$2M worth of abuse

@soccermom (3198)
United States
August 1, 2007 8:46am CST
I saw a story on the news this morning about a woman who adopted 11 children using various identities, abused them by starving them, not allowing them to use the bathroom, etc...some of these kids were handicapped to begin with. In the meantime she bilked the system out of $2M!! There are a lot of people who are appalled by this, and rightfully so. But the focus in all the artiles seems to be on what a horrible woman she is, and she is, but my question is what the heck is wrong with our system that she could adopt these kids using fake identities?! I think that this is just another example of what is wrong with our social service system. I think not only she she rot in jail for what she put these kids through, but there should be some sort of punishment for the case workers too. What do you think?
1 person likes this
7 responses
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
2 Aug 07
Yes I do agree—but you know she will use the excuse- I’m overworked- My case load is too large- there isn’t enough time to see all the families as often as I should- You hear it everytime you see a problem with foster kids or other kids being abused by their parents. It’s a sad story- that happens all the time- Yes the Mom should be put away for Life- But I think the county owes these kids a lot more- money- counseling- good homes- and I think the agencies should be reprimanded and the case worker also.
@soccermom (3198)
• United States
2 Aug 07
And that's the thing I don't understand. My best friend has her Masters in Psych, and works for the local government agency that deals with counseling foster kids and their families. I wouldn't want her job for anything, she deals with a lot of BS. However, I am proud to say that she is one of the few that cares, and has been known to go pick people up if they don't have transportation to necessary appointments, will have meetings at clients employers on their break if necessary, and goes above and beyond normal office hours. She is overworked, and the first to admit it, but the way she sees it is she made an obligation to these kids that she needs to follow through on. She has also told me several times that the "system" in place to deal with these families is broken. There is no accountability on the case workers, and most of them use the excuse of "overworked and underpaid" to get away with not living up to their duties. I don't know what the answer to this is, but with as many times as we see these stories on the news you would think there would be some sort of reform.
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
1 Aug 07
Its typical of our society everyone says its not my job and the buck gets passed. I am sure there were others that had a clue as to something being wrong in all this but they never did or said anything. Not just the social workers but I am sure there were teachers involved, neighbors and family members. Someone had to have noticed something strange but never said a word.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
8 Aug 07
My question is how she got through all the loops. We all know they put you through the ringer before you adopt a child. They want a life history, nothing is private. How did she get away with it. I cannot imagine the things these children went through. I think more than her should be brought up on charges.
• Philippines
2 Aug 07
This woman should be rehabilitated, should serve other people and she should be also starved, and not to be allowed to go to the bathrooms, all of the things she had done to those poor kids. If in case she said something about it, let her know that what she is facing is identical to what she had done and that she should experience it first hand... She is a grown up and having a hard time doing those thing imagine that to those kids... she deserves more punishment than those kids.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
1 Aug 07
yes I think so to . For I always thought o be a foster parent youhad to be investicated! and with a fine tooth comb. I dont understand the SSS and the case workers but they try to pull kids away from parents that do the best they can and no abuse theri kids to put them with someone like this grrrrrrrrrrrr
1 person likes this
• Singapore
2 Aug 07
how could a woman do that to innocent kids...the workers should be more careful with their work man..or else more innocent lives will be hurt...the kids are so young....its reali bad for their growth process..
@emisle (3822)
• Ireland
2 Aug 07
That's quite incredible that she got away with it for so long...those poor children. I hope she does get a long prison term and I agree about punishment for the case workers, there is no way they should get out of this lightly.