I am in the middle of my own CPS case and also am amazed at what this agency gets away with. My son, age 15, called 911 to complain about my not having his ADD medication and accusing me of taking it. He had lost 15 pounds though I had started giving him his own cart at the grocery cart to ensure he'd eat by choosing his own food. He had gained three pounds and climbing when he made the call. I also had taken him back to his doctor for several visits in the previous two weeks to get advice. What "getting a little grumpy at night from the medicine wearing off" to the doctor was actually a full blown loud verbal foul mouthed attack at me every night for months on end. With only two weeks of school left to go, I was trying to just slide in home before any drastic alteration, taking the abuse stoically until then. Instead, CPS accused me of general abuse and the case worker blatantly twisted my answers to her interview not believing a word I said in my own defense. I tried to explain that at 15, he wasn't aware of the chemicals changing his perception of his daily reality. He was too inexperienced to know his own body. Additionally, the fact is he was raised without alcohol in the house nor did he watch adults having "Happy Hour" as my generation and I did. What I find so difficult is not just digging deep into my unorganized files to find the documentation, but to choose the right verbal presentation and examples necessary to change one's already made up mind.
The consensus of opinion from outside legal advice is to save my money and not spend it on a private attorney as the department is so strong that it usually gets the court to agree with the case managers. In my case, this is actually the product of an inheritance issue whereby my sibling and niece have used my son to make two previous 911 calls that even though determined to be unfounded, are being resubmitted as evidence in this case. Each one was followed by a phone call from them full of accusations against me resulting in my being thrown in psychiatric hospitals and tied down by the city police. After the second experience, I relentlessly called non-emergency numbers for the police department getting hung up on and having my messages ignored until finally a might shift Commander, Lt. Cook, actually listened to me. He was so patient and attentive I had to ask if he was still there. His short but to the point response was "Get a lawyer; a Civil Lawyer".
As I approach the end of the summer with my son still in foster care, I just received a 30 day eviction notice from my siblings after being ordered here by them seven years ago whereupon I was caretaker to my parents, without pay or any compensation, until my mother passed away last March 2008. They kidnapped my dementia affected 93 year old father to their state next door not ever giving me his phone number or address for what has been a year now. My son was simply their next order of business.
Do you think CPS wants to believe this? I have maybe a 50/50 chance of getting my son back from them on their target date of December 31st. Granted he may treat me better but first I have to beat the allegations they immediately believed to be true from a total stranger from another state. I think President Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, is rolling around in his grave as you read this.
