LOSING FAITH IN INDIANA

[FLIPPER40]

HI TO ALL-SO GLAD TO FIND U! I'LL TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS POSS. MOST AMAZING THING HAPPENED TO ME 15 MTHS AGO-HAD MY LITTLE GIRL AFTER 40YRS OF WAITING AND ALL BUT GIVING UP! TROUBLE STARTED BEFORE WE EVEN LEFT HOSPITAL WHEN ANON TIP TO DCS(MY MOTHER!!)ACCUSED ME OF HAVING UNFIT LIVING SITUATION. I BELIEVE SHE DID THIS OUT OF SPITE AS SHE HADN'T TALKED TO ME IN MONTH,DIDN'T COME TO BIRTH AND HAD NO IDEA WHERE I WAS LIVING-JUST THAT IT WAS NO LONGER W/HER. ACTUALLY, MYSELF AND BABY'S FATHER HAD MOVED TO HIS SISTER'S FARM AND WERE VERY HAPPY TO BE THERE. I WAS INTERROGATED BY DCS IN MY ROOM JUST BEFORE WE WERE DISCHARGED. AT THIS POINT SHE SEEMED SATISFIED WITH MY CURRENT LIVING SITUATION AND THAT WAS THE END OF THAT. OR SO I THOUGHT. WITHIN MONTH DCS CAME TO OUR DOOR CITING A POSITIVE METH SCREEN-BABY'S MECONIUM WOULD NOW REQUIRE THEIR INTERVENTION WITH OUR FAMILY. I HAD INDEED PARTIED SOME UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SONOGRAM AND WOW! I WAS LOOKING AT A BABY RIGHT THERE IN MY BELLY! I'D MISCARRIED ONLY YEAR BEFORE AND WAS TOLD I'D PROB NEVER CONCEIVE MUCH LESS CARRY DUE TO MY AGE AND DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS IN HIPS. SOOOO, NEEDLESS TO SAY I QUIT PARTYING AND STARTED EATING. AND EATING. FINALLY THE DAY(2 1/2DAYS TO BE EXACT)CAME AND HERE SHE CAME...AND MY LIFE FINALLY MADE SENSE. JUST AS SUDDENLY IT STOPPED WHEN DCS INTAKE OFFICER SHOWED UP W/NEW CASEWORKER CLAIMING WE HADN'T COMPLIED WITH SOMETHING CALLED IA. THEY STATED WE HAD AGREED TO COMPLETELY COMPLY TO THEIR DEMANDS AND REQUESTS OR GO TO COURT FOR HEARING TO PROVE WE DESERVED TO KEEP OUR BABY! RIDICULOUS!! GOD, I WAS SO NAIVE THEN-IF I HAD ONLY REALIZED WHAT WAS TO COME WE WOULD HAVE RUN LIKE HELL. YOU SEE, WE ALL SEE, DCS HAS MORE POWER THAN GOD AROUND HERE. MAYBE IT'S LIKE THAT EVERYWHERE. LATER THAT WEEK I ARRIVED HOME AFTER GOING TO FRIEND'S VIEWING AND WAITING IN THE DRIVE WAS DCS AND POLICE, CLAIMING TO HAVE JUDGE'S ORDER TO REMOVE BABY-AT 7PM W/NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. THEY GRABBED HER, WE WRESTLED, I WAS THROWN DOWN AND HANDCUFFED. THEN SHE WAS GONE. WE SPENT NEXT 6MOS TAKING EVERY CLASS,COUNSELING AND MEETING WE COULD ATTEND. EACH SUNDAY I WENT TO 2HR CHURCH SVC W/FOSTER PARENTS(THEY WERE ACTUALLY QUITE HELPFUL AND KIND THRU ALL THIS-WE ARE ALL STILL IN CONTACT) AND WE CONSTANTLY LOOKED FOR WAYS TO PROVE HOW DEDICATED WE WERE. AFTER THEIR TYPICAL BAIT AND SWITCH BS(DCS REALLY ENJOYS GOOD POWERTRIP-BE PREPARED TO BEG AND GROVEL OCCASIONALLY)ANOTHER NEW CASEWORKER WAS ASSIGNED TO US AND IN JUNE BABY WAS FINALLY PLACED W/US IN OUR HOME F/T ON TRIAL HOMESTAY. WHICH IS WHERE SHE'S BEEN EVER SINCE. OUR PERMANENCY HEARING WAS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 18,2011-1YEAR SINCE START. CASEWORKER SAYS NO WORRIES-CUSTODY WILL BE RET'D TO US AT COURT-SHE'D NO LONGER BE WARD STATE-IT WAS FINALLY OVER AND WE COULD MOVE ON. THE END...ON JANUARY 6,2011 AT 7PM I HEAR KNOCK@DOOR. DADDY ANSWERS IT AS I AM