Foster mother's choices blamed in boy's death

Foster mother's choices blamed in boy's death
Defense denies her responsibility

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...in_boys_death/

Globe Staff / November 7, 2007

Jennifer Kadilak smiled brightly yesterday when talking about Dontel
Jeffers, who was 4 years old and around 3 feet tall when the social
worker got to know him at a Dorchester emergency shelter for children.

"He was just incredibly endearing and very, very cute," Kadilak, who met
Dontel at the Bridge Home shelter where she worked, testified in Suffolk
Superior Court.

Dontel left the shelter on Feb. 24, 2005, in the care of his foster
mother, Corinne N. Stephen, who was then living on Ballou Avenue in
Dorchester.

Ten days later, doctors met a radically different Dontel: His left eye
was bruised. His face was scratched. Both wrists and one leg had
ligature marks. His intestine had been punctured, releasing poisonous
waste into his body. His throat had interior bruises as if someone had
tried to squeeze off his breath.

The doctors at Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester tried for 45
minutes to revive the boy, but they were unsuccessful.

The responsibility for Dontel's death, Suffolk Assistant District
Attorney David Deakin said yesterday, lies with Stephen, who is being
tried on second-degree murder charges.

"She was the sole caretaker" during those 10 days, Deakin said. "She
allowed him to suffer bruises. She called no one. Not a doctor. Not a
hospital. Not 911. Not anyone. Until it was far too late to save him."

In his opening statement to the jury, Deakin said that the prosecution's
case would be based on circumstantial evidence and that there would be
no eyewitnesses to what happened to Dontel. But, he said, jurors will
know at the end of the trial that Stephen could have saved the boy's
life but chose not to.

Stephen's "choices caused the death, the untimely, avoidable death of
Dontel Jeffers," he said.

Defense lawyer John Palmer described Stephen in his opening statement as
a career foster mother who had safely cared for other children.

She had a good reputation with Mentor Network Inc., the private child
welfare agency where she worked, he said.

A graduate of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School who had
taken nursing classes at Salem State College, Stephen was also a single
mother and a member of the Army National Guard, he said.

Palmer said Stephen did not batter the child, nor was she responsible
for his death.

"Keep an open mind throughout this entire case," Palmer urged jurors.

Sitting in court yesterday were Dontel's grandmother, Agatha Jeffers,
and other family members who regularly visited the child while he was at
the Bridge Home and who had repeatedly begged the Department of Social
Services to let the child live with them.

After Dontel's death, former DSS commissioner Harry Spence personally
apologized to the Jeffers family for the mistakes made, including
failing to tell them that the boy had been transferred into Stephen's
custody.

DSS got involved in Dontel's life after his biological mother stopped
caring for him properly. Elary Jeffers, the child's father, had been the
boy's primary caretaker, but his father was deported to his native
Caribbean island of Nevis.

Taken by DSS from his mother's home, Dontel was sent to Bridge Home to
be assessed for his next placement. DSS hired Mentor Network to provide
a foster mother.

The prosecution is not alleging that Stephen inflicted the abuse that
led to Dontel's death. With no direct evidence as to what happened to
the boy, prosecutors have decided to charge that Stephen failed to
prevent his death.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle told jurors that
prosecutors do not have to prove Stephen actually delivered the blows
that harmed Dontel. Instead, she told them they must be convinced that
Stephen knew her actions would have caused the boy's death.

The judge also told jurors they will be given the option of convicting
Stephen, finding her not guilty, or convicting her of a lesser charge,
involuntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of
life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum of 20 years.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.





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

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.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS 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...

"fx" wrote in message
...
Foster mother's choices blamed in boy's death
Defense denies her responsibility

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...in_boys_death/

Globe Staff / November 7, 2007

Jennifer Kadilak smiled brightly yesterday when talking about Dontel
Jeffers, who was 4 years old and around 3 feet tall when the social worker
got to know him at a Dorchester emergency shelter for children.

"He was just incredibly endearing and very, very cute," Kadilak, who met
Dontel at the Bridge Home shelter where she worked, testified in Suffolk
Superior Court.

Dontel left the shelter on Feb. 24, 2005, in the care of his foster
mother, Corinne N. Stephen, who was then living on Ballou Avenue in
Dorchester.

Ten days later, doctors met a radically different Dontel: His left eye was
bruised. His face was scratched. Both wrists and one leg had ligature
marks. His intestine had been punctured, releasing poisonous waste into
his body. His throat had interior bruises as if someone had tried to
squeeze off his breath.

