Need some advice ASAP!

[lucky]

A little background:

My 17 yo dd is in foster care and will be 18 yo in April.  She's been in foster care at the same so-called "therapeutic" foster home since Aug. 2003 due to HER behaviors.  I have NEVER lost ANY rights as she was placed through juvenile (criminal) court.  I fought to get it changed last July, but lost due to the probation officer and my dd deciding that it was "best" for her to stay where she was rather than move back to her hometown and attend family counseling, etc. like I wanted and had been agreed upon prior to the hearing.  Because I was blind-sided by their decision, I didn't have the necessary information to push my way through -- the PO had it and refused to give it up and I didn't have the resources to get information on foster homes.

Fast forward to last night.  My dd called me and informed me that on Jan. 29th she was choked to unconciousness by one of the other foster girls.  The foster mother (at least) was not there.  Dd told me that the other girls social worker said not to tell anyone till she decided if charges should be filed.   This is not the first time my dd has been assaulted in this foster home -- and there are other things that have happened as well.  I don't know if the police were called, I don't know if my dd got medical attention, I don't know anything.  I have a HUGE problem with this.

I know what county they're in and who their licensing goes through.  They're a PATH foster home.

I'm considering calling PATH, the sheriff's dept for a police report, the hospital down there...  What should I do?  This home is a dangerous place and I told dh that someday a few years down the road we're going to read a newspaper article saying "Teen dies in [name of city] foster home"  and I'll KNOW what foster home it is, and wonder if I couldn't have done something.

What do you guys think?  The foster mother STILL hasn't called me.


[em]Lucky

Lead your life so you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.
- Will Rogers[em]

[MixedBag]

Mom, you've been through the wringer and know what to do to protect your daughter.

Call and give them a deadline (time and date) to respond and push forward until your daughter is safe, period.

[lucky]

I know, Mixed.  I'm moving forward, step by step.  She emailed me today and told me that the police were not called, nor was she seen by anyone medically till the next day.  Supposedly the person caring for them called PATH and the fostermom instead of 911 and was told not to call the police or ambulance till the foster mom got home and could talk to the social worker -- so there isn't a police report from that day.

I've left a message for the PATH social worker in charge of that home.  My next step is to call the county foster care licensing office and file a complaint.  I'm also calling CPS to report the foster parent for medical neglect -- what comes out of it will probably be nothing, but I have to go to as many people that can help as possible.  

If I don't get the responses/answers I need/expect, I will go to my legislators.

As far as keeping her safe -- there's nothing I can do unless the county or PATH suspend their licensing.  I doubt we can get back into juvenile court for months -- even on an emergency basis.  She'll be 18 in 2 months and will be able to live wherever she wants.  Plus in the email she told me that she's extremely pissed off at me for trying to screw the foster parents over just because I'm jealous of not knowing what's going on in her day to day life.  She doesn't get that this incident is NOT what happens on a day to day basis, she's convinced I'M out to "get them".  She'll fight tooth and nail to stay there and she'll have an attorney to back her up -- hell, that damn attorney is how she GOT in this foster home in the first place.

In any case, I have to do what is right and even if I can no longer protect my dd, I have to make sure that I do whatever I can to keep other people's kids safe from this happening to them.

[em]Lucky

Lead your life so you wouldn't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip.
- Will Rogers[em]

[dsm]

Geez.  It just piles and piles, huh?  I'm sorry for all this.  This foster home has been one screw up after another.  I agree with what you are doing - you have to report it, demand answers, and do what you can fo the time that you can.  Granted in 2 months, DD will be 'adult' and all, but at this time she is still your little girl.  And I'll bet that if she looks deep down - really deep down, and sees what has all happened, she'd realize that you are doing what you need to as her mom.  

(((((HUGS)))))
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dsm - 34
DH - 37
SD - 15
LO - 9
BB - 19 months
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2 Cheap Entertainment cats - Snoop & Dagger - 5 years and counting.....