not provided my children with proper, consistent medical (mental/emotional therapy) services necessary for them to grow and develop after all that has happened and the way they have been living
12. DSS never returns phone calls
13. DSS has attempted to intimidate me and my family
14. DSS withholds important information
15. DSS knows for a fact that my ex-wife is lying and has lied
16. DSS knows that my ex-wife is conditioning my children to lie and be afraid
17. DSS admits that while my children were with me and seeing me for 2 years nothing bad happened and they enjoy being with me
I know there are so many people with a story but my case is very unique and I appreciate any assistance you can provide. I have a court date at Fall River Juvenile Court on October 14 to decide whether my rights as a father are to be terminated by a judge because of DSS. I do not deserve to have my children taken from me or my family. My family has been through enough and what DSS is doing has to stop.
DSS had a responsibility to my children when they entered my children’s lives in 2001.
There are over 20 allegations of abuse and neglect charges supported and found to be true regarding my children on my ex-wife Carrie Correia in a DSS report that is over 250 pages long dating back to 2002 and yet DSS is trying to take my children from me and my family.
• DSS should have made sure the complaints they were documenting against my ex-wife were resolved and taken care of.
• DSS should not let the complaints be allowed to be continuously repeated for years and affecting my children with a severe impact on them which I believe has caused them issues today and will continue to cause them issues unless treated.
• DSS should have made sure my children were given CONSISTENT THERAPY AND MEDICAL ATTENTION.
• NO ONE IN MY CHILDREN’S LIVES HAVE BEEN CONSISTANT OR A POSITIVE INFLUENCE WHICH IS NECESSARY.
• DSS should have made it MANDATORY AND NOT WAITED UNTIL NOW my ex-wife go to parenting classes on how to parent my children so she could provide a better stable way of living for them.
• In the DSS Report you will see that DSS only gives my ex-wife brochures and attempts to visit her FOR 7 YEARS but never takes important steps to have a strong impact on changing my children’s lives FOR THE BETTER and make sure my children were being assisted or raised safely or with stability.
Over the past year I would tell DSS mostly Steve Paquin while my children were living with me I was discovering that what my children were being taught was definitely going to affect their lives and the way they grew up would be hard to reverse. I learned that my children are being taught to steal, lie and cheat and apparently this behavior that my children are being taught does not matter to DSS. MY CHILDREN ARE AFRAID TO TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT ANYTHING BECAUSE THEIR MOTHER KEEPS TELLING THEM THEY WILL BE TAKEN FROM HER AND SHE WILL GO TO JAIL. MY OWN DAUGHTER TOLD ME SHE CAN’T HUG ME IN COURT OR HER MOM WILL BE MAD AT HER.
• For years DSS let my son continue to not get the medical attention and the medication he needed or therapy.
• DSS would investigate the accusation against my wife, find it to be true and supported and then do nothing. My son has and is still suffering without his medication because of my ex-wife’s inconsistency for necessary doctor appointments and medication. My son attends a special needs school and medication is required.
• DSS continued to let my ex-wife send my daughter to school dirty and smelling like urine for years. My daughter has missed so much school due to not being clean. She has been sent home so many times and missed school. She is 10 in the 2nd grade and there is no reason for this.
• DSS allowed my children to be around a known drug addict and still did nothing.
• DSS allowed my children to be left home alone.
• All these allegations DSS had to follow up on and I believe DSS wrote reports but honestly did nothing to help my children. DSS just added more pages to their file but because nothing was done years ago this hindered my children social, academically and emotionally.
• DSS did not remove my children years ago and took a chance with my kid’s lives knowing my ex-wife was not ensuring their safety or helping them grow into productive adults
Right now my main concern is that my children are separated from each other. Since DSS allowed my children to remain with their mother my children were put in a very dangerous situation. My ex-wife was involved in an armed robbery of the Stop N Shop in Fall River in July 2008. In fact my children were with her when the crime was committed and the police found the armed robber in her home with my children when they were arrested. DSS removed my children from their mother’s care.
Due to her arrest my children have been split up and I don’t even know where they are. My children are very close and they do everything together so I can only imagine what they are going through being apart. My son Justin has special needs and goes to the Bradley School in Portsmith, RI and I believe he will have a separation issue from his sister.
• NO ONE FROM DSS WILL EVEN TELL ME IF THEY ARE OKAY.
• My Aunt and Uncle that are well off financially called DSS because they wanted to give my son and daughter all new school clothes, shoes and supplies.
• NO ONE FROM DSS CALLED THEM BACK!
On the DCF website there is a program called Patch.
Patch connects families to community resources more quickly, minimizing the need for lengthy DCF intervention.
• DSS HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN MY CHILDREN’S LIVES SINCE 2002 AND HAS NEVER TRULY HELPED MY CHILDREN OR RESOLVED ANY ISSUES. THE ISSUES THAT DSS ALLOWS TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN HAVE AFFECTED MY CHILDREN.
Patch prevents unnecessary placement, and places a larger percentage of children in need of placement with their kin.
• DSS NEVER CONTACTED ANYONE IN MY FAMILY IN 2001 OR CURRENTLY TO TAKE MY CHILDREN AND KEEP THEM TOGETHER. I have a number of family members that would have done anything to keep my children with family they are familiar with who loves them and would take excellent care of them. And most important keep my children together.
In 2001 my ex-wife says I attacked her. I was at work at the time she alleges I attacked her in 2001 and had witnesses yet the police immediately believed my ex-wife Carrie and no one ever contacted me, my attorney, my witnesses or family.
Due to the legal system, NOT DSS I never saw my children for 5 years and my case was dragged on and continued for 5 years. I moved to Florida because my ex-wife would have a restraining order on me every weekend and I would wind up in jail because she would lie and say I violated the restraining order. I returned to MA time and time again over the years for court with proof supporting my ex-wife had lied to the DA about everything and the case would keep getting continued. Then the DA would find more evidence proving she was lying. During those years I heard stories from friends and family that would see my children at school and say my daughter would be sent home for being dirty and smelled (My step-mother is a substitute teacher). I found out my son had set fire to his Aunt’s home and sent to a psychiatric hospital and needed medical attention and therapy but my family and I had no way of knowing if my children were receiving the proper care.
• In the DSS report I read that my son never received consistent therapy for any of his issues or actions. DSS makes excuses for my ex-wife. If he did something that could have seriously injured himself or others or have the potential to do something again, why was nothing done or monitored?
My best friend Eric Gifford called me in Florida and said my ex-wife dropped my kids off with him and his wife because she needed to go to the hospital. She arrived in the afternoon 1 day and said she broke her arm but never returned until the next evening. She never called to check on the children or let him know what was going on.
Although things like this were extremely hard to hear I knew I couldn’t see them or help them. Even my family couldn’t be a part of their lives or help them either.
I KNEW IN MY HEART MY EX-WIFE WOULD DO SOMETHING SO BAD ONE DAY THAT SOMEONE WOULD TAKE MY CHILDREN FROM HER. I WAS AFRAID OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING OR COULD HAPPEN IN THE MEAN TIME WITH MY CHILDREN. I KEPT THINKING MAYBE SOMEONE WILL STEP IN AND CALL MY FAMILY TO TAKE MY CHILDREN. I HAVE HAD THE SAME NUMBER FOR OVER 8 YEARS AND ALL MY FAMILY LIVES IN FALL RIVER. DSS COULD HAVE GOTTEN A HOLD OF SOMEONE IF THEY WANTED TO.
NO ONE EVER CALLED MY FAMILY TO EVER TELL THEM WHERE MY CHILDREN LIVED OR HOW THEY WERE OR ASK IF SOMEONE WOULD TAKE THEM.