ROCKING MY LOVEBUG TO SLEEP. I HEAR YELLING AND IN COMES *THREE*POLICE OFFICERS AND ORIGINAL CASEWORKER CLAIMING TO HAVE REMOVAL ORDER FOR MY BABY FROM JUDGE. NO PHONE CALL,NO WARNING,NO MERCY. COPS THROW DAD DOWN, SIT ON HIM AND HANDCUFF. I TAKE BABY OUT OF ROOM-SHE AND I ARE BOTH NEARING HYSTERIA BY NOW-ALL OF THEM RUSH AT ME AND I'M HOLDING ONTO HER AND SHE TO ME UNTIL THEY FINALLY PULL HER AWAY FROM ME. THEN I'M DOWN ON GROUND, HANDCUFFED AND DRUG TO POLICE CAR. DAD AND I SPENT MOST OF EVENING IN JAIL. AND THEN WE CAME HOME BUT WITHOUT HER HERE IT'S NO LONGER HOME. DCS TELLS US THEY WEREN'T "COMFORTABLE" PLACING HER HOME PERMANENTLY YET. THEY FEEL WE NEED TO PROVE OUR SINCERITY AND COMPLY. WE'RE BACK TO DRUG SCREENING 3X/WK INDEFINITELY(HAD BEEN 1X/WK SINCE JUNE 2010) AND ARE ALLOWED (1) ONE-HOUR SUPERVISED VISIT AT DCS OFFICE PER WEEK, GIVE OR TAKE COUPLE DAYS. HER FOSTERCARE SITUATON IS QUESTIONABLE-CAREGIVER SEEMS SUPERFICIAL AND IS OFTEN UNAVAILABLE OR DOESN'T RESPOND TO MY CALLS. OUR BABY WAS VIBRANT, EVEN LOUD AND OVERLY AFFECTIONATE. NOW SHE IS SULLEN AND WITHDRAWN MOST TIMES. SHE'S CONSTANTLY SNOTTY AND COUGHING, YET THEY TELL ME I'M OVERLY ATTENTIVE AND EMOTIONAL. ALL BABIES ARE SICK THRU WINTER MONTHS DON'T U KNOW?? IT'S LIKE SHE'S ON DOWNERS-OR SHUTTING DOWN EMOTONALLY. SHE OFTEN HAS NO EXPRESSION WHATSOEVER AND HARDLY LOOKS UP AT ME AND EVEN THEN DOESN'T SEEM TO QUITE RECOGNIZE ME. DCS TELLS ME I HAVE 3MONTHS TO PROVE MYSELF AND THEY FEEL HER DAD IS TOO ANGRY TO BE INVOLVED IN REUNIFICATION PLAN ANY LONGER. THEY SAY IN ORDER TO GET HER HOME I WILL NEED TO LIVE W/OUT HIM-EVEN IF IT MEANS I LIVE ON STREETS. IT'S PREPOSTEROUS-SHE AND HER DADDY BELONG TOGETHER-WE ALL DO! THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG W/OUR FAMILY AND I WON'T LIE AND MAKE HIM LEAVE US JUST SO THEY CAN FEEL "COMFORTABLE". WE HAVE COME LONG WAY THRU THIS TOGETHER AND THAT SHOULD MEAN SOMETHING. THERE WAS A TIME I WOULD DO ANYTHING THEY ASKED-YOU BECOME DESPERATE TO GET BABY BACK AND THAT'S WHEN THEY OFFER SYMPATHY AND ANSWER TO ALL UR PROBLEMS. DON'T DO IT! AS SOON AS U SIGN, OR MAKE AGREEMENT, OR ISOLATE URSELF FROM EVERY1, WELL THAT'S WHEN DOUBLETALK AND LIES COME SPEWING OUT. I AM SO SCARED RIGHT NOW-DCS INFORMS ME IF AFTER 3MTHS I HAVEN'T TOTALLY MET THEIR CRITERIA-WHICH CHANGES DAILY-THEN SHE WILL NO LONGER BE MY CHILD EVER AGAIN. I HAVE GUT FEELING REGARDLESS OF WHAT I DO, THEY FULLY INTEND TO KEEP HER. WHY DECIDE TO TAKE HER WITH ONLY 12 DAYS LEFT TIL PERMANENCY HRG-AND AFTER LEAVING HER W/US FOR OVER 7MONTHS? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CAN SOMEBODY HELP ME? TIMES RUNNING OUT, SHE IS SO DISTANT AND SAD AND I'M ABOUT TO LOSE MY MIND. OR WORSE YET, I'M LOSING MY FAITH. DESPERATELY NEED LEGAL ADVICE HERE LOCALLY-TERRE HAUTE,INDIANA AREA-DON'T HAVE MUCH MONEY RIGHT NOW BUT I PROMISE YOU-I'LL REPAY U IF IT TAKES REST OF MY LIFE. JUST HELP US TO HELP OUR BABY. THANK YOU AND I AM SO SORRY TO GO ON. FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK SO FREELY BOUT ALL THIS. YHANKS. UR SITE IS A GODSEND!

