Clearer state rules on abuse ordered

Clearer state rules on abuse ordered

JOSEPH TURNER; The News Tribune
Published: August 2nd, 2007 01:00 AM

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/l...ry/123925.html


The state agency that investigates child abuse has 30 days to come up
with a clear policy on when its caseworkers should bring law enforcement
officers into a case, Gov. Chris Gregoire announced Wednesday in
reaction to the handling of an abuse case in Pierce County.

The governor told reporters that the state Department of Social and
Health Services has reduced the incidence of child abuse since the
agency adopted a rapid response to reports of abuse.

But she said she was troubled that a DSHS caseworker didn’t look for
other clues of abuse after a 12-year-old Pierce County boy at first
denied being hurt by his relatives.

She was referring to a Pierce County case that came to light last week
when prosecutors filed charges against a South Hill man and woman
accused of beating up the boy, who was in their care after his mother
died in a car wreck.

Loni Venegas, 33, the boy’s step-grandmother, and Remil Venegas, 52, his
grandfather, were charged with assault. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Pierce County sheriff’s deputies were critical of the agency’s handling
of the case.

DSHS caseworkers decided to return the boy to his grandfather’s home
despite repeated reports of abuse over a three-year period.

When deputies found out, they removed the boy themselves.

“No one can ever honestly guarantee in this system that no child will be
victimized,” Gregoire said. “We just can’t. We are part of a human
behavior system where there are terrible people out there who are doing
terrible things to their children.”

Increasing the number of caseworkers alone won’t solve the problem, she
said.

“No amount of staff will do you any good if you don’t change training,
the clinicians’ ability to see and get at … what the problem might be,”
the governor said.

DSHS Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams admitted Tuesday that “the system
failed this child,” and she pledged to have her staff find out what
decisions were made in the case and who made them.

The boy’s injuries and repeated absences from school raised suspicions
among his teachers and guidance counselors, who reported their concerns
to Child Protective Services at least six times between May 2004 and
March of this year, according to court records.

The case came to the attention of deputies June 25, when the boy went to
a neighbor’s home to seek help and later told a detective he had run
away because he was tired of getting beat up.

When deputies learned Child Protective Services had returned the boy to
his grandfather’s home, they removed him.

Joseph Turner: 253-597-8436



Staff writer Peter Callaghan contributed to this report.






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...