Tucson, Arizona | CPS case files provide timeline of its effortson behalf of 3 children

Tucson Region
CPS case files provide timeline of its efforts on behalf of 3 children
Files document CPS efforts, failures
By Josh Brodesky and Daniel Scarpinato
arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.01.2007


http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/194401


The Child Protective Services case files for three Tucson children who
died under the agency's watch portray in stark terms the agency's
struggles, inconsistencies, efforts and failures in the cases.
Four-year-old Ariana Payne's decomposing body was found in February in a
trash bin. The remains of her 5-year-old brother, Tyler, have yet to be
found.

Their father, Christopher Matthew Payne and his girlfriend, Reina
Gonzales, have been charged with the murders.
Five-year-old Brandon Williams, who was autistic, died in March from a
skull fracture, but his system also had over-the-counter medications.
His mother, Diane Marsh, and her roommate, Flower Tompson, have been
charged with his murder.
Timelines in the cases show the lengthy sequence of events leading up to
the children's deaths.

2002
January: Christopher Payne and Jamie Hallam, Ariana and Tyler's mother,
marry.
May: Hallam, suffering from depression and pregnant with Ariana, enters
treatment after she fears she might harm Tyler, who was 6 months old. A
CPS worker meets with Payne, who is employed and appears to be taking
care of Tyler.
December: Hallam files an order of protection against Payne, claiming he
head-butted her while she was holding Ariana.

2003
June 16: Divorce decree gives sole custody of Ariana and Tyler to Hallam
without visitation rights for Payne.

2005
Oct. 17: CPS worker Cindy Graupmann investigates an allegation that
Hallam is using meth. Hallam "did appear to have sores on her face" and
her "mobile home was slightly disheveled." Graupmann asks Hallam to take
a drug test. But Hallam does not comply.'

2006
Jan. 6: Graupmann visits Hallam's home. Hallam, wearing long sleeves and
pants, appears "emaciated with copious amounts of scabs and sores on her
face." Graupmann again asks her to take a drug test.

Feb. 6: Graupmann speaks with Payne when she learns he's had the kids
for several weeks. She suggests Payne petition for custody. "He said it
would be World War III if he tried to get custody," she writes.
Feb. 15: Hallam calls Graupmann and tells her she has sole custody. No
one checks court records. Hallam also says her lawyer advised her not to
take any drug tests.

Feb. 21: A case aide visits Payne's apartment. The power is out and the
children are missing shoes. A case summary says "no indication of abuse
or neglect was found."

March 1: CPS sends Hallam a letter saying its October investigation has
been closed and the allegation unsubstantiated.

March 9: Hallam attempts to get her kids back from Payne, but CPS tells
police they are investigating Hallam and want the kids with Payne.
Hallam calls Graupmann, who says the case is "going to remain open."
March - September, 2006: The window of time in which police believe
Ariana Payne died.

April 14: The investigation into Hallam is reclosed. The allegation is
unsubstantiated. CPS never notifies Hallam, saying she was notified in
March.

October: Hallam gives birth. CPS suspects meth use and temporarily takes
custody. Hallam tells CPS Ariana and Tyler are with Payne, but the
agency does not check on them. Hallam tests clean. The baby is returned.

2007
Feb. 18: Police find Ariana's body in a trash bin.
March 8: CPS removes Hallam's baby. Deputies find drug paraphernalia in
the home.

2006
Aug. 31: CPS is notified one of Brandon's older brothers allegedly
attacked him and their mother, Diane Marsh.

Sept. 1: A CPS evaluation calls the home "unsafe," yet the family was
assigned to in-home services. "At least one child is likely to be in
danger of present and/or foreseeable danger of serious harm at this
time," the evaluation says.

Sept. 11: Graupmann reports Marsh "appears unable and unwilling to
parent her children, and her mental and physical health hampers her
ability to provide a stable environment for her children. ... This
investigator has concerns for the well-being and safety of Brandon, due
to mother's erratic and evasive behavior at this time."

Sept. 13: Graupmann learns Brandon and Marsh are living in a motel. An
attempt to speak with them fails.

Sept. 25: Graupmann visits Marsh's vacant home. No one answers and it's
in "shambles." A neighbor says he hasn't seen anyone for days.

Sept. 27: In an e-mail, Assistant Attorney General Pennie Wamboldt, who
had asked for a home visit, told CPS: "I am VERY concerned about Brandon
remaining in (his mother's) care. ... Please continue at least doing
welfare checks on Brandon with the school."
Brandon stops showing up for school.

Oct. 16: Brandon's school submits an abuse and neglect report.
Meanwhile, Graupmann and a law enforcement official visit Marsh's home,
which is vacant and has a foul smell.

Oct. 17: Following a tip from a neighbor, Graupmann visits Marsh's home
and sees Marsh, Brandon and Flower Tompson, the roommate, in the
driveway. But they drive away before she can stop them.

Nov. 13: CPS Supervisor Janet Lake reports: "Regular attempts to locate
Brandon must be made and assessment of his safety be completed … Due to
(mother's) behavior, her failure to engage, pattern of abandoning her
children, and preventing CPS to access to Brandon, removal may be
necessary."

2007
March 15: A Pima County sheriff's deputy visits Marsh's home. She speaks
with Marsh and sees Brandon, whose legs are visibly bandaged. But the
deputy accepts Marsh's statement that Brandon's injuries happened
because he had "fallen into the gravel and got cut up by cacti."

March 21: Marsh calls 911 after Brandon stops breathing. He is rushed to
the hospital, where he is pronounced dead.





CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...