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Police look at 2nd abuse accusation,Portland - After a foster childis hurt, a mother says she had reported injuries to her girl in the home...
Police look at 2nd abuse accusation
Portland - After a foster child is hurt, a mother says she had reported injuries to her girl in the home Saturday, June 30, 2007 AIMEE GREEN The Oregonian http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/pr...560.xml&coll=7 Portland police are investigating allegations of abuse involving a second toddler who lived at the same foster home as Stephanie Kuntupis, the 2-year-old girl who was rushed to the hospital unconscious last week with life-threatening brain injuries. Jessica Padilla, who identified herself as the mother of the second toddler, said she saw her daughter with two black eyes, red and purple marks on her neck and a patch of missing hair on June 12 -- 10 days before Stephanie collapsed and stopped breathing. Padilla says she told an Oregon Department of Human Services caseworker that she suspected her 2-year-old daughter, Qlowey (pronounced like Chloe), was being choked and beaten. She said she was told by the caseworker not to worry, that a doctor had examined the child and determined it was not a case of abuse. According to Padilla, the caseworker attributed the child's bruises to anemia and said allergies could account for the red and purple discoloration around her neck. "I told her my kid had never looked like that -- there must be something wrong," said Padilla, who lost custody of Qlowey and her 6-year-old son to the state in March because of her drug use. "I called DHS and said please remove the kids (from that home)." State officials declined to say whether such a request had been made. But it wasn't until 11 days later -- the day after Stephanie Kuntupis had to be rushed to the hospital from the same Gresham foster home -- that the state removed Padilla's two children from the home. The action is standard procedure, and officials are investigating whether Stephanie's injuries were caused by accident or abuse. DHS spokeswoman Patricia Feeny confirmed earlier this week that one child, Stephanie, had been hospitalized, but she said Friday she couldn't confirm whether another child, Qlowey, had visited the hospital for less serious injuries. Feeny cited child privacy laws. Portland police Sgt. Brian Schmautz, however, said detectives were investigating allegations of abuse involving a second child from the home. The percentage of children in state custody who are abused and neglected is increasing. Nearly 100 foster children were victims in 2006, according to the Department of Human Services. The public rarely learns the specifics of such abuse, however, because of child confidentiality laws. The Legislature changed the law in 2005 to require DHS to release information when foster children die or suffer serious injury because of abuse. After reading news reports about Stephanie's brain injuries, Qlowey's family recognized the name of the foster parents and called The Oregonian. The foster parents, Michele and Cesar Cruz-Reyes, could not be reached for comment about Qlowey's case. But earlier in the week Michele Cruz-Reyes spoke about Stephanie -- saying she suspected Stephanie's mom, Monique Peals, hurt the child during a visit. Cruz-Reyes said that although the visits were supposed to be supervised, she'd seen Peals left alone with Stephanie. Stephanie was fussy and lethargic after visiting her mom, Cruz-Reyes said. She collapsed June 22, and an ambulance rushed Stephanie to the intensive care unit of Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital, where she has remained for more than a week now. Peals and her husband, Stephen Kuntupis, say they had repeatedly complained to a state caseworker that they thought the foster parents were responsible for Stephanie's injuries in recent months -- bumps on the head, scratches on the cheeks, chunks of missing hair and a large scab on the chin. Kuntupis said he learned from his attorney that a second foster child in the Cruz-Reyes' home had been taken to the hospital. Kuntupis said he was "outraged." But, he added: "Am I surprised? No." Peals and Kuntupis lost custody of Stephanie because of drug use. They, like Padilla, are in drug-treatment programs and hope to regain custody of their daughter. Padilla said she learned of Qlowey's injuries shortly before she visited with her June 12. She said an employee with the Department of Human Services called and told her not to be alarmed, that Qlowey would look different. When she saw her daughter, she said she was shocked. In addition to the black eyes, discoloration and missing hair, she said her daughter had a split lip and silver-dollar-sized bruises on the bottoms of her feet. James Pickup, Qlowey's father, said he's seen his daughter three times since June 12. The bald patch on her head is slowly filling in with fuzz. "You can have a medical explanation for everything," Pickup said. "But I don't believe their explanations. No. No. No." Aimee Green:503-294-5119; CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 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 Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per 100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a bunch of social workers. 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... |
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