You can’t imagine what it is like to sit back and know there is nothing you can do and just wait. I waited patiently by the advice of my attorney for 5 years that all the evidence proving that Carrie lied would be heard and I would get my life back and most of all be allowed to see my children.
Eventually, the DA dropped the case and it was thrown out of Superior Court in 2005. My attorney has a signed dismissal letter from the District Attorney. This report stated my ex-wife committed perjury and was caught in numerous lies, the attack never occurred and she is not credible. You can read the report. The damage was done already and years with my children were already lost. PLEASE READ THE REPORT SIGNED BY THE DA TO SEE ALL DETAILS.
5 years is a long time for my family and I to wait to see my children especially knowing that your children are being raised in the projects and on welfare.
After the case was thrown out my ex-wife was calling me while I lived in Florida and letting me speak with my children [protected]. Because of this my girlfriend at the time that is now my fiancé of 4 years and I hoped for the best and decided to move to Fall River, MA at the beginning of 2006. We hoped I would be able to establish a relationship with my children. I started seeing them in June 2006.
My ex-wife would let me see my children as long as I gave her money.
At this time I had no idea that DSS was ever involved in my children’s lives or had been since 2001.
I was so afraid if I did not follow my ex-wife’s rules or cave to her by giving her money, it would be months or maybe years again before I would see my children. I was afraid she would use the children against me and I wouldn’t get to see them. I was afraid she would make up another story if I didn’t do things her way. I couldn’t bare the thought of that again. I felt like I needed to do what she said so I could make sure they went to school clean and I could help them if they had a problem.
Eventually my ex-wife asked me if my children could live with us for a while.
While my children lived with me and my fiancé at the end of October 2006-March 2007, I bought them new clothes, shoes and jackets. My children’s clothes smelled and were to small for my son and inappropriate for my daughter. I never knew my daughter wet the bed so I bought her pull-ups and a mattress cover for her bed. She told me when she lived with her mother she was not allowed to take a bath in the morning and the kids would make fun of her and she didn’t want to go to school. This broke my heart because I know kids can be cruel.
• This is one of the things I reported to DSS and this complaint has been going on since 2002
• Why was my daughter sent to school continuously being embarrassed and humiliated, which so obviously is a factor for her being held back and has other issues?
They had their own rooms with furniture, would do homework, clean rooms, earn chore money, help with dinner, play games with us, watch movies together, take baths and be ready for school every day, have lunch money or snack money.
While my children lived with me I asked their mother for the medical records and doctor’s names. My son needed braces and my ex-wife kept telling me to give him Benadryl to help him sleep for his ADHD. I knew that couldn’t be healthy or safe.
• I eventually reported this to DSS as well and nothing was done.
• Later I read on the DSS report that someone reported my ex-wife was OVER MEDICATING my son to make him sleep.
• Why was nothing done back then or now by DSS? My son could have died and then what?
I wanted to be up to date on what had been going on in their lives. My ex-wife would never give me any information I requested. Eventually my daughter wanted to take cheerleading and we were looking into that for her. We were trying to give them a normal life, a routine and stability. For 2 years that we had been seeing each other we would go to dinner at Roger’s in Somerset, go to the parks, to my families homes for birthday parties and holidays. My fiancé would take them to their mother’s parent’s house in the morning and they would catch the bus to school there. We picked the children up at 5:30 or 6pm every night and they would sleep at my home. When my children first came to stay with me, they had no manners and were dirty. My children were out of control because they had no guidance for so long and were allowed to do what ever they wanted.
At one point I asked my son what he wanted to be when he grew up. He commented that he would get a “check” in the mail like mommy. I sat him down and attempted to tell him that it was wrong and that he could be anything he wanted to be and I would be proud of him. I couldn’t believe that was coming out of my son’s mouth.
My son looked at me as if I was crazy when I said these things to him as if he was confused why I didn’t get a check and he didn’t know what work was. He was 12 and should understand. I knew there was a serious problem and it was definitely going to be hard to reverse the way that my children thought about what was right and wrong.
• I eventually reported this to DSS as well and nothing was done.
• Why is my son even thinking like that and how does this way of thinking help him be a better person?
I had been asking my ex-wife to call my son’s school to release information since 2006. In February 2007 she finally called the school. While my children were still living with me I went to visit my son’s school in Portsmith, RI to see how he was doing and speak with the school psychiatrist. My son was excited that I was visiting his classroom and would get to see what he would do while in class every day. They told us that he needed to have a specific routine to ensure progress and be productive.
We tried to comply with what he needed when at home. Again, we tried to make their lives normal and give my children stability.
In March 2007 while at my doctor’s appointment at Dana Farber in Boston, I received a phone call from DSS informing us that they were investigating Carrie Correia.
DSS asked if they could come to our home. The next day we invited DSS into our home and showed them the children’s rooms and answered their questions.
At this time DSS asked about the allegations from 2001 and asked how long I had the children living with us. I told them I would have my attorney fax the documentation proving my ex-wife lied and the children had been with us for at least 5 months.
I had no idea that DSS was there to tell me I couldn’t see my children. I thought DSS was going to see the good things that I had done while being able to see my children but they were not interested.
• DSS TOLD ME “JUST BECAUSE THE LEGAL SYSTEM CLEARED ME THAT DIDN’T MEAN I DIDN’T DO WHAT MY EX-WIFE ALLEGED”.
• In fact in the DSS report they worded it that my ex-wife Carrie Correia dropped the charges because she did want to keep being put through the legal system and was tired of it.
• That is not true why the charges were dropped.
• The District Attorney dropped the charges because they proved
Carrie was lying and THEY HAD NO CASE
• DSS has legal documentation dismissing all charges against me from a Fall River District Attorney signed stating my ex-wife committed perjury and lied about the allegations she made against me in 2001 and yet DSS still wants to terminate my rights as a father.
It became clear not too long after DSS was in my home that they were not interested in the relationship between me and my children or that Carrie was neglecting them EVEN THOUGH DSS HAD A REPORT THAT IS OVER 250 PAGES LONG ABOUT COMPLAINTS THAT ARE SUPPORTED AND FOUND TRUE FROM SCHOOL OFFICALS, PHYSICAN AND OTHERS REGARDING NEGLECT AND ABUSE CHARGES AGAINST MY EX-WIFE ON MY CHILDREN.
DSS DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT THIS REPORT AT THIS TIME.
DSS did not seem to see that my children were better off with me and my fiancé. Again we were trying to give them a normal routine and a life where they didn’t have to suffer. We were trying to make their lives easier so they could enjoy being children.
DSS did not see that we could provide them with a better way of life.
DSS was not interested in helping my children.
I asked DSS to leave.
My attorney faxed DSS the documentation from the DA supporting that my ex-wife lied.
I received a phone call the next day from Steve Paquin at DSS telling me verbally that I was not to see my children and to return them to my ex-wife.
DSS worker named STEVE PAQUIN has been conducting himself extremely inappropriate for the past year and actually has been caught trying to persuade and influence other officials that have authority to help in the decision making process regarding my children.
I do not trust STEVE PAQUIN and I would like him investigated.
DSS had no court order or ANY written documentation was ever given to me or my attorney ORDERING ME NOT TO SEE MY CHILDREN.
From March 2007 to March 2008 my ex-wife continued to let me see my children every weekend as long as I gave her money.
During this time for 1 year and during the time they lived with us nothing bad ever happened while the children were in our care and in the DSS Report my children state they are happy being with me and enjoy our time and enjoy seeing my family. They also state they have never seen me hurt anyone and I have never hurt them.