The doctors at Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester tried for 45 minutes
to revive the boy, but they were unsuccessful.

The responsibility for Dontel's death, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney
David Deakin said yesterday, lies with Stephen, who is being tried on
second-degree murder charges.

"She was the sole caretaker" during those 10 days, Deakin said. "She
allowed him to suffer bruises. She called no one. Not a doctor. Not a
hospital. Not 911. Not anyone. Until it was far too late to save him."

In his opening statement to the jury, Deakin said that the prosecution's
case would be based on circumstantial evidence and that there would be no
eyewitnesses to what happened to Dontel. But, he said, jurors will know at
the end of the trial that Stephen could have saved the boy's life but
chose not to.

Stephen's "choices caused the death, the untimely, avoidable death of
Dontel Jeffers," he said.

Defense lawyer John Palmer described Stephen in his opening statement as a
career foster mother who had safely cared for other children.

She had a good reputation with Mentor Network Inc., the private child
welfare agency where she worked, he said.

A graduate of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School who had taken
nursing classes at Salem State College, Stephen was also a single mother
and a member of the Army National Guard, he said.

Palmer said Stephen did not batter the child, nor was she responsible for
his death.

"Keep an open mind throughout this entire case," Palmer urged jurors.

Sitting in court yesterday were Dontel's grandmother, Agatha Jeffers, and
other family members who regularly visited the child while he was at the
Bridge Home and who had repeatedly begged the Department of Social
Services to let the child live with them.

After Dontel's death, former DSS commissioner Harry Spence personally
apologized to the Jeffers family for the mistakes made, including failing
to tell them that the boy had been transferred into Stephen's custody.

DSS got involved in Dontel's life after his biological mother stopped
caring for him properly. Elary Jeffers, the child's father, had been the
boy's primary caretaker, but his father was deported to his native
Caribbean island of Nevis.

Taken by DSS from his mother's home, Dontel was sent to Bridge Home to be
assessed for his next placement. DSS hired Mentor Network to provide a
foster mother.

The prosecution is not alleging that Stephen inflicted the abuse that led
to Dontel's death. With no direct evidence as to what happened to the boy,
prosecutors have decided to charge that Stephen failed to prevent his
death.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle told jurors that prosecutors
do not have to prove Stephen actually delivered the blows that harmed
Dontel. Instead, she told them they must be convinced that Stephen knew
her actions would have caused the boy's death.

The judge also told jurors they will be given the option of convicting
Stephen, finding her not guilty, or convicting her of a lesser charge,
involuntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of life
imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Involuntary
manslaughter carries a maximum of 20 years.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

I wonder what reason was given for this child not being placed with
relatives.
I also wonder if he would have faired much better if he had been placed with
relatives.
Guess we'll never know, but it's unfortunate that a suitable relative was
not given placement of the child.







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

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.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS 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...

You really never know what happens in a case like this, we are only ever
given a small snap shot by the media and never know ALL the facts!

I was working 2 low paying jobs, (14 hrs a day) trying to keep a roof over
my children's heads (along with my "then" wife's) but while my ex-wife was
home she would NOT clean, or even stay at the home for the most part leaving
the children home alone! I would come home after working 2 jobs to try to
do what I could to clean the home, and get laundry done, but I was always
loosing that battle. I even got in a bad car accident from lack of sleep
and totaled out a car I just bought. I knew if I could get her out of the
house I could correct everything that needed to be corrected. I even
applied for child care assistance, again because the (worthless) mother
lived in the home I was turned down! I tried to explain to them that she
was NOT fully capable of watching the children. I even asked my family but
they simply did not want to get involved without the assistance of the
courts because of my ex's violent tendencies.

I called CPS but they were of no help they told me that I should quit my job
and stay home! (great if I could afford to!) I went thru a lot getting
charged with neglect myself (for walking the kids to school - I pulled them
in a wagon) I was told that I had to be charged with something as my ex-wife
was being charged with 27 other counts, in order for them to remove the
children! I was like WHAT?? here I had already filed for a divorce and was
asking for them to just let the children go with me, I was told to cancel
the divorce because it would not be in the "best interest of the children"
for us to divorce. I found out it was more about politics then it was
protecting the children.

I had been talking to both my mother and my sister about the situation prior
to calling cps, and they were well aware of what was going on, the day the
children were removed from the schools I called my mother and my sister (who
had rooms already set up for them) to go get them from the state NOW. I
knew the state was going to take them, but I was stuck in a situation that I
had very little control over under the circumstances.

