I often visit Legallykidnapped as the webmaster there frequently posts very valuable info.
I came across the youtube videos of the recent VA Legislative hearings wherein Nancy Hey and her husband and a psychologist, Dr. Susan Backus, spoke.
Firstly, Nancy Hey, in my opinion, was grossly maligned by CPS. She is an educated adult woman who, again, in my opinion, was taken advantage of by CPS.
They wanted her baby, pure and simple.
She has a B.A, I am not sure if many know that. She works for peace and animal rights and seems by all accounts to be a gentle, intelligent soul.
Does Ms. Hey have a learning disability? I guess. I don't know from learning disabilities, my area is law. But Ms. Hey has said that she does have a minor disability
They wanted her baby, pure and simple. And Ms. Hey fit their mold. She looked a bit off. That was enough
She may look a bit off but when she speaks at this hearing and earlier in DC, I can see no disability or rather, despite her disability .......she is an articulate spokeswoman.
If there is a disability, then CPS should have followed the Federal Law concerning disabilites and should have accomodated Ms. Hey according to the law. Rather, they preyed upon this disability and stole her child.
Secondly, as to Dr. Backus, let this be a lesson to all those who maintain that CPS only preys upon the poor and uneducated..........they prey upon EVERYONE because they can.
Kudos to Dr. Backus for speaking up. If it can happen to her, it can indeed happen to anyone and.............it does.
Lastly, dear God, this is Nazi Germany. This is Eugenics. This is 1930s USA during the heat of the Depression.
This can not be allowed. This simply can not be allowed.
Everyone in this battle, stay strong. Do not let them destroy you and your families.
Nancy Hey, VA, and Recent Legislative Hearings -
Moderators: family_man, LindaJM
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MaggieC
Nancy Hey, VA, and Recent Legislative Hearings -
Last edited by MaggieC on Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
At the end of the 1800's my great grandfather was one of 5 children born to Welsh immigrants fresh off the boat from Wales. Not long after settling out west, his father was killed in a buggy accident. The mother didnt speak English, had no education, didnt work of course, and in those times, if your husband died, you were expected to remarry.
No one wanted to marry a woman with 5 young children. She had a very kind offer from the local 'church group' who assured her that they could place the children in adoptive homes. She turned her kids over to the orphanage for a better life for them and herself. (I suspect that it was part of the Railway Children that was popular during that time).
The kids were put on a train and paraded around to various cities on the way to the orphanage, the younger ones were adopted quickly, some to good homes, some disappeared forever. My great grandfather who was the gentlest man that I believe ever walked the face of this earth, was so horribly beaten and abused in the 'foster homes' he was placed in. He was horribly beaten, abused and starved. He was used as slave labor, he wasnt allowed to eat at the table with one family as the man of the house said he would never let a Welsh bastard sit at his table and was forced to eat the family table scraps for his meals.
There were people that would come and check on his welfare in the foster homes, yet never once did someone take him away from there. He ran away when he was 14 and became a cowboy, rounding up cattle in Texas until he was in his 20's.
The younger children were toddlers and an infant. All had blonde hair and blue eyes.
There is no difference between then and now
No one wanted to marry a woman with 5 young children. She had a very kind offer from the local 'church group' who assured her that they could place the children in adoptive homes. She turned her kids over to the orphanage for a better life for them and herself. (I suspect that it was part of the Railway Children that was popular during that time).
The kids were put on a train and paraded around to various cities on the way to the orphanage, the younger ones were adopted quickly, some to good homes, some disappeared forever. My great grandfather who was the gentlest man that I believe ever walked the face of this earth, was so horribly beaten and abused in the 'foster homes' he was placed in. He was horribly beaten, abused and starved. He was used as slave labor, he wasnt allowed to eat at the table with one family as the man of the house said he would never let a Welsh bastard sit at his table and was forced to eat the family table scraps for his meals.
There were people that would come and check on his welfare in the foster homes, yet never once did someone take him away from there. He ran away when he was 14 and became a cowboy, rounding up cattle in Texas until he was in his 20's.
The younger children were toddlers and an infant. All had blonde hair and blue eyes.
There is no difference between then and now
This is all incredibly sad. 
Yes, I too noticed that Nancy speaks, reads, etc. just fine. She's obviously not so disabled she couldn't take care of her child.
Yes, I too noticed that Nancy speaks, reads, etc. just fine. She's obviously not so disabled she couldn't take care of her child.
Sample Document Library
Please keep in mind that none of us are lawyers and we can't give legal advice. We are simply telling you what we would do in a similar situation. It is to your advantage to get a lawyer.
"Evil flourishes when good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke ... so try to do something to change the system ...
Please keep in mind that none of us are lawyers and we can't give legal advice. We are simply telling you what we would do in a similar situation. It is to your advantage to get a lawyer.
"Evil flourishes when good men do nothing." - Edmund Burke ... so try to do something to change the system ...