My children have admitted to me that they get in trouble by their mother and are told to shut up if they say something fun we did together. My children have admitted that it makes their mother mad so they lie to their mom because they don’t want to make her mad at them. When my children were with me I tried not to ever say anything bad about their mom so that they wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or unsafe as if they couldn’t truly say how they felt or express emotions. They often asked how come we didn’t get along and I told them that if was for grown ups and they would understand one day.
In October 2007, my daughter told my fiancé she did not want to go to Stop N Shop because she wasn’t allowed in the store because her mother was caught stealing DVD’s. We went to DSS and told Steve. We also told Steve again of my daughter going to school smelling like urine and being sent home.
• Steve told us that stealing with your child is not reason enough to separate the children from their mother. Carrie is getting help from DSS and DSS can only hope that she will make better choices.
• Steve said that stealing with your children doesn’t make you a bad mother.
• Steve said told us the story of King Soloman. He said that we didn’t care about my children.
• Her stealing is not listed in the DSS Report.
*I asked Steve at this time, how he could continue to keep allowing my children be exposed to behavior that is damaging to their future. I expressed that I was concerned that because my children were being taught to steal is acceptable that my children would make bad choices later in life and have serious problems. I believe these future problems could be avoided if they are taught different now.
We also told Steve with DSS about another time in 2006 before my children came to live with me about my son’s toothache. My son came to visit and a few times had a tooth ache. The tooth ache was so bad that he cried and woke up in the middle of the night and rocked back and forth until the ibuprophen started to work. He was given an antibiotic to clear up the infection on several occasions and Tylenol with codeine for pain. I asked where the pain medicine was and he said his mother took it. The antibiotic would clear up the infection but then his mother would not take him to have his tooth pulled. My hands were tied because Carrie wouldn’t tell me who the dentist was or let me take him.
• Steve Paquin said that Justin and his mother are close and DSS is working with her on her parenting problems and this is not a reason to separate them. Steve told me that Justin being taken from his mother would be bad for him.
I told Steve I was sorry he felt that way but I believe my son’s mother is damaging my children more than helping them close or not and DSS is assisting her in doing this.
• DSS never helped my son with is pain and I believe my son still has the same problem with his teeth? Why is he made to suffer for so long?
• The complaints I made to DSS I learned after I finally got the report are not anywhere in their report. There were other complaints but nothing I ever said. There were things my children trusted to tell me but DSS did nothing to help.
• Why are my complaints not important, they are my children?
In March 2008 I had my daughter for Easter weekend and was to return her on Saturday night. I picked my daughter up on Friday night (voicemail of Carrie telling me she was ready). I gave Carrie $50. We went to CVS to buy pull-ups and then to Boston Market where my sister-in law works to get cornbread and cookies (surveillance tape of daughter with sister-in-law inside restaurant). The next day Carrie called screaming about wanting more money (cell phone records of her calling at least 5 or more times). I told her I didn’t have anymore. Carrie demanded I bring my daughter home or else she would call the police. I told her to call the police because then I could actually prove my daughter was at my home, something Carrie didn’t want DSS to know. I always used to cave to my ex-wife’s demands because I was afraid I wouldn’t know when the next time she would call so I would see my children. At this time Carrie’s boyfriend Jerry got on the phone and said “Remember John we have DSS on our side”. Jerry threatened me. My fiancé Manda took my daughter to the hair salon, Walgreens (surveillance tape of Manda and daughter in Walgreen’s), my grandmothers, and my brother’s house. Manda and my daughter returned home to dye Easter eggs.
At 7:30pm, my fiancé and I brought my daughter to her mother’s house.
DSS HAS THE FOLLOWING WRONG IN THEIR REPORT
My daughter went up stairs and Jerry and Carrie came down the stairs. They first knocked on the passenger side window where my fiancé was sitting. My fiancé would not roll the window down.
Jerry walked to the driver’s side and I got out of the car. Jerry punched me in the face. Carrie climbed in the car and was hitting and dragging my fiancé out of the car. My fiancé dialed 911 as soon as Jerry hit me so the entire fight was recorded.
You can actually hear Carrie threaten to kill Manda. You can hear Manda screaming get out of my car.
We drove to the police station and the police arrested me
Someone had already called the police and by the time we made it to the police station the police said that Carrie said we had no reason to be at her home and that I attacked her and her boyfriend came out to save her. Carrie said Manda got out of the car and charged her.
• Carrie also told my daughter to lie and say she was not with me Carrie lied on the police report and later admitted in court that she did not have my daughter that day.
• Carrie made my daughter lie by making her afraid and continues to do so:
o My children are old enough to say whether or not they want to see me or live with me but my ex-wife Carrie Strollo Correia has my children so afraid that if they say how they really feel, it will be their fault if their mother goes to jail and she goes away from them or that she will be mad at them.
o She has had many years to condition them.
o It kills me to hear my daughter tell me she can’t hug me in court or else her mom will be mad at her.
The police did an investigation because we went to the Mayor’s office and tell them what happened because we couldn’t believe Carrie was going to get away with lying again.
We gave the police all the evidence contradicting Carrie and proving we did have my daughter
I am still going to court for this case.
• After this happened, we went to DSS to give them the evidence and DSS did not care. They automatically gave me a neglect charge and again did not care that Carrie lied.
• Some how even with a 911 recording of Carrie attacking my fiancé and lying on a police report, surveillance footage of my daughter being with my fiancé, DSS still wants to take my kids from me. DSS can clearly see that my ex-wife is not credible.
I asked in March 2008 for the DSS report and investigation from 2001 to see what exactly was said or done in 2001.
• I did not receive this report from DSS until October 2008 only 2 weeks before the court date.
• DSS made me wait 7 months.
• Also, important information supporting that they could prove my ex-wife was lying on several different occasions for other charges was blacked out on the DSS report
• I also ONLY found out today because my mother called DSS that DSS assigned an attorney to me. The Social Worker never told me who it was. That was very unprofessional because the attorney would have appeared in court without even speaking to me. I don’t trust DSS and I have my own attorney.
• When I read the report, there were so many allegations against Carrie for neglect and abuse. I didn’t know that people were saying the same things I have been saying about my daughter missing school and smelling of urine. And there are so many neglect charges against Carrie because of my son’s medical history. She didn’t keep up with his doctor’s appointments or comply with the school’s IEP plan for him for years, which is necessary for his condition. She continuously lies on the report about why she doesn’t take him or why he misses appointments.
My ex-wife is also was charged with leaving them home alone at night while she goes to work. My son told DSS that she would come home at 2am and he knew this because he can’t sleep at night (ADHD). She said her aunt would come and check on them. You can’t leave children that age home alone in the day time especially at night.
In the report, DSS addresses the issue of my daughter smelling like urine at school and numerous times with Carrie. But they don’t do anything to help my daughter and let it keep happening for years.
Yet when I told DSS about the things my daughter told me, Steve said “some children are just dirty”.
• Again, what I told DSS regarding my children is not in the DSS Report.
It makes me so frustrated because my daughter is not dirty and doesn’t like to be dirty. I told him that my daughter cried to me about kids making fun of her and she wants to live with us and no one would listen at DSS.
In the report from DSS you will also see that my children were interviewed and they say they were happy and enjoy seeing me.
In the past 2 years that I have been seeing my children, nothing has ever bad happened while they were in my care.
DSS still found all of us at fault and neglect for the incident in March even though they have the evidence.
Charges were thrown out by the DA against my fiancé on Carrie because they listened to the 911 call and Carrie didn’t have a scratch on her.
I also asked them to reopen the case and review the items that proved I didn’t do anything to Carrie ever in 2001 or recently.
• DSS said no they would not open the old case again no matter what evidence we had
• DSS did not care about the new evidence from the new charges proving Carrie lied about why we had my daughter that day.
