ONA -- West Virginia foster mother arrested for child abuse...

Ona foster mother arrested for child abuse

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/...03/1001/NEWS10


By Curtis Johnson
The Herald-Dispatch

ONA -- West Virginia State Police arrested an Ona woman Thursday after
her unconscious foster son had to be rushed to Cabell Huntington
Hospital earlier this week.

Paula Scarberry, 42, of Ona was charged with child abuse by a parent or
guardian, according to court documents. She was released from custody on
a $50,000 property bond.
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The criminal complaint charging Scarberry never states she committed any
specific act, but it describes injuries to the 6-year-old boy.

State Police Cpl. J.M. Parde said victim, who is a student within the
Cabell County school system, has been transferred out of intensive care
and seems to be recovering at the hospital.

"He is extremely lucky (to be alive)," he said during a Friday morning
interview.

In the criminal complaint, Parde writes that the child was unresponsive
and had a core body temperature of 84 degrees when paramedics rushed him
to the hospital Sunday.

"It was absolutely mind-boggling to the doctors," Parde said of the
child's low body temperature.

The hospital staff advised Parde the child had first- and second-degree
burns to his lower back and buttocks, along with multiple bruises on his
body, according to the complaint.

Parde would not comment about how the abuse occurred, but he said it
happened in the week leading up to the child being hospitalized.

In the criminal complaint, Parde writes that he talked with the victim,
who "made a disclosure about the incident" that confirmed the hospital
staff's suspicions.

During Friday's interview, Parde said the boy had a history of being
abused before Child Protective Services placed him in foster care.

Parde described Scarberry as the child's distant relative.

"I don't think there was anything that CPS did bad," he said. "They did
home studies. They did everything by the book on this one, and really
went above and beyond."

Department of Health and Human Resources spokesman John Law, whose state
agency oversees Child Protective Services, would not comment on
Scarberry's case.

Law said there are rare occurrences when one abused child may be moved
into another abusive environment, despite his agencies best effort.

"I'd like to have a magic wand to make them all work out," he said of
the placements. "The world is not a perfect place, and I think this is
terrible, but it happens sometimes. The only thing we can do is go on
and try to help the child from here."

Parde said the process is under way to make sure the child "recovers
well and in a nice environment" once he is released from the hospital.

As for the criminal case, Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said he
is aware of the investigation.

"We take these cases very seriously," he said. "We will be working with
the State Police to see that justice is done."

If convicted, the child abuse charge carries up to 10 years in prison
and/or a $5,000 fine.

Scarberry's next court appearance is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. May 8.





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 WIRETAPING PROGRAM....

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...