[perfectly_flawed]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. Don't give up hope! My son was ripped away from me nearly 8 years ago and is finally home where he belongs, without CPS in our lives.
Have you signed a plea or in any way admitted guilt? If not, don't! Get yourself a good lawyer that knows how to fight cps. Many will take payments for services. If you can get one from outside your own community, that's even better.
They can not just take baby away for good. There MUST be a court hearing to do so. Do not agree to allow permanent placement. If you have a family member that can step up and agree to take baby, now's the time to get that person involved.
Good luck to you.

[FLIPPER40]

2LATE 4ANYTHING NOW BUT 2DO AS THEY SAY. WE HAVE ALREADY ADMITTED 10MONTHS AGO-FOLLOWED THEIR EVERY DEMAND. SHE WAS ORIGINALLY REMOVED BCOS OF METH-MECONIUM, SO WE HAVE TAKEN 6MOS OF DRUG CLASSES, RELAPSE PREVENTION, PARENTING CLASSES, DRUG SCREENS FOR OVER YEAR NOW. WHEN THEY TOOK HER AGAIN LAST MONTH WE WERE CLEAN,RENTING HOME, STILL SCREENING RANDOMLY, AND SCHEDULED TO END ALL DCS INVOLVEMENT IN 12 DAYS. THEY CLAIM THEY WEREN'T COMFORTABLE ENDING THEIR PART IN THIS SO THEY JUST CAME AND TOOK HER. NO CALLS,NO WARNINGS, SHE WAS JUST GONE AND WE ARE AT DEAD END. I CANT EAT, SLEEP, FEELS LIKE MY MIND IS SLIPPING. FOSTER MOTHER HAS 3 TODDLERS AND MY LITTLE GIRL IS WITHDRAWING FROM US. SHE'S SICKLY AND PALE. NO ONE WILL LISTEN AND DCS SAYS SHE WILL NO LONGER BE MINE EVER AGAIN IN 2MONTHS UNLESS WE SCREEN CLEAN 3X/WK FOR UNKNOWN AMOUNT TIME AND THEY WANT ME TO GO TO SHELTER AND ALIENATE EVERYONE FROM MY LIFE IT SEEMS TO ME. NEED ATTY BUT SO FAR NONE WILLING TO TAKE CASE. RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND SCARED EVEN IF I DO ALL THEY ASK AGAIN-THEY WILL HAVE ANOTHER XCUSE TO KEEP HER. WE HAVE BEEN THRU ALL HEARINGS AND AREN'T SECHEDULED FOR NXT UNTIL JULY 2011. TOO LATE THEN TO DO ANYTHING. REALLY SCARED AND CONFUSED. CAN'T LIVE W/OUT HER-WILLING TO DO ANYTHING BUT SCARED 2TRUST DCS.LOOK WHERE WE ARE NOW-DID ALL THEY WANTED AND SHE'S GONE. ONLY C HER 1/WK FOR 1HR AT OFFICE. WHEN THEY CAME TO TAKE HER SHE WAS DOING WONDERFULLY, I WAS ROCKING HER TO SLEEP AND SHE HAD GRADUATED FIRST STEPS PROGRAM AND WAS EXTREMELY LOVING AND OUTGOING. MAYBE SHES BETTER W/OUT ME???PLEASE I NEED SOMEONE TO TELL ME MY RIGHTS AND WHAT I CAN DO TO STOP THEM AND GET MY DAUGHTER HOME...I'M GLAD TO HEAR BOUT UR SON-HOW LONG WAS HE TAKEN FROM U? R U IN MIDWEST? GOD BLESS YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO RESPOND I CANT THANK U ENUF FOR UR RESPONSE. FEELS LIKE NO ONE BELIEVES U WHEN THIS HAPPENS.GIVE UR SON BIG HUG FOR ME-MISS HUGGUNG MY LITTLE ONE-SHE AND I WERE VERY CLOSE. I HOPE GOD IS LISTENING

[perfectly_flawed]

I remember the fear and feeling of intimidation very well. I'm so sorry that you're facing it now. Is there a family member that can go through the homestudy and petition for custody? They're required under federal laws to consider all family members that step forward. My brother stepping forward was the only thing that saved my son and I at the time.
Jacob was away from me for nearly 8 years and has only been home a very short while now. I'm on the west coast. I will definitely give my boy an extra hug for you, and I'll think of you and your little angel when I do.

[LindaJM]

Flipper, was there a court order signed for the second detention? It seems strange that a judge would change his mind that way, after giving your child back to you.

Have you informed your state legislators about what's going on? Have you filed for a state administrative hearing
so the caseworker's actions can be reviewed by the state department of social services?

Do not panic. The social worker's claim that you'll lose your daughter forever is just a social worker talking. They often try to discourage people this way. It is the JUDGE that makes the decision. Prepare a good case to impress that judge. Try not to talk to the social worker who obviously has her own agenda and that is to distress and be cruel to you.

Have you written a declaration or objections and corrections to the report of the social worker?

Links to samples are here: Legal Document Library.

PS - please do not use All-Caps while writing on the internet. It is difficult to read.