• My fiancé went down to DSS to give them the evidence (surveillance tapes, 911 call, etc and DSS did not want to even review it.
• DSS told my fiancé, that my daughter was with someone else in Walgreen’s when you can clearly see it was the two of them
An investigator for the Juvenile Court system named Keith Quint [protected] came to my home at the end of September-2008. He asked questions about all of the allegations over the years against Carrie. We had no idea that Carrie had so many charges and wondered why was DSS believed her and not helping my children?
• I wondered why DSS never told me about all the other complaints on Carrie when they were in my home in 2007.
• If DSS was truly interested in my children’s well being, why wasn’t anyone contacted in my family for 7 years?
I asked DSS why no one from their office ever (2001) contacted me, anyone in my family or my witnesses to ask about what my ex-wife claimed and why they wouldn’t contact people now since they had new documentation?
I have had the same number for over 7 years and no one every contacted me.
• DSS did not have an answer.
• Why did DSS automatically believe my ex-wife? And okay if DSS initially believed my ex-wife’s accusations, why after I provided DSS with legal documentation from a DA that proved she lied is DSS still allowed to treat me like a criminal and tell me I cannot see my children and break up our family?
I believe DSS is more interested in making a case against my children’s mother Carrie Correia (my ex-wife) all these years and had plenty of repeat offenses and reasons to remove my children from her years ago but did not. I believe DSS was never going to inform me that they were going to take the kids from my ex-wife eventually and that they were building a case against her because they wanted to take them from me as well and if they thought I was not involved in my children’s lives it would be easier.
DSS was shocked when they learned I was seeing my children and that my children lived with me for a while and when DSS discovered this they didn’t know what to do except go back to the past allegations because they don’t have any other reason to keep me from my children. DSS refused to see the good and what is going on with me and my children now.
I am very concerned that a judge is going to read ONLY what DSS has chose to put in their report without having the chance to review all evidence/facts and reports that are so very important to my case.
I have tried to cooperate with DSS since March 2007. Each worked has made it very difficult for me and my family. They have acted unprofessional, purposely ignored important information, withheld information from me, refused to contact me, refused to look at legal documentation, and made a number of serious mistakes that have and will continue to affect my children.
There are so many things DSS could have and should have done different.
According to Angelo McClain, DCF Commissioner for MA, DCF claims the following:
“Every child is entitled to a home that is free from abuse and neglect. The Department’s vision is to ensure the safety of children in a manner that holds the best hope of nurturing a sustained, resilient network of relationships to support the child’s growth and development into adulthood”.
DSS in Fall River did not ensure my children lived free from abuse or neglect for 7 years.
DSS did not ensure safety or nurture a sustained, resilient network of relationships to support my children’s growth and development into adulthood.
I have a good job and can provide for my children. I couldn’t understand why the State of MA would rather pay my ex-wife and allow her to not work for 10 years and be on welfare and let my children suffer when I can take care of my children financially and emotionally. I will make sure they get medical attention and be consistent with their education.
I do not deserve my children to be taken away from me or my family. I never did what my ex-wife said I did or anything her family says. I am not a bad person. I love my children, and will do anything to see them and anything for them. I only want the best for them.
Because of this allegation, my family and I lost 5 years with my children. I can’t go through this again and my children have been raised a certain way for so long, they are seriously affected and need therapy. Everyone claims they care about what happens to my children but I do not believe that to be true.
We have lost so much time together and deserve the chance to have a future. My entire family and I are so exhausted from this long drawn out unnecessary process that DSS has put us through.
Please assist my family in this very important matter and if you are unable or not the correct person, please guide me in the direction of someone that will be able to help us.
Thank you for your time and assistance.
Sincerely,
John K. Correia
Cell: [protected]
Home: [protected]
CC: Department of Social Services (DCF) Fall River
Judge John Spinale, Juvenile Court-Fall River
Please sign my petition to the White House: http://wh.gov/UXOx and share this link for more signatures.
listen johns dead && carries carrie... i love samantha and justin, used to do everything I could for them, their okay now doing better they have a house & a yard. John fails to mention the therapy carrie needs cause of him, but also carrie fails to admit her ways. I used to cry when involved in their lives, because samantha told me everything, from both sides of the fence, i would do anything for that girl. Justin's ridiculously smart, despite his weird ways. && Steve, Carrie's oldest son should be around to guide them as well, coming straight from the horses mouth he knows what it is. so its everyones fault, but those kids especially sam will be all right in life trust that karma is one thing that does come around. And Carries mom, the grandma
my name is tonya sousa i have three girls and two boys my boys was taken from me in june 2010 i was blame for something i did do my sons names are joshua 6 and xavier 4 santiago i been doing every thing that dcf and my laywer telling me to do i miss there b-days and christmas and other holdails went buy miss them is been 10 months well they almost came house this april i had over nights untill march 10 2011 its was pulled from me cause a 51a was reported that i was giving achola to my children pluss to teenagers grils mayliz and thayliz and was supported i would never give any child achola i have done concling parten class and dvc class and lots more i fighting fot my kids this not fair the reason i being blame is cause my kids dad had cusdy of thease grils mayliz and thayliz threw the court guidingship and they are mad at him and they are draging me down but my sons are suffern bad they want to come home and i want they home i cry every dad and night for them i have done everything to get them back and i lost my over nights cause of thease grils i wish i never new them all i want is my kids i go back to court may 92011 in fall river probate cour at 289 rock street my laywer ralph lewis well be there to help me i dont no how dss can supported a 51a with out no proff dcf need to be introuble for this my case is in court cause of this and my little boys are not the same kids cause of dcf my kids had burseing and marks and they dont do nothing about it i miss them and when i done there will be no dcf please help me contact me [protected] my kids need people like u to come forward and more good luck on other partents getting your kids back tonya please help me and thank you its for by joshua and xavier they have two sister that miss them samantha 9 cortney 8 they love them allways asking when they coming home
Well regardless what this man has done or not done is irrelevant. He is 100% right about dss. They do not try to help the families or the kids. They get bonuses for every kid that's adopted through dss. They lie about everything. Make u look bad in the eyes of the court. Just so they can get what they want. We went through it for 3 years. My girls kids were taken and adopted by a fall river police officer as if that ain't a conflict of interest. He knew everyone in the dept of dss, the judges, the police that constantly harrassed us and made us look bad. Meanwhile the kids were in their custody while the mother smokes weed everyday with them in the house. Good foster home. The kids came into a visit at the dss office and explained to there mother what a junkie was and said there was one at their foster home.. They were 4 and 5.. Dss did nothing. Nothing to help us. And the worst part it we called them for help. And they totally screwed us. Which made my girl turn to alcohol and then drugs and she tried to [censored] a few times. They did nothing to help. All they did was make it worse so they wouldn't have to deal with her anymore. It's been 5 years. To this day she has no idea where her kids are and has never seen them since.. I got her clean and she has been fine since then. Now we have 2 children of our own and both were born out of state because of fear. We constantly live in fear of dss coming after us and kidnapping our kids. They don't help families they break them up and get paid to do it...
Hello Mr. Coughlin,
My cousin has been in Fall River DCF custody for about 12 years now. My cousin has been abused by her foster mother (aunt Denise) for 10 years now. Denise has done everything from trying to solicit this child at the age of 8, to spitting in her food at the age of 13. She has been removed and placed back. My mother and I attempted to be involved, but DCF worker Connie Perierra was sure to make that difficult. My mother and I wrote a letter to the Governor, and Ombudsman, and was able to at least get visitation. After my cousin was placed back with her abuser, she was abused all over again. My cousin has repeatedly reported this information to her worker Connie Perierra, but Connie never seemed to investigate situations. My cousin feels lost and doesnt know what to do and who to trust. She's only 13, and her worker has done nothing to protect her. My mother wrote a letter to Director of Fall River DCF on 10/22, had a conversation with Steven P. (in person) on 10/20, and n-one has responded! Connie is taking 3 -6 weeks to run a CORI check on my mother and refusing to give her individual visitation. My mother's CORI is spotless! These people are covering up plenty of abuse. We need to unite and get this office investigated. I called Governor Deval Patrick asking for action. Many of us should do the same!
