Below is a copy of my newest letter of complaint. As I send them out to ALL previous recipients AND more, I can only hope to draw more attention to the HUGE injustice that is happening. I will try to update the contact list as I have time. It seems that the system would love nothing more than for me to disappear, but I simply cannot, for my nephew's sake. Also in the works: a book, (speaking to published authors NOW:),we even have a volunteer to edit our manuscript, charity for relatives in the CPS system,and there is more..............my imagination and writing skills should be able to serve this cause. The longer this takes, the more damage that is done to my nephew, the more OUR entire family suffers, the more DETERMINED I get.
IN NO WAY IS THIS A THREAT! THIS IS A FACTUAL JOURNAL OF OUR STRUGGLE TO BRING OUR FAMILY MEMBER HOME!
Our mission is to BRING OUR NEPHEW HOME, CHANGE legislation, and STOP the individuals & agencies that obstruct justice!
December 31, 2008
Re: Denial of Kinship Care and Adoption
The reason for this letter is to formally complain about Del Norte County's denial of my kinship care rights. I am the maternal aunt to a beautiful and sweet 2 year old little boy, named Baby R J. P. Sinnott. He is funny, smart, and very loving. If you saw us together in public, you would assume he was my son, not just because of our very similar features and coloring but also of our comfortable and loving relationship. The reason I tell you of Baby R's sunny disposition is because of how very much he has overcome in his short little life.
When my sister Melissa Thornton was just 29 weeks pregnant with him, they were in a fatal car accident, where 2 people did not survive. Melissa while still pregnant with Baby R, was then airlifted to Redding, CA for surgery and medical care. After both her broken leg and arm were repaired by the surgeon, little unborn Baby R was stable but a heart anomaly was found. I live in Fresno County and drove to Redding and transported Melissa to my town, so that I could help care for her and Baby R. Baby R was born June 7, 2006 only weighing 4 pounds 11 ounces but was the cutest preemie our family ever laid their eyes on. His heart condition was serious but with delivery and 7 days in the NICU, he was stable enough to come home, along with his mother. He lived as part of our immediate family, in my home, for the first 9 months of his life. My husband, five children, and myself were devastated with Baby R's absence from our daily lives.
My sister moved with Baby R to Del Norte County, where her other children reside. On November 23, 2007 Baby R was taken into the custody of Del Norte CPS and put into a foster home. On December 10, 2007 I sent a formal request for placement of Baby R into my home for both temporary and permanent basis, as a follow up to a phone request made to Susan Wilson, of CPS. I have repeatedly asked for placement, sent cards, photos, clothing, toys, letters, etc. for Baby R. I began the relative placement approval process and was approved 5-5-08, by Del Norte.
While maintaining contact with the department, I was given very little information about the process and how to navigate through the system as a relative. I have driven the 12 hours to visit my nephew on several occasions, attended court, hired an attorney, and "fought" to have an adoptive home study. (State Adoptions in Arcata has had a hand in the problems that we are experiencing also. Their denial of a home study and of both parents REPEATED request to sign designated relinquishments, for months, is it's own problem to be dealt with.) My home study was approved, by State Adoptions Fresno District Office on October 3, 2008. I had 14