We went thru the hoops that they set for us, classes, counseling, ect...
the facts still stayed the same though, my ex would not work with me about
the children. after 10 months the children returned to us. CPS kept
services open for a few months after and after the case closed she went back
to her old ways, and I went back and filed the divorce this time I completed
it!

I am now remarried and have a wonderful wife who takes great care of not
only my children but several others. My (new) wife keeps a house spotless
has a proper dinner on the table at an appropriate time. I tell you its
like night and day, but going thru that court process was a bunch of crap,
they never really knew what was going on in the home on a day to day basis,
nor did it appear they cared.



"dragonsgirl" wrote in message
...

"fx" wrote in message
...
Foster mother's choices blamed in boy's death
Defense denies her responsibility

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...in_boys_death/

Globe Staff / November 7, 2007

Jennifer Kadilak smiled brightly yesterday when talking about Dontel
Jeffers, who was 4 years old and around 3 feet tall when the social
worker got to know him at a Dorchester emergency shelter for children.

"He was just incredibly endearing and very, very cute," Kadilak, who met
Dontel at the Bridge Home shelter where she worked, testified in Suffolk
Superior Court.

Dontel left the shelter on Feb. 24, 2005, in the care of his foster
mother, Corinne N. Stephen, who was then living on Ballou Avenue in
Dorchester.

Ten days later, doctors met a radically different Dontel: His left eye
was bruised. His face was scratched. Both wrists and one leg had ligature
marks. His intestine had been punctured, releasing poisonous waste into
his body. His throat had interior bruises as if someone had tried to
squeeze off his breath.

The doctors at Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester tried for 45 minutes
to revive the boy, but they were unsuccessful.

The responsibility for Dontel's death, Suffolk Assistant District
Attorney David Deakin said yesterday, lies with Stephen, who is being
tried on second-degree murder charges.

"She was the sole caretaker" during those 10 days, Deakin said. "She
allowed him to suffer bruises. She called no one. Not a doctor. Not a
hospital. Not 911. Not anyone. Until it was far too late to save him."

In his opening statement to the jury, Deakin said that the prosecution's
case would be based on circumstantial evidence and that there would be no
eyewitnesses to what happened to Dontel. But, he said, jurors will know
at the end of the trial that Stephen could have saved the boy's life but
chose not to.

Stephen's "choices caused the death, the untimely, avoidable death of
Dontel Jeffers," he said.

Defense lawyer John Palmer described Stephen in his opening statement as
a career foster mother who had safely cared for other children.

She had a good reputation with Mentor Network Inc., the private child
welfare agency where she worked, he said.

A graduate of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School who had taken
nursing classes at Salem State College, Stephen was also a single mother
and a member of the Army National Guard, he said.

Palmer said Stephen did not batter the child, nor was she responsible for
his death.

"Keep an open mind throughout this entire case," Palmer urged jurors.

Sitting in court yesterday were Dontel's grandmother, Agatha Jeffers, and
other family members who regularly visited the child while he was at the
Bridge Home and who had repeatedly begged the Department of Social
Services to let the child live with them.

After Dontel's death, former DSS commissioner Harry Spence personally
apologized to the Jeffers family for the mistakes made, including failing
to tell them that the boy had been transferred into Stephen's custody.

DSS got involved in Dontel's life after his biological mother stopped
caring for him properly. Elary Jeffers, the child's father, had been the
boy's primary caretaker, but his father was deported to his native
Caribbean island of Nevis.

Taken by DSS from his mother's home, Dontel was sent to Bridge Home to be
assessed for his next placement. DSS hired Mentor Network to provide a
foster mother.

The prosecution is not alleging that Stephen inflicted the abuse that led
to Dontel's death. With no direct evidence as to what happened to the
boy, prosecutors have decided to charge that Stephen failed to prevent
his death.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle told jurors that prosecutors
do not have to prove Stephen actually delivered the blows that harmed
Dontel. Instead, she told them they must be convinced that Stephen knew
her actions would have caused the boy's death.

The judge also told jurors they will be given the option of convicting
Stephen, finding her not guilty, or convicting her of a lesser charge,
involuntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of life
imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Involuntary
manslaughter carries a maximum of 20 years.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

I wonder what reason was given for this child not being placed with
relatives.
I also wonder if he would have faired much better if he had been placed
with relatives.
Guess we'll never know, but it's unfortunate that a suitable relative was
not given placement of the child.







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

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.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS 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...

Rob You really never know what happens in
Rob a case like this, we are only ever given
Rob a small snap shot by the media and
Rob never know ALL the facts!