Seems to me almost all of your comments are out to get either John or Carrie. We are forgetting the problem with DCF.
We too are "experiencing DCF" and have dealings with Steve Paquin and his associates. You can say what you want about John...I cannot dispute or support who he is or what he has done. I can tell you from our own experiences DCF is exactly what he has written. They only care about "reunification" and omit, dismiss and ignore anything that the Foster parent says regarding the child/children.
It appears they are only interested in pushing the cases through...another notch on the old belt.
I have nothing good to say about their organization. I think Destruction of Families and Children would be a much better name for them!
I have witnessed the abuse on his children with my own eyes and experienced it so seriously whoever is writing this SHOULD NOT write or comment about something YOU DO NOT KNOW unless YOU LIVED WITH HIM (JOHN) NOT YOUR ABUSER! YOUR WORDS MAKE YOU SOUND VERY IGNORANT because each victims experience and reasons for staying are their own individual reasons...not everything is the same as your experience. You do not know the whole story or situation. It is not cut and dry, it is 5 years worth of things that have happened and more for the kids going back to 2001.
You never heard Carrie say anything bad about John, that is hilarious actually. I know exactly what that girl was thinking when she punched him and kicked him in the face when a fight broke out in front of her house in March of 2008 between her boyfriend, John, her and I. When John was fighting with her boyfriend she snuck in and punched and kicked JOHN right in the face. Why not get a hit in while she could except this time JOHN couldn't hit her back. God not in front of anyone, that is sarcasim in case you don't understand that since you can't type in english so I am not sure if you can understand it either. Carrie was paying John back for years of ### that he put her through I am sure. Take her back, then while they are together play games and do more abuse and then throw her away, make her beg for money to take care of his children. He is PATHETIC. All that pent up aggression she had. I know the way it feels. When your alone with John, you can't do anything back to him because he is a man and a lot stronger and takes pleasure in making women afraid of him. HE IS A SICK PERSON.
Please she doesn't have anything bad to say, OK, whatever you say. Do not let him fool you that he is this great father or gives a ### about his children because he ONLY cares about HIMSELF. Everything that man does he has an alterere movtive behind it and it is for his own selfish needs.
The physical and mental abuse that John (Johnny) NOT Johny or JONY committed IS RELATED to his children's case.
He is an abuser and he DID ABUSE his children. I don't care what you say about the kids mother. I don't particularly like her much but they love her, I know that. I could say bad things about her and say she shouldn't get her children because I don't like her for what she did to me but that wouldn't be right. I have heard how the kids speak of her. They love her and she is all they know. They feel safe with her even if she let them go to school dirty or she may have made bad decisions that affect her children (we all do at times not on purpose), she may not say anything bad about John now but none of that matters because SHE IS SUFFERING CONSEQUENCES FOR HER ACTIONS. SHE IS HAVING TO GO TO COURT. SHE DID HAVE THE KIDS TAKEN AWAY FROM HER. Her actions have gotten her in trouble and she is paying the price. DSS is trying to help her get the kids back and help her with a better plan to take care of them because she is all they have known. I hope everything works out because the kids well being is the most important thing.
JOHN MAKES A CONSCIENCE DECISION TO DO THINGS HE DOES BEFORE HE DOES THEM YET JOHN HAS NEVER SUFFERED CONSEQUENCES FOR ANYTHING HE HAS EVER DONE!
Those children are NOT better off with him.
I feel bad that the kids are seperated too but their love and friendship will never stop not even if they are seperated for while. They still get to see each other at the DSS office every week. Do not let John fool you since he CAN BE very nice in fact he is nice and fools a lot of people...do not let him fool you because he buys the kids presents. Anyone can do that. What about when they are sick, he screams at them and blames it on their mother that she should take better care of them. What about when they need help with school work, I helped them he yelled. I had to rip him off of his son once after he attacked him because his son was taking too long on his school work.
His children are afraid of him and one of them didn't want to come back over anymore.
John has no idea how to be a parent or cope with anything to set a good example on how to be. All John knows is how to put fear into people, how to control people. In fact he (we) went to court just to get out of making child support payments saying he was sick and couldn't work...which was a lie! Don't believe everything you hear. The abuse John is capable of always has been related since 2001 and always will be. That is why DSS fights so hard to keep him away from his children. DSS understands the dynamic and significance of his abuse and are trying to prevent it from continuing the cycle with his children. They have already witnessed mental and physical abuse from him. If it continues they will grow up and choose the same kind of spouse or become the abuser themselves.
DSS IS DOING THE RIGHT THING TO KEEP THEM AWAY FROM HIM. DSS has made mistakes before but they are not making a mistake with this case against John.
John has abused his children and even gone as far as to abuse my son (who is not related to him) and his own nephew. He has abused me in front of his children and my son. He is a bully and knows who he can and can't abuse. He does not have a problem with anger management, he has a problem with control and power which leads to abuse.
The only reason he wants to win those kids is plain and simple...IT ALL COMES DOWN TO MONEY AND POWER!
1. He wants to win them like the are a prize and the status that comes with it and worse hold it over their mothers head. It is the first thing he talks about when he meets someone. When we met it was "oh poor me, I can't see my kids". Yet he forgets to tell people the real reason behind why he cannot see the kids.
2. If he did win the kids, he wouldn't have to pay child support but HE WOULD NOT BE THE PRIMARY CARE GIVER, I would have taken care of them or someone else will like his grandmother or his mother, not him. He has asked a number of people in his family if he worked on the road would they take care of the kids while he was gone. We actually went to court while we were together to stop Child Support payments because he claimed he couldn't work due to stress and being sick. He could sit around all day and play video games and was perfectly fine. It must be nice to work for the union and trick people into believing your sob story while others work hard. Great character and morals, right?
JUST MONEY does NOT make you a good parent! Kids need the parent around not just working, but he is not capable of being a good father when he is around either.
Again I repeat do not let him fool you into thinking he gives a ###. We have been thrown out of the mayor's office, congressman's assistant office, family therapy because of his behavior. DSS was going to call the police on him when he went down to their office and threw a temper tantrum to get his way and when he didn't get his way, he threatened people. Is this the kind of behavior that is appropriate to teach children?
The best thing he could do and for the first time in his life is be unselfish and leave his children alone and do the right thing. He only makes it worse for them and honestly for himself by continuing to do what he does and causes more madness. HE sounds like a fool constantly explaining the story over and over to anyone that will listen. He knows deep down inside that he has a problem and needs real batters abuse treatment and that he is not capable of really taking care of them so why continue to drag them through anymore. The kids don't deserve it.
WHEN HIS OWN FAMILY, HIS OWN BLOOD AND FRIENDS THAT HE HAS HAD FOR 20 YEARS DO NOT THINK HE SHOULD HAVE CUSTODY OF HIS OWN KIDS...THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING...THERE IS A GOOD REASON HE SHOULDN'T HAVE HIS KIDS.
THE ABUSE THAT JOHN IS CAPABLE OF IS INCONCEIVABLE AND I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND IT! BUT THAT IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE THEN I WOULD BE JUST LIKE HIM IF I COULD UNDERSTAND IT! A GREAT FRIEND ONCE TOLD ME THAT!
