When CPS Attacks!

[Sarahs_Dad]

      My nephews, 8 and 4, in Houston (Baytown) have been taken by CPS and put into foster care where they have been for over a year now. It all started at the end of 2004 with an ADHD/special education-needs / truancy situation with the school.  The local TV news covered that story.  Then the school saw the oldest nephew's bruised arm and (partially out of retaliation) called CPS who interviewed him and later with a cop removed him and his younger brother from their apt.  Since then we've had to celebrate their birthdays during supervised visitations at Burger King.  CPS and the court wants to terminate my brother-in-law's and sister-in-law's parental rights due to alcohol/drugs and abuse/neglect.  I certainly don't like CPS's and the court's assumption of guilt, refusal of all due process, other constitutional protections and rights, lack of evidence requirement, arrest or search warrants, etc.  The parents and the kids all have been appointed attorneys ad litem.

       Astoundingly, it seems due to guilt and stress the parents have or will waive their right to a jury trial, their parental rights, and consent to adoption or continued foster care! There's another court date soon this Spring, which I plan, and would like any supporters also, to attend. It's in Harris County, 315th District.  The whole case is set for dismissal by August 11 and then the boys probably will be either permanently adopted or bounced from one foster home to another the rest of their childhood.  CPS and my sister-in-law want the boys to stay with me and my wife, but my family already has too much to cope with and not enough resources and room to take care of them.  I've gotten copies of some of the court orders in their case just last weekend, but I may not ever know the complete details, evidence and facts.  Supposedly they have gotten off drugs and stopped drinking.  I care about my little nephews and our corrupt injustice system.  So I'd appreciate any links or material about CPS/TPR you may have or know of.

       My brother-in-law and sister-in-law welcome any and all help and info they can get.  They ask those who want to help to please call or email them at:
    Sandy & Krista Rakestraw
    Baytown, Texas
    DopeyRakestraw at AOL.com
    832-262-6745    

       Sincerely,
       Kinley Hardin

[coppertop]

How sad for your nephews to be going through this. I am a foster parent. It's always sad when I have children in my home because the biological parents don't care more about drugs and alcohol than their children.
Try responding to a child's question of "why can't I be with my mom" or "why did dad burn me" or "are you coming back? cuz my mom would go to her friends house and not come back." Not easy to explain things to the kids, when it all leads back to the message that the child isn't nearly as important as the selfish behaviors of the parent.
The best help you can give to your nephews is to encourage their parents to follow the case plan. That means they have to do everything that CPS tells them. CPS gives the bios SO MANY chances to get the kids back. If the case is going TPR (Termination of Parents Rights), it's  because the parents have made no reasonable efforts to change their lifestyle and have the children back to a safe environment.

I've had 12 foster placements. Every one of them have been reunited with parents, or are in the process of being reunited. For some of those kids that will be good. For the others, CPS issued the child a death sentence, if not physically, then emotionally.
Judges are so lenient with the bio parents, there's no excuse for parents to not get their lives together for the sake of their children. And if they chose not to, then by all means the children should be raised by in a family who will make every effort to give them a safe and loving home.

[Sarahs_Dad]

Thanks for weighing in with a child's and a foster parent's viewpoints.  You pinpointed and raised some great points and truths.  I disagree that CPS operates or requires things of families that are necessarily in the children's, country's or parents' best interest.

[Sarahs_Dad]

To Coppertop or anyone else in support of CPS and foster care:
You're right about some parents choosing a selfish lifestyle of alcohol, drugs, etc. over their children.  My brother-in-law and sister-in-law in the above case were addicted to drugs for several years and probably did neglect their sons.  A couple years ago they finally got off drugs and were baptized to become Christians.  Last Summer CA DCFS flew our nephews to Arkansas and returned them to their parents.  Their last foster mom was an abuser and sociopath who abused and tortured them, but eventually was caught and prosecuted.  The oldest boy (14) incurred so much damage and mental issues that he wears diapers, is in an inpatient adolescent psych facility now for treatment.  You're wrong about CPS always giving parents ample chances to shape up and reunite.