True in part, Rob, but what the agencies leak
to the press and what the media wants to
report is generally biased in FAVOR of the
agency and their ALLIES in Foster Care.

Hence the unknown truths would probably
be even more damning for the system and
contractors to the system.

Bruising on the kids throat, lack of medical care
and death, all in the hands of a state contractor
is bad enough!

It's in the agency interest to minimize these
horror stories that happen IN THEIR CARE and
to maximize horror stories in parents care.

The typical lie in a case like this would be to
OMIT that the agency KNEW ALL ALONG
that there were big problems but failed to act.

( They've sent kids to Fosters they already
KNEW were child molesters! )

You can imagine why the agencies would like
damning little details like that to be lost.

Your family's first hand experience is a fairly typical
story from people who have had dealings with
Child Protective Services.

Your observations about their ineffectiveness and
POLITICAL nature are born out by many others.

I suspect that part of their behavior in your
family's case is that they carry a huge bias
in favor of women and against men.

Do you think they were being rediculosuly
nice to the Mother and hoping to rehabilitate her?

What did they conclude was her problem
with being not responsible?
Is she disabled, depressed or what?

Were they hoping to claim they had resolved
problems and helped you avoid divorce?

Did you feel that they had the RIGHT to tell you
not to get divorced? Or the RIGHT to presume they
knew the Best Interests of the children better than you?

I get the impression they want to avoid divorce cases,
they don't want to be used to settle divorce child custody issues.
I'm guessing that's the true reason they wanted you
to drop the divorce.

In other cases where THEY direct people to get a divorce
they will get very threatening about it.

I saw they advised you to quit work and stay home
with no suggestions for income, and you figured
out how stupid that was.

They probably just wanted you to be completely
helpless and at their mercy.

We got really sick of them ordering us around
and started questioning their right to
direct us to do variuous things with no basis.

We had a breadwinner reversal situation.
The babysitter grandmother had become
obviously MENTALLY ILL, so I quit my job
in metal Fabrication because my SO's
job looked like more of a career path.

The scumbags from CPS tried to "direct"
me to go work, and we had gotten fed up
with their other "direction" in many ways.

But you were apparently more cooperative
and seeking their help, we were UNDER ATTACK.

If you thought they were MORONS when you
asked them for help, can you imagine those
same idiots trying to Judge or attack a family?

(The MENTAL CASE reported us because she
obsessed with the child, and CPS ignored
her mental illness and sided WITH the mental
case against us!)

We found out that for the first three weeks
after removing the child they actually had
NO LEGAL AUTHORITY to order us to do diddly!
(They had not filed for a court removal order,
but refused to return the child, and "directed"
us to do things they admitted was a waste of time)
(They wanted us too busy to study up on our rights
or how they had broken the law.)

When we caught on to their illegal control they
were suddenly under pressure and the case was
so wimpy that a caseworker resorted to writing
up and submitting in a written "sworn statement"
that I had a ""sex abuse history"" (fairy tale).

If they had a REAL case they wouldn't have
put their case in jeopardy by committing such
outrageous sworn perjury.


On Nov 9, 8:23 am, "Rob" wrote:
You really never know what happens in a case like this, we are only ever
given a small snap shot by the media and never know ALL the facts!

I was working 2 low paying jobs, (14 hrs a day) trying to keep a roof over
my children's heads (along with my "then" wife's) but while my ex-wife was
home she would NOT clean, or even stay at the home for the most part leaving
the children home alone! I would come home after working 2 jobs to try to
do what I could to clean the home, and get laundry done, but I was always
loosing that battle. I even got in a bad car accident from lack of sleep
and totaled out a car I just bought. I knew if I could get her out of the
house I could correct everything that needed to be corrected. I even
applied for child care assistance, again because the (worthless) mother
lived in the home I was turned down! I tried to explain to them that she
was NOT fully capable of watching the children. I even asked my family but
they simply did not want to get involved without the assistance of the
courts because of my ex's violent tendencies.

I called CPS but they were of no help they told me that I should quit my job
and stay home! (great if I could afford to!) I went thru a lot getting
charged with neglect myself (for walking the kids to school - I pulled them
in a wagon) I was told that I had to be charged with something as my ex-wife
was being charged with 27 other counts, in order for them to remove the
children! I was like WHAT?? here I had already filed for a divorce and was
asking for them to just let the children go with me, I was told to cancel
the divorce because it would not be in the "best interest of the children"
for us to divorce. I found out it was more about politics then it was
protecting the children.

