Department of Human Services or Department of Horror Stories?

Department of Human Services or Department of Horror Stories?
Rick Barnes
The Edmond Sun

http://www.edmondsun.com/opinion/loc...secondarystory

In recent weeks the local media has been covering the deaths of area
children apparently due to parental abuse and some of the blame has been
placed on the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. I for one do not
want government interfering into my personal life but there are times
agencies need to step up and be held accountable for their actions or
lack of.

Case in point is the recent death of 23-month-old Olivia Scroggins.
According to police records, this innocent child had been beaten to
death and sexually abused. What a waste of human life — she was not
given a chance to grow up and enjoy life.

Her grandmother alerted DHS to the child’s possible dangers prior to her
death with no response. DHS cannot be all things to all people but
someone should have heeded the grandmother’s warning and intervened. But
no! Probably some sort of “bureaucratic� excuse got in the way
preventing the saving of this child’s life.

Let’s bring this closer to home. Three-year-old Damion Dunn’s life was
cut short due to seven blows to his head, one leaving a 3-inch long
skull fracture.

I don’t think this happened by slipping on a banana peel. Jeremy Lakey
was convicted Thursday of the murder.

I doubt if DHS could have stopped this senseless beating, but a caring
parent could have had they really cared!

Hey, I was far from the perfect child growing up and many times thought
my parents were sick if I did not get my “daily� spanking. But I was
never “whooped� on to the point of staring the Almighty in the eye! Sure
the spankings hurt but probably were deserved and somewhere in the
process it was done with love!

And I suppose under today’s laws, mom and dad could have been in hot
water if the neighbor saw me getting my due punishment.

DHS operates like most state agencies — hands tied by rules and
regulations and overloaded with way to much work. Sure they have “dead
beats� in their department — weed them out and hire/pay competent people
who care more about protecting the public than just punching a time
clock and collecting a paycheck.

But that does not bring this young girl back or the lives of others who
have suffered the same fate. Instead of putting the blame on DHS as a
department, let’s look to our state Legislature.

If money is the issue, find it. If quality people are the issue, find
them! It is not as if we don’t have the money somewhere. Right now, some
members of the Legislature are trying to find $100,000 to bolster some
sort of prison church. That seems a little late in the process to me!

Let all of us get concerned about senseless beating/abuse of our
children — not to the extent that we alert law enforcement or the
appropriate agency of a well-deserved spanking but if the signs of abuse
are evident then report it!

If an adult is found guilty of child abuse or endangerment, put them in
a cell with the biggest, meanest, nastiest person you can find — give
them a taste of their own medicine! DHS, if you need help then turn to
the people who fund your department — they have the money to invest in
protecting those too young to protect themselves.



RICK BARNES is publisher of The Edmond Sun.




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...