Ok so I dont know who you are but I know all the ppl involved and carrie was abused the whole time they were together she couldnt go to work because he would accuse her of sleeping with someone while he was the one cheating he treated his motor bike like a wife not carry he would brag about the abuse he did to her like wow your feet realy came off the floor high this time and would laugh how awful is that he would put his kids in a room and not let them out because with John as always "I cant handle anything because of the stuff Im going through" those are his words not mine that girl went through hell while she was with him no wounder she has done the things she has done as far as Manda goes he took a independant women and tried to pull her so far down that she wouldve been nothing if she wouldnt have got out when she did Now lets talk about the kids well they would be better off left where they are at because when they are with him he ignores them and when he does talk to them its yelling and screaming or putting them down John blames everyone else for his problems but he should look in the mirror but when he does that he cant handle it he cuts himself tries to hang himself but only for show because he wants pitty Wow what a way to live having everyone feel sorry for you . He wrote a note saying he would start drinking at 10 then go to his grandmothers and seek revenge for family betrail he has a good family I wish I had a family who treated me the way they treat eachother He is jelouse of his brother and tries putting him down whenever he can but his brother has done more good than john could ever do I have been a person who knows all aspects of these ppls stuff I am a friend of the family who doesnt get involved but sees all the damage this man has caused to himself others his grandmother But only those who allow him to
m a person hos been suffering for almost 40 years with domestic violence no body should be going threw this i never call the cops he never went the jail for he use the beat me with my hid on his body on hole cast on with car accident i was pregnant 7 months i put my son on front of me he cant not beat me and he did beat me i have very bad stories on my on life i ask why JONY girl friend live with him if treat her very bad why she did call the cops and put restraining order against him the leave his ex wife Carie she never talk bad against him at all one time only say what happened about and separated i repeated she never talk bad about JONYi belive the fiance say i feel bad for her too nobody deserves the been treat bad m concerned about the kids been separated if i know the kids living thogueter i been relaxed m pray the god for this happen well JONY if u need help go for for the fiance i wish the best for u too and for carie too
the mom see those kids m hoping the kids going back thogueter i understand its a very uncomfortable situation for those kids not living on clean daily living was well for some reasons see use the bring the kids for doctors m sure the doctors did see the kids are not in good condition just because the fathers abuses the mom never talk the kids about his father witch Johny whatever lives with her shes considering the kids father the me its not fair not tell the kids hos the father Carrie she does working she should clean the house and take good care of those kids its too late now im sure if DSS told her the do the right thing she will do about the drugs nothing happened with the Carrie we know maybe years late we cant blame DSS yes always for do nothing the helped those poor kids and the boy friend instead punch JOHNY should find a good job if wants live in the house do nothing all day hope the kids be back thogueter
well m not against the father situation with any girl friend this nothing the do with the kids not the be clean for many times dss went the her house and see the condition the house and she did nothing about cause on her mom minds she things everything shes good well dss on her self must be a dirty person too why DSS did help the mom the take care those kids all i cant say my heart its broke those kids already been suffering and now gets put away this not fair at all on my opinion those kids should stay the father m not say the father abuses the girl friend or not hes not abuses the kids too many times DSS went the her house she never open the door DSS did nothing about the find out if the kids are OK or not m blame DSS DSS not the father not the mom m very upset my prayers goes for those kids
im very concerned what happened those kids poor kids i know very well its too bad we have the came this point the take away those kids are very attached we cant not live separated if please put those kids with some family member thogueter i know Samantha and Justin are the best friends m feeling so bad i do understand the mom situation and the kids not be clean well DSS is involved for many years and did nothing the helped those kids the me its not fair at all take the kids away and put separated i cant imagine how those kids been cried my god m not against the mom even shes a lair no mom deserves the kids away about the father does mater his record his been take care those kids for the last months the mom should keep her mouth shut and leave the kids there m sure the father loves his kids i know for sure the mom shes the ### for not let the father see his kids not fair at all my heart its broke for reading this those kids use the love me and my family i read everything about the father
I am John's ex fiance Manda and I don't know who wrote the above statement (KSJ) but they took the words right out of my mouth. It is obviously someone that does know John.
I was with John for almost 5 years and his mental/emotional abuse started in the beginning and changed to include physical violence not long after we met. He changed me into a person that my friends, family and I don't even recognize. The psychological damage is irriversible and has effected everyone in my life in one way or another including his children. My son is now going to be 16. He didn't live it everyday like I did but he knew what was happening and witnessed the physical violence a few times. My son would hate to even be on the phone with me because he could hear John in the background. He has so much anger and feels defenseless and powerless that he couldn't help his mother. I feel awful that I stayed with John so long and during that time my son was growing up in the position that he felt the need to protect me when it was out of his control. This way of life has caused severe depression, anxiety, panic, loss, sadness, fear, nightmares, stress, can't function, anger, regret, self doubt, weakness, etc. I live every day in fear and believe John may carry out his threats one day. My son has to go to counseling as well.
John feels entitled to say and do as he pleases with no regard for others. He has no regard for his actions and then blames others for EVERYTHING. John's actions cause consequences that he doesn't like but he doesn't see it that way or think he should have any reprocutions. DCF is and has always been trying to protect his children from him with good reason. They are not perfect and every system has flaws but they are trying to help his children. They have rules to obide by and John doesn't see that either. If you take the time to get to know John it won't take too long to find out who the real John is. The reason DCF is involved with is children is exactly for the right reasons. John is an abuser and needs help through a serious batter's program. Even then I don't know if that would change anything. I do not believe he even sees anything as wrong because he doesn't think it is inappropriate to act that way. He treats people as objects and disrespects women. He has no regard for other human beings. I am sure there are other people in Fall River and all over the country that have issues with DCF and we see it all the time on the news about DCF. There is more to the above complaint than John tells. He doesn't tell the parts that would of course show just cause for DCF to want to keep him from his children.
The reason I say abuser and not just angry or out of control is because John's behavior is calculated and manipulating. He actually has time to make choices and decide whether or not to hit me. His abuse wasn't out of angry or blind rage or losing his temper. He can control himself and have restraint if he chose to but it is like he gets pleasure out of it and has made jokes in a sick way. He one time took the time to wrap his hands in yellow fighters tape, both hands and while doing it all along knew what he was about to do to me. He saw the fear in my eyes. He wanted to make a point at any cost to me. He chased me from the bedroom and punched me in the back of the left ear on the bone 3 times knocking me down. He said after to me "you are the kind of woman that needs to be made afraid", "I am a fighter, I know right where to hit you where no one will see it"! On a different occasion John stood over me with a razor knife while I sat at the kitchen table and said to me "you think your abused, where do you want me to cut you". Another time he punched me in the back of the head and I went from one side of my kingsize bed to the other. John said "wow your feet came off the ground far this time"! After punching me in the back of the head I sat in the kitchen crying he said "oh now your going to punish me now". What, I am punishing you? I even brought it up to him towards the end saying "I can't take this anymore, you can do keep doing this". He said "if you say or do something I don't like I can't guarantee you that it won't happen again"! Always the following day he would just act like nothing had happened and then it would start all over again. On a different occasion he drove me to Freetown using North Main Street and while driving said "I should kill you and leave you out here and just say you left me again".
This is why I say he is an abuser. He has choices and chooses to say and do these things but would still wonder why I would leave him.