I had been talking to both my mother and my sister about the situation prior
to calling cps, and they were well aware of what was going on, the day the
children were removed from the schools I called my mother and my sister (who
had rooms already set up for them) to go get them from the state NOW. I
knew the state was going to take them, but I was stuck in a situation that I
had very little control over under the circumstances.

We went thru the hoops that they set for us, classes, counseling, ect...
the facts still stayed the same though, my ex would not work with me about
the children. after 10 months the children returned to us. CPS kept
services open for a few months after and after the case closed she went back
to her old ways, and I went back and filed the divorce this time I completed
it!

I am now remarried and have a wonderful wife who takes great care of not
only my children but several others. My (new) wife keeps a house spotless
has a proper dinner on the table at an appropriate time. I tell you its
like night and day, but going thru that court process was a bunch of crap,
they never really knew what was going on in the home on a day to day basis,
nor did it appear they cared.

"dragonsgirl" wrote in message

...





"fx" wrote in message
. ..
Foster mother's choices blamed in boy's death
Defense denies her responsibility

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...ster_mothers_c...

Globe Staff / November 7, 2007

Jennifer Kadilak smiled brightly yesterday when talking about Dontel
Jeffers, who was 4 years old and around 3 feet tall when the social
worker got to know him at a Dorchester emergency shelter for children.

"He was just incredibly endearing and very, very cute," Kadilak, who met
Dontel at the Bridge Home shelter where she worked, testified in Suffolk
Superior Court.

Dontel left the shelter on Feb. 24, 2005, in the care of his foster
mother, Corinne N. Stephen, who was then living on Ballou Avenue in
Dorchester.

Ten days later, doctors met a radically different Dontel: His left eye
was bruised. His face was scratched. Both wrists and one leg had ligature
marks. His intestine had been punctured, releasing poisonous waste into
his body. His throat had interior bruises as if someone had tried to
squeeze off his breath.

The doctors at Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester tried for 45 minutes
to revive the boy, but they were unsuccessful.

The responsibility for Dontel's death, Suffolk Assistant District
Attorney David Deakin said yesterday, lies with Stephen, who is being
tried on second-degree murder charges.

"She was the sole caretaker" during those 10 days, Deakin said. "She
allowed him to suffer bruises. She called no one. Not a doctor. Not a
hospital. Not 911. Not anyone. Until it was far too late to save him."

In his opening statement to the jury, Deakin said that the prosecution's
case would be based on circumstantial evidence and that there would be no
eyewitnesses to what happened to Dontel. But, he said, jurors will know
at the end of the trial that Stephen could have saved the boy's life but
chose not to.

Stephen's "choices caused the death, the untimely, avoidable death of
Dontel Jeffers," he said.

Defense lawyer John Palmer described Stephen in his opening statement as
a career foster mother who had safely cared for other children.

She had a good reputation with Mentor Network Inc., the private child
welfare agency where she worked, he said.

A graduate of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School who had taken
nursing classes at Salem State College, Stephen was also a single mother
and a member of the Army National Guard, he said.

Palmer said Stephen did not batter the child, nor was she responsible for
his death.

"Keep an open mind throughout this entire case," Palmer urged jurors.

Sitting in court yesterday were Dontel's grandmother, Agatha Jeffers, and
other family members who regularly visited the child while he was at the
Bridge Home and who had repeatedly begged the Department of Social
Services to let the child live with them.

After Dontel's death, former DSS commissioner Harry Spence personally
apologized to the Jeffers family for the mistakes made, including failing
to tell them that the boy had been transferred into Stephen's custody.

DSS got involved in Dontel's life after his biological mother stopped
caring for him properly. Elary Jeffers, the child's father, had been the
boy's primary caretaker, but his father was deported to his native
Caribbean island of Nevis.

Taken by DSS from his mother's home, Dontel was sent to Bridge Home to be
assessed for his next placement. DSS hired Mentor Network to provide a
foster mother.

The prosecution is not alleging that Stephen inflicted the abuse that led
to Dontel's death. With no direct evidence as to what happened to the
boy, prosecutors have decided to charge that Stephen failed to prevent
his death.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle told jurors that prosecutors
do not have to prove Stephen actually delivered the blows that harmed
Dontel. Instead, she told them they must be convinced that Stephen knew
her actions would have caused the boy's death.