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debbiescalese
- Posts: 460
- Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:55 am
- Location: WV
A while back I read some of Nancy's legal papers and court reports that she let me. The justifications they used to take the baby or shall I say keep the baby were common mistakes of a first time mother or just totally out there. Reading it I found myself thinking "I've done that" "what is wrong with that" and "I can name 5 people off the top of my head that do that right now" nothing posed a danger nothing was abnormal or even off the beaten path. Something was off at that cps office because if they took every baby who whose mother did those things or whose breast fed baby didn't gain wait right off the bat they wouldn't have anywhere to put them and we'd all be childless. That baby was legally kidnapped! There was no "protection" motive it was flat out a prominate couple wanted a baby and they got one.
One of the main things that really got me was they made a big stink out of Nancy not putting up the rail on the crib when the baby was not old enough to roll over, was not old enough to pull up, and was sleeping. There was no harm done there. I've kept the rail down for my child when they were not doing much of anything because they couldn't yet.
One of the main things that really got me was they made a big stink out of Nancy not putting up the rail on the crib when the baby was not old enough to roll over, was not old enough to pull up, and was sleeping. There was no harm done there. I've kept the rail down for my child when they were not doing much of anything because they couldn't yet.
debbiescalese wrote: they made a big stink out of Nancy not putting up the rail on the crib when the baby was not old enough to roll over, was not old enough to pull up, and was sleeping. There was no harm done there.
WOW!!!!!!! That is assinine to use as 'evidence' of bad parenting. Unless there is a reason to put the rail up for a newborn, like other kids in the house perhaps ect, there is no need. Heck most newborns dont even sleep in the crib the majority of the time.
There is not much of a difference in height from a bassinet and a crib with the rail down.
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MaggieC
I maintain that they saw an easy target and went after her.
These CPS have to grow up. There is no PERFECT parent, home etc.
The law is very clear but they do not follow the law and/or statutes.
From the case law I have read, they really do make it up as they go along.
I noticed that Kit was pro se for the recent appeal. Not good. My strongest advice would be to never enter an appeal pro se. Appellate rules of court are tough.
It seems that they have already gone to the highest state court.
The next step on this one would be the United States Supreme Court.
A suggestion of mine would be that the family lobby a "disbaled" group to take the case.
To me, it is ripe.
Just my opinion.
These CPS have to grow up. There is no PERFECT parent, home etc.
The law is very clear but they do not follow the law and/or statutes.
From the case law I have read, they really do make it up as they go along.
I noticed that Kit was pro se for the recent appeal. Not good. My strongest advice would be to never enter an appeal pro se. Appellate rules of court are tough.
It seems that they have already gone to the highest state court.
The next step on this one would be the United States Supreme Court.
A suggestion of mine would be that the family lobby a "disbaled" group to take the case.
To me, it is ripe.
Just my opinion.
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debbiescalese
- Posts: 460
- Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:55 am
- Location: WV
Momoffor that was exactly what I was thinking there was probably just as much hight between a crib with the rail down as there would be with a bassenett. There were other things in it that were just as simular nothing was dangerous. Infact years ago fifty something years ago when my aunt was born my grandmother couldn't afford a crib so when my aunt came home from the hospital they put her in a dresser draw. In a few months they had a crib but she was fine in the draw on a floor close to thier bed for a few weeks I'm sure the hight on that was much less than a crib with the rail down. Even more receintly when my son was 7-8 mos old I had a social worker come over during an open case my son crawled over to her and she picked him up. He was tired. So he feel asleep when she was holding him. Instead of her saying to me (and I had asked her previously if she wanted me to take him and she said she wanted to hold him) she just put him on the couch to show me some paper work. No sides on the couch just put him down next to her and messed with papers then left him on the couch. He could have rolled off so as she was leaving I had my oldest close and lock the door while I put him in the crib. She left a kid who could roll over on a couch!
And like I said before the whole paperwork was full of stuff just like that and where they used "stretching the truth" to the extreme. Like she put the baby to sleep in a box and the box was something sold for baby to sleep in I forget what it was but it sounded like an actual box in the paper work and wasn't in reality. Those are the things reading the paperwork that made me mad. Nancy sometimes comes to this website. I'll message her and ask her to explain. It was totally absurd.
And like I said before the whole paperwork was full of stuff just like that and where they used "stretching the truth" to the extreme. Like she put the baby to sleep in a box and the box was something sold for baby to sleep in I forget what it was but it sounded like an actual box in the paper work and wasn't in reality. Those are the things reading the paperwork that made me mad. Nancy sometimes comes to this website. I'll message her and ask her to explain. It was totally absurd.
My husband Kit as a pro se litigant
This is in response to Maggie C's comment about my husband Kit representing himself pro se in the Court of Appeals. The only reason he did that is because we have simply run out of money for lawyers fees. We have already spend $400,000 in legal fees, and are still in debt to our lawyers. From now on, we will have to do all of our appeals pro se. We have already askedthe ACLU and other disabilities rights groups to help us with free legal representation, and they have refused.
