I could not finish reading it...

sleeper54 · #1 08-06-2008, 01:26 AM

...
Sad, sad, disgusting, maddening story alert.

I hope it is something that has not been discussed here already.
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The Girl In the Window

Her name, her mother had said, was Danielle. She was almost 7 years old.

She weighed 46 pounds. She was malnourished and anemic. In the pediatric intensive care unit they tried to feed the girl, but she couldn't chew or swallow solid food. So they put her on an IV and let her drink from a bottle.

Gawd.

...tom...

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #2 08-06-2008, 07:52 AM

Welcome to my world. I thought this was going to be about the 14-year-old girl who was starved to death in Philly - she was "known to the system" and caseworkers are being fired left and right over that case. At least this child has a chance.

Magick1 · #3 08-06-2008, 09:05 AM

What a devastating story (both cases). Makes me angry and sad all at the same time.

to those dealing with cases like this

to those little people who did not ask for this kind of treatment.

I could not do anything remotely close to this, I am too much of a softie and I would likely cry at everything I saw (kind of like it seem to do just reading stories like these).

**thinkerlady**[$] · #4 08-06-2008, 10:57 AM

I couldn't stop reading. I know this happens but it is hard to accept that it happens.

The story about the 14 year old girl has been horrible, MJ. Yesterday, the mayor of Philadelphia made some strong statements, and he too got quite upset in public over the actions (or lack of actions) of the DHS workers. It isn't over.

I remember the story of the boys in New Jersey a few years ago. I think there was an 18 year old weighing 45 or 50 lbs?? A whole slew of kids in that house. It was horrible.

**Prepoia**[$] · #5 08-06-2008, 11:09 AM

A favorite autobiograhical book that my middle schoolers read and report on each year is "It" or "A Boy Called It" and the kid's name is David (can't remember his last name). Kids at about 14 are repelled and therefore fascinated by such awful treatment of other kids. I always clench my teeth when they present because it is all so sad.

**thinkerlady**[$] · #6 08-06-2008, 11:52 AM

MJ--I just read the morning paper and there is an article that the mayor met with DHS yesterday. He told them that he is not "out" to get them, and does respect the work they do, it was just that his fury over the results of the Grand Jury Investigation got the better of him with his comments the day before. He was pretty rough on the good people it seems.

Anyhow the DHS workers made a good statement to him--he had said the day before that as a parent if his child was treated the way this girl had been treated, he would personally "kick ass". He clearly let emotion get in the way, and DHS workers rightfully were worried about their safety when they go on visits. I am not sure where this is going--if you want I will try to find the article for you online.

**conradd** · #7 08-06-2008, 01:51 PM

I used to coordinate a child abuse prevention hotline - it was a place where people could leave anonymous tips if they had concerns about a child in their community. One night a young deputy sheriff called, just wanting to talk. He had just responded to a potential case and found a 6 month old baby lying in a crib, diaper not changed for a day or two, with a bottle of sour milk. The parents were passed out from drinking. Child Protective Services took the baby over the parent's loud objections - he was "theirs".

The deputy had a 6 month old of his own. It was beyond his comprehension how a parent could treat a baby in this manner. He said he could count ribs.

Two months later, the child was healthy and the parents got him back and promptly moved out of state. He's been in my thoughts and prayers for the last 28 years - I hope he made it to adulthood and is a happy successful adult. To me, horrific neglect like this should be a one strike law. It's good to know that Dani is now with a loving family, but I wonder how many other children are out there.

**Helen_B**[$] · #8 08-07-2008, 02:29 AM

Cases like these leave me feeling ill. They make me think of situations where there was interference from an agency when none was needed, and other situations where the children were at risk and nothing was done.

I called Children's Aid in my town once, because of concerns about an 11 year old boy I knew well, and was told first of all that they couldn't look up his file, since it was under the mother's name, and I didn't know it, and second of all that since he was 11 there was nothing much they could do if he spent a lot of time unsupervised (locked out of the house in all weather). We didn't get to the part about how he had to be back exactly at meal times in order to be allowed to eat, but had ADHD and no watch. He would phone around to his friends early in the morning on weekends, hoping to find a place to go for the day. He wasn't a big kid, and he always ate like a lumberjack when he stayed at our house for a meal.

**hadassahchana**[$] · #9 08-08-2008, 11:09 AM

MJ, you are awesome for doing such important work. I can't read that story, I know it would have me in tears.

sleeper54 · #10 08-10-2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

mjfrombuffalo said

Welcome to my world. I thought this was going to be about the 14-year-old girl who was starved to death in Philly - she was "known to the system" and caseworkers are being fired left and right over that case. At least this child has a chance.

My SIL works for the state DHS doing household investigations, etc..

The job 'burnout' rate is pretty high but somehow she has kept at it for too many years.

I would think that, just like being a police officer, it would become easy to always expect the worst from people.

...tom...
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**Helen_B**[$] · #11 08-10-2008, 09:52 PM

Quote:

hadassahchana said

MJ, you are awesome for doing such important work. I can't read that story, I know it would have me in tears.

Thankyou, MJ, for the job you do.