Little Boy Lost at Taste of Chicago goes Unclaimed

It would appear that a 6 year old boy found a way to
unload an abusive parent.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/...abandon08.html

Boy lost at Taste goes unclaimed

BY ANNIE SWEENEY AND LISA DONOVAN
Staff Reporters | July 8, 2006

He came in like the more than 70 other children who
have been separated from their families at Taste of
Chicago this year.

But instead of being found by a frantic parent and
whisked away, the 6-year-old boy stayed and stayed
inside the "Lost Children" tent, where he "sat
patiently" for four hours, according to police reports.

But no one ever came.

That was eight days ago, on June 30 about 2:30 p.m.

"I was surprised. He came in probably halfway through
my shift, and when I left" two hours later "he was still
there," according to a source at the Taste. "Usually you
have parents, kind of frantic coming to get these kids,
an hour tops, but no one came."

Since he was found, no one has reported the boy
missing or called police to check on his whereabouts,
said Monique Bond, Chicago Police Department
spokeswoman.

"The only information we have had has been provided by
the child,'' Bond said.

The boy remained in the custody of state authorities
Friday while police tried to find his mother.

"He'll be confronted with this for the rest of his life,''
said Cook County Public Guardian Robert Harris.
"From that perspective, it's a sad thing.''

DCFS had past contact with mom

The boy's mother had contact with authorities in 2003,
and records indicate she was overwhelmed and
needed help raising the boy, who has spent some time
in foster care, according to state child-welfare reports.

The reports say the child was put into foster care in
April 2003 after the mother allegedly called authorities
to report she had locked herself in a room so she
wouldn't hurt him. He was returned to his mother in
September 2004 after she had received counseling
and classes, the reports say.

Then in September 2005, she allegedly left the child
alone, which led to a report to Chicago Police for
endangering the life of a child.

Kendall Marlowe, a spokesman for the Illinois
Department of Children and Family Services,
confirmed that the agency had previous contact with the
boy's family, including substantiated allegations of
neglect, and that DCFS was still providing supportive
services to the family.

The child was taken into DCFS custody July 1, a day
after he was found at the Taste, Marlowe said.

He is one of 72 children who have gotten lost at the
Taste so far this year. All but him were reunited with
family, police said.




Copyright © The Sun-Times Company

Mother, 29, charged with leaving son at fest

July 10, 2006

BY FRANK MAIN Crime Reporter

A 29-year-old south suburban woman has told Chicago Police detectives
that she abandoned her 6-year-old son at the Taste of Chicago more than
a week ago because she could no longer deal with his learning
disability, authorities said Sunday.

Marie Campbell of south suburban Olympia Fields was charged Sunday with
felony child abandonment for leaving her son at the downtown festival
June 30, police said. A bond hearing is scheduled for today.

She told Harrison Area detectives that she was having difficulty caring
for her son -- who she said suffers from attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, according to police.

Campbell was in touch with a sister, who persuaded her to turn herself
in to police Saturday morning. Mayor Daley announced the surrender at a
news conference.

Campbell does not have a criminal record, police said.

Signs of possible abuse noted

In 2003, the boy was placed in foster care when Campbell called
authorities to say she had locked herself in a room to keep herself
from harming him, child welfare reports show. He was returned to his
mother in 2004 after she received counseling and attended classes, the
reports said. In 2005, she allegedly left the child alone, which led to
a report to Chicago Police for endangering the life of a child.

Police said Campbell had told the boy to go to the "lost children's
tent" at the Taste on June 30, and she never returned to claim him.

Authorities said they found signs the boy was possibly physically
abused. He was placed in the custody of the state Department of
Children and Family Services, officials said.

wrote:
Mother, 29, charged with leaving son at fest

July 10, 2006

BY FRANK MAIN Crime Reporter

A 29-year-old south suburban woman has told Chicago Police detectives
that she abandoned her 6-year-old son at the Taste of Chicago more than
a week ago because she could no longer deal with his learning
disability, authorities said Sunday.

Marie Campbell of south suburban Olympia Fields was charged Sunday with
felony child abandonment for leaving her son at the downtown festival
June 30, police said. A bond hearing is scheduled for today.

She told Harrison Area detectives that she was having difficulty caring
for her son -- who she said suffers from attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, according to police.

This is just sad. I feel incredibly sorry for that poor boy.

-L.

In article . com,
"L." wrote:

wrote:
Mother, 29, charged with leaving son at fest

July 10, 2006

BY FRANK MAIN Crime Reporter

A 29-year-old south suburban woman has told Chicago Police detectives
that she abandoned her 6-year-old son at the Taste of Chicago more than
a week ago because she could no longer deal with his learning
disability, authorities said Sunday.

Marie Campbell of south suburban Olympia Fields was charged Sunday with
felony child abandonment for leaving her son at the downtown festival
June 30, police said. A bond hearing is scheduled for today.

She told Harrison Area detectives that she was having difficulty caring
for her son -- who she said suffers from attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, according to police.

This is just sad. I feel incredibly sorry for that poor boy.

-L.


I also feel sorry for the Mom. She HAD contacted social services in the
past, because she wasn't able to care for him. Maybe, with appropriate
support, she'd have been able to manage -- but she wasn't getting the
support she needed.

Maybe he should not have been returned to her in the first place.

There has to be a better way to support parents who are so overwhelmed
that the only thing they can think to do is abandon their child.

I'm not sure I know what it is -- I don't work in social services, and
don't think I could stand the work -- I just know that with a system
that fails to provide help for a family that so clearly needed it,
somthing is wrong.

In spite of her earlier attempts to get help, we now have a woman facing
prison, and a boy who will end up in foster care (again).

--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

"dragonlady" wrote in message
...
I also feel sorry for the Mom. She HAD contacted social services in the
past, because she wasn't able to care for him. Maybe, with appropriate
support, she'd have been able to manage -- but she wasn't getting the
support she needed.

In some areas there are organizations who will help with disabled children.
I'm not sure exactly what it's called or exactly what all they will do, but
things like babysitting and some chores around the house are involved. I've
been planning to find out who the organization is when our life calms a bit
in the next couple of weeks and volunteer if I am able.
Marie