The last time was one of the most brutal attack I have ever experienced from John. I was packing my things to leave and should have never went to my house with out police protection that night. He never stopped punching me in the head, forehead, temples, ears, arms and back of head and neck. He was punching so fast and I was trying to protect my head and face. He slammed my head over and over into the floor by holding onto my hair. He put me in a choke hold me from behind so hard I was off my feet struggling and kicking. I kept pulling on his arm around my throat to get free and some nails broke off. I had bruises from elbow to wrist, huge lumps on my forhead that turned black and blue black and then turned nasty yellow on temples/forehead, marks on my face, cut over and on right eye and on cheek and a scrape/cut on my neck. It took me days to be able to put my head on a pillow and still have trouble swallowing.
John's children do deserve better than what they have experienced in their short lives. They are great kids and actually for everything they have been through still seem happy but are definately not the children they may have been if none of this happened to them. They need to be around positive people that can teach them how to cope with life in positive ways. They need to be taught to stand up for themselves. They need to learn closure and how not to hang on to things and to not try to hurt others on purpose. They need to know if they are being manipulated and learn how to be assertive (not aggressive) and know that it is okay to be upset or have a greivance but how to resolve issues. They need to be around people that believe in communication, resolution and patience. They need to be taught that they are valuable, deserve good things. They need to be taught that everyone is different and not every one thinks the same or is perfect. Humans make mistakes and have flaws but just try your best and believe in yourself. Try to always do the right thing and have a conscience. They don't need to become adults that blame their past on who they have become. They need to see it, live it and not just hear it with good role models and people who set good examples. They need to see mature and responsible adults. John cannot give them that. John has such a different way of thinking. His way of thinking is sick and distorted. It had to be his way or else and you had to think like him or else. He has to be right and will fight with you until he actually changes his own stories. John wants to win everything, every time and he won't back down. At any cost he is going to be right and win. He sees no other side but his own on every issue. Everything that comes out of his mouth is yelled not discussed or even talked. He would even be upset if I spent more time with his children playing games/cards or doing anything else where he was not the center of attention. John needs attention all the time and has admitted that he does bad things to get a reaction because I wasn't paying enough attention to him.
John wanted to win and beat his ex-wife just to show that he won the kids. It wasn't about trying to make a better life for them. He wanted to hurt her (his ex-wife) and trying to take children away is the best way to hurt a mother. She is not perfect either but she did take care of them the best she could and they love her. She never received any child support from John since 2001. He said he couldn't divorce her because he was going through a trial for years and he wasn't allowed to get a divorce. I asked an attorney if that was true that you cannot divorce someone when on trial. The truth is he didn't want to divorce her because then he was liable for child support. Every time she would call and ask for money he made it seem as if she was wrong for asking. He even tried to brib her with money into signing the children over to him. When we would have them, his time and attention was not on them. They were always with me. He would buy them things but he bought me things. He thinks that is the only thing people need. He misses out on that people need love and compassion and have emotional needs as well as financial. They loved helping me cook or do laundry. They liked to help and we made it fun. John and his mother speak very badly about the children's mother in front of them and that is not right. Even if anything he might say about her is true, the kids don't need to hear any of it. John screamed for me to come in the living room one night. He said "when I call you, your supposed to come now". His 8 year old daughter said to me after I walked back into my room "if a boy yelled at me I wouldn't like him, you shouldn't either". I said back to her "if a boy is mean to you or yelled, yes you should run and not be with him". She said "you should". When Carrie cut Samantha's hair one time, John said "don't let your mother cut your hair again, no doctor or lawyer wants a girl with short hair". I took him in the kitchen and told him not to say things like that to her or she will have more insecurities than little girls already have and think there is something wrong with her". It started a bad fight.
One of the worse parts is I spent years listening and believing every lie, allowing him to control and manipulate every aspect of my life and if I didn't obey a fight would start and then physical abuse would begin. He wouldn't even say he was sorry that often only if he really thought I was going to leave. But even then I would still get blamed for how I acted and he would say I made him act that way or pushed his buttons. In fact he would do something so bad and then not say sorry but actually fight with me until I would be so exhausted I would just agree with him that I caused it or else it would keep getting worse.
I was controlled from how long I could talk on the phone with my son and when and how long I could go visit him in FL to my money being direct deposited into his account, to when I could go to the store, to who my friends were. As well as when I should call into work or not, if I could use my car, if I deserved cable or electric to what I wore or didn't wear. I could go on but there are too many. It was always something and would be forever like that with John. He was never happy and I couldn't do anything right. It was a lose lose situation. I could agree with him one minute and he would change what he said and expect me to agree with the changes the next minute. He stopped working at one point and said he cannot deal with stress and the next day he said to me "you are supposed to tell me to go to work". What, I couldn't tell him ever what to do if I tried. He would twist the stories to accomodate himself.
I tried harder to do the things he said he wanted and that I thought would make him change the way he treated me but it just got worse. If I disagreed with him, had my own opinion, expressed feelings, needs, thoughts or even spoke the abuse would escalate because he has the mentality that you shouldn't dare not agree with him or do what he says. There were times when I wouldn't speak out of fear and he would try to provoc me worse to get me to speak. He also called me every name in the book and convinced me to believe him that I was to blame for all of his actions. I actually felt bad for him as if his excuses for doing it made it okay. It was always some excuse... he had cancer, he had been through so much in his life, he didn't have his kids, court, DSS and cops, work is stressful, bills, I earned the way he treated me, I shouldn't have ever told the police because now he is never going to see his kids, I was another woman ruining his life, I thought I was so beautiful and think everything is owed to me, but I deserve nothing, your just like Carrie, etc. I spent more time trying to defend myself begging and crying that I wasn't like that and no that is not what I said or I didn't mean what I said that way or saying your right I should have listened. My counselor told me that every time I tried to discuss things with John it was like pouring gasoline on the fire. He always had me so confused I didn't know what to believe at any point in time or whether I was coming or going. I learned later at counseling that was one of the tactics abusers use to keep you always guessing and confused. If there was silence or peace for a day, it was scary because that meant something was about to happen but you didn't know when but I knew he would explode. Towards the end after having discussed a safety plan through Domestic Violence counseling I would put sneakers on or sleep with them on just in case. John would drag things on to 2, 3 4 sometimes 7 am. If he was nice which was out of character and I took the bait but later he would throw it in my face and use it against me. At the times he would explode he would sometimes try to [censored] and then attack me because I did or didn't try to stop him. I never really knew if he wanted to die or if it was for attention. I also would try and help but I don't think he really didn't want my help, he wanted to still fight and blame me for why he was acting that way.
In 2006, John threw me in the bathroom sink and the back of my head hit the bathroom mirror. He said "my daughter talks about you all the time and loves you, if you leave me again, I will kill you. My son who was 13 at the time and was visiting from FL and heard something. My son wasn't little anymore and knew what had been happening. I came out of the bathroom and acted like nothing was wrong even though he must have heard me scream. My son wanted to call his father and John didn't want him to. John kept saying "don't you let him call him". I said "I can't tell him he can't call his father besides he didn't see anything". John drug me from the bedroom by my hair and choked me on the couch. My son ripped him off of me and said "if you hit my mom again I will kill you". John drew his arm back as if he was going to punch my son. I was in the middle of them screaming. I could feel my son's heart beating so hard as I put my hand on his chest to keep them apart. John's ridiculous reason was because I took his daughter to his friends house and didn't listen to him. John also wanted me to not send my son home but the next day I made him get on the plane back to FL. John later would say you better tell your rat son to keep his mouth shut so DCF doesn't find out. My mother had sent the police to my house after my son did tell her what happened. I defended John and said it didn't happen. I actually defended him so many times. John threatened me and wanted me to lie and say what he did to me in 2008 never happened to help him at court with DCF. He never cared about the damage he has caused and he never will.
John's abuse has nothing to do with mental disease or disorders. Mental disease does not cause abuse. John will do this again to another woman, but he won't ever do it to me again.