The judge also told jurors they will be given the option of convicting
Stephen, finding her not guilty, or convicting her of a lesser charge,
involuntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of life
imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Involuntary
manslaughter carries a maximum of 20 years.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

I wonder what reason was given for this child not being placed with
relatives.
I also wonder if he would have faired much better if he had been placed
with relatives.
Guess we'll never know, but it's unfortunate that a suitable relative was
not given placement of the child.

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

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.

I could post random examples of biological parents whose choices
resulted in the deaths of their children, too. Posting an anecdotal
example proves nothing more than one story. Foster parents are
sometimes abusive. Biological parents are sometimes abusive.
Respectfully E.B.


On Nov 7, 11:56 pm, fx wrote:
Foster mother's choices blamed in boy's death
Defense denies her responsibility

http://www.boston.com/news/local/art...ster_mothers_c...

Globe Staff / November 7, 2007

Jennifer Kadilak smiled brightly yesterday when talking about Dontel
Jeffers, who was 4 years old and around 3 feet tall when the social
worker got to know him at a Dorchester emergency shelter for children.

"He was just incredibly endearing and very, very cute," Kadilak, who met
Dontel at the Bridge Home shelter where she worked, testified in Suffolk
Superior Court.

Dontel left the shelter on Feb. 24, 2005, in the care of his foster
mother, Corinne N. Stephen, who was then living on Ballou Avenue in
Dorchester.

Ten days later, doctors met a radically different Dontel: His left eye
was bruised. His face was scratched. Both wrists and one leg had
ligature marks. His intestine had been punctured, releasing poisonous
waste into his body. His throat had interior bruises as if someone had
tried to squeeze off his breath.

The doctors at Caritas Carney Hospital in Dorchester tried for 45
minutes to revive the boy, but they were unsuccessful.

The responsibility for Dontel's death, Suffolk Assistant District
Attorney David Deakin said yesterday, lies with Stephen, who is being
tried on second-degree murder charges.

"She was the sole caretaker" during those 10 days, Deakin said. "She
allowed him to suffer bruises. She called no one. Not a doctor. Not a
hospital. Not 911. Not anyone. Until it was far too late to save him."

In his opening statement to the jury, Deakin said that the prosecution's
case would be based on circumstantial evidence and that there would be
no eyewitnesses to what happened to Dontel. But, he said, jurors will
know at the end of the trial that Stephen could have saved the boy's
life but chose not to.

Stephen's "choices caused the death, the untimely, avoidable death of
Dontel Jeffers," he said.

Defense lawyer John Palmer described Stephen in his opening statement as
a career foster mother who had safely cared for other children.

She had a good reputation with Mentor Network Inc., the private child
welfare agency where she worked, he said.

A graduate of Madison Park Technical Vocational High School who had
taken nursing classes at Salem State College, Stephen was also a single
mother and a member of the Army National Guard, he said.

Palmer said Stephen did not batter the child, nor was she responsible
for his death.

"Keep an open mind throughout this entire case," Palmer urged jurors.

Sitting in court yesterday were Dontel's grandmother, Agatha Jeffers,
and other family members who regularly visited the child while he was at
the Bridge Home and who had repeatedly begged the Department of Social
Services to let the child live with them.

After Dontel's death, former DSS commissioner Harry Spence personally
apologized to the Jeffers family for the mistakes made, including
failing to tell them that the boy had been transferred into Stephen's
custody.

DSS got involved in Dontel's life after his biological mother stopped
caring for him properly. Elary Jeffers, the child's father, had been the
boy's primary caretaker, but his father was deported to his native
Caribbean island of Nevis.

Taken by DSS from his mother's home, Dontel was sent to Bridge Home to
be assessed for his next placement. DSS hired Mentor Network to provide
a foster mother.

The prosecution is not alleging that Stephen inflicted the abuse that
led to Dontel's death. With no direct evidence as to what happened to
the boy, prosecutors have decided to charge that Stephen failed to
prevent his death.

Suffolk Superior Court Judge Margaret Hinkle told jurors that
prosecutors do not have to prove Stephen actually delivered the blows
that harmed Dontel. Instead, she told them they must be convinced that
Stephen knew her actions would have caused the boy's death.

The judge also told jurors they will be given the option of convicting
Stephen, finding her not guilty, or convicting her of a lesser charge,
involuntary manslaughter. Second-degree murder carries a sentence of
life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum of 20 years.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.

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

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.

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS 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...

There are WAY too many of these stories each
month to write them off as anecdotal Eric.

"Greegor" wrote in message
...
There are WAY too many of these stories each
month to write them off as anecdotal Eric.

I guess you didn't notice that some of them are repeats, and some of them
are not fosters?