Nancy A. Hey
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MaggieC
Hi Nancy,
I watched the videos from the recent legislative hearings and I did hear your husband state that you spent $400,000.00 to fight for your child.
Incredible that such a thing could happen in this country.
I fully understand how you did not have the funds to hire an atty for the appeal.
I am not an attorney. I am a professional working paralegal who was once involved in drafting an Amicus Brief to the United States Supreme Court Case (Troxel decision June 6, 2000).
As I am not an attorney I can not and will not offer legal advice, however, I can offer my opinion.
In my opinion, you and Kit might look into appealing to the USSC.
I am not sure of the timeline in which one needs to appeal to the USSC after being denied relief at the state appellate level. But I do believe that your State Court of Appeals decision was rendered late in December of 2008. If that is correct, you should have time to appeal to the USSC.
If it were me, I would contact the ACLU and any and every organization advocating for the disabled and any other Constitutional Law group and advise them that you intend to take the case to the USSC (or at least make petition to do so) and inquire as to whether they are willing to file an Amicus Brief in support of your position.
They may not want to do the appeal but they may rush to offer an Amicus Brief. It would, in my humble opinion , behoove them to do so.
Please note that the USSC does not take every case. But I would, again if it were me, look into the possibility.
I am so very sorry that you and your family and your baby have gone through this ordeal.
I admire your strength, your grit, your fortitude.
I watched the videos from the recent legislative hearings and I did hear your husband state that you spent $400,000.00 to fight for your child.
Incredible that such a thing could happen in this country.
I fully understand how you did not have the funds to hire an atty for the appeal.
I am not an attorney. I am a professional working paralegal who was once involved in drafting an Amicus Brief to the United States Supreme Court Case (Troxel decision June 6, 2000).
As I am not an attorney I can not and will not offer legal advice, however, I can offer my opinion.
In my opinion, you and Kit might look into appealing to the USSC.
I am not sure of the timeline in which one needs to appeal to the USSC after being denied relief at the state appellate level. But I do believe that your State Court of Appeals decision was rendered late in December of 2008. If that is correct, you should have time to appeal to the USSC.
If it were me, I would contact the ACLU and any and every organization advocating for the disabled and any other Constitutional Law group and advise them that you intend to take the case to the USSC (or at least make petition to do so) and inquire as to whether they are willing to file an Amicus Brief in support of your position.
They may not want to do the appeal but they may rush to offer an Amicus Brief. It would, in my humble opinion , behoove them to do so.
Please note that the USSC does not take every case. But I would, again if it were me, look into the possibility.
I am so very sorry that you and your family and your baby have gone through this ordeal.
I admire your strength, your grit, your fortitude.
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HappyMommyx4
- Posts: 56
- Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:45 am
Sadly, I think they make up their minds about parents based on a lot more than facts. My CPS worker has told me multiple times that I am the model parent and it has been admitted that the charges of neglect were added to the charges of abuse to get the case in front of the judge. Apparently, this is standard practice. We don't pay a co-pay or for as much as a bottle of Tylenol so I take my children to the ped if they look like that might be considering a cold. The summons I received for an adjudication arraignment still accused me of failing to provide medical care.
We have 4 children, our 3rd did not gain a single ounce for 6 months. Not one ounce. Of course I had her at the pediatricians office constantly to find out why. She is just a runt, nothing is wrong with her. My 4th child was born a bit early and she lost 14% of her birth weight in her first week of life. She had a weak suck reflex and was taking awhile to get enough nutrients in. And you know what happened to me? NOTHING.
I come from a well-educated family. I am educated, I am very well spoken, and generally well dressed and look like a typical "soccer mom" type. We're white (I'm sorry I am not trying to be offensive but I think there is a degree of racism that plays here). If I walked into the clinic with my baby having lost 15% of her body weight and I perhaps looked a little different, or chose a slightly different path in my life would I have been reported for neglecting the baby I was waking up every 2 hours to nurse and supplement with formula?
If someone makes a report because they have judge a book by its cover, that is forgivable. But that is where it should stop, but it doesn't.
We have 4 children, our 3rd did not gain a single ounce for 6 months. Not one ounce. Of course I had her at the pediatricians office constantly to find out why. She is just a runt, nothing is wrong with her. My 4th child was born a bit early and she lost 14% of her birth weight in her first week of life. She had a weak suck reflex and was taking awhile to get enough nutrients in. And you know what happened to me? NOTHING.
I come from a well-educated family. I am educated, I am very well spoken, and generally well dressed and look like a typical "soccer mom" type. We're white (I'm sorry I am not trying to be offensive but I think there is a degree of racism that plays here). If I walked into the clinic with my baby having lost 15% of her body weight and I perhaps looked a little different, or chose a slightly different path in my life would I have been reported for neglecting the baby I was waking up every 2 hours to nurse and supplement with formula?
If someone makes a report because they have judge a book by its cover, that is forgivable. But that is where it should stop, but it doesn't.
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