I believed all his stories about the children's mother and learned slowly that it was not her. It was him and now he was doing the same to me. He tried to discredit her and made her out to be a monster. I thought helping him get the kids was the right thing to do because I believed him that she was so bad. I knew what he was doing to me was wrong but I wanted him to change. I think I wanted to believe that it was her so I had a reason to stay with him. I defended him. I never called the police until 2008. Police were called but I would lie for him. I think back and I remember in the beginning I used to say to myself he couldn't have tried to kill her because why would someone go back to someone that would hurt you. I thought that until I was the one who kept going back to John time and time again. I felt like I was her. I am truely sorry and regretful for not disclosing this information earlier.
NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT NO MATTER WHAT EXCUSE INCLUDING THAT THEY HAVE HAD CANCER OR BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH IN THE PAST TO HIT, PUNCH, CHOKE, KICK, GRAB, PUSH, PULL HAIR, TWIST WRISTS, SMASH SOMEONE'S FACE INTO THINGS, TRY TO STAB OR ELECTROCUTE, THREATEN LIVES USING FEAR AND MANIPULATION TO CONTROL LIVES, ETC-NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO ABUSE SOMEONE ELSE!
Some photos of injures 2 1/2 days later-photos from hospital or other detective not available.
Anyone who knows John Correia and what he's capable of knows that loving his children or anyone else for that matter is impossible. he's a sick, twisted man with major psychiatric issues. He's an abuser and a mad man and needs to not be anywhere near his children or any other human being for that matter. Check out his criminal record - ask his "fiance" (now his ex-fiance who had to flee to a shelter after one final MAJOR beating from him). Poor pitiful me is his mantra - it's never him, ALWAYS someone else or the system. Get some help John Correia - that's the best thing you can do for your children - let them stay in the system - they have a better chance of surviving at this point in their lives. I hope you never see them again.
I am a foster mother to a child who i have had since birth. Lets see almost three yrs and her parents are giving the prasie even when they didn't get into her life until she was 13months.(right before the court date for adpotion). I was also in DSS custody and was bounced around it doesn't help any child. not all will be able to strive. I did strive and will continue to try to stand up and be a voice for children. I am only 21 and have written a essay about DSS ...
The Department of Children and Families also known as DSS, is not always for the children in the departments custody. I have been involved with DSS almost all my life, as a child in need of services and now as a foster mother, I know what its like on both ends. Not all children in the departments custody succeed in life. There is more children in the departments custody who age out of the system at the age of eighteen, who end up turning to drugs, violence, or depression. Then on the other hand it does do some good because there are people who need the department to interfere in their parenting skills and have their child/children placed into a home where they will be raised properly, for the time being.. If the Departments caseworker’s would only improve some of their procedures and follow a individual guide line to each case then the children might be a little better off. They always drag the process on about reunification with the bio parents and the children in the departments custody. Most of the workers for DSS employees are under qualified. The Department of Children and Families just needs to improve some of there procedures in order to be more for the children in need of services.
DSS always drags the process on about “reunification”. I have had my foster child since birth, she is almost three. She started visits with her bio parents maybe five times since birth until she turned fifteen months. Then her bio mother started visits with her when she was fifteen months, for 1 hour a month supervised at the Fall River DSS office, that lasted for about three months. Next it was twice a month for two hours supervised, which lasted about two months. Then it started once a week for three hours supervised, which lasted about three months. Next it was a day visit once a week from 9a.m. to 4p.m., for about two weeks. Then it went to over nights once a week, every two weeks DSS would add on an extra day to the overnights. Then said in two weeks she’ll be going home for good. During all time visits would increase my foster child’s behavior would be out of control. She would bite herself, hit me and my children, she just wasn’t
herself. When DSS moves so slowly with the process of “reunification” the child becomes lost and confused because they don’t know what’s going on or really know their bio parents.
The Department of Children and Families has a lot of employees who are under qualified. They do have a degree in social work but don’t have any personal experience with parenting. How is some one who doesn’t have children going to come in your home and tell you your not raising your child/children properly?. They are book smart, but no child/children comes with a manual to read. So what would they do in that situation? They are mostly young, childless, right out of college with no experience to tell you that you are neglecting your child and pull them from you. Every parent has there own way of raising their child/children. Don’t get me wrong there are parents who do neglect their child/children who do need their child/children taking away, and that’s were DSS will come into play.
The department also needs to set up an individual guide line for each child, that fits their needs. My foster child, who I have had since her birth almost three years ago, goal is still reunification. The department should set limits/time lines for reunify child with bio parents. Victoria only seen her birth mother a total of three times from birth until she was fifteen months old. She now visits with her bio parents but is having a hard time with the concept. She doesn’t know who they are Then DSS said to me “in two weeks Victoria will be going to live back with her bio parents, but we are going to leave your case open for five months just in case something happens.” that’s not right I shouldn’t have to live my life on hold because the department can’t make up their minds. They said “we have to see if she sinks or swims but, if her bio mother sinks
she’ll come back to you.”they are just playing head games with Victoria’s emotions and life.
The Department of Children and Families does help some of the children that do enter states care. The department is a great resource to have available to anyone in need of services but,
on the other hand there are draw backs. Department has so many children in custody that they are not always for helping to improve the children’s lives. Then you have the DSS caseworker’s that drag on the process of “reunification”, which is always their number one goal. Also, most of the departments employees are under qualified, they need some kind of hands on training with a college degree. The department also needs to set up an individual guide line for each child, that fits their needs. If the department improved them procedures I believe making the proper changes the
department will be in favor of the children rather then only working on the goal of “reunification”.
Sincerly,
Felicia M. Amaral
I totally agree with Mr. Correa that DSS has failed his family and children as well as many other children in the DCF system. I myself have been asking for help from the DCF system for over a year and a 1/2 regarding a Guardianship I took on a minor child. the system failed to help me with this child and services needed. I asked the state several times since last Oct. 07 to step in and help with the guardianship to be reversed and changed to Child Specific/Kinship Guardian of this minor child who was in desperate need of services, services in which i was told I was on my own because I was guardian and not a foster parent which would have entiled him to a higher level of serevices from the state. Instead i along with his sisters guardian attended court 4x's to get guardianship something we feel the state pushed us towards so their responsibilities would be complete. Instead right now the minor is in DYS custody charged(accused) witha felony of Grand Larceny which is beleived to have been committed by a foster brother who ran from the house several days before and told him he was doing it so run. He was missing for 5 days. He turned himself in after we went and placed Missing posters around his neighborhood. No one was looking for him. he was ritting of as a runaway foster child and thief? Wheres the state now. He was in a specialized foster care system where no needs were being met. He had no formal counseling except for 1 visit from the time he left my house in May until now! I have been called on at least 3 occasions becuase he was out of medicine for his mental health issues. I don't just blame DCF for it but also the Mentor program who he was in specialized Foster Care. Instead of saying the system failed him and the mentor placements failed him he is viewed as being disrespectful and the DCF office is going to catorgarize me as a Level 1 as neglectful when they DCF should have a 51A filed on themselves and the mistakes and neglect they have giving to this minor child. I am still and have always been the only one advocating for this child. I will continue to advocate with or without the depts. support. I know in my heart I will be better off just doing it myself because they have only hurt not helped this minor child.
I have contacted a local state rep. who has been the only helpful person to me right along. My worker, though supportive to me has his hands tied because he has to. I am willing at anytime to join with you to help make the system better FOR ALL CHILDREN?FAMILIES involved in the system. Even 1 small change could help to make a difference!
I was actually accused by the Area and Regional Directors of trying to "manipulate" the system! Who's manipulating who?
Sincerly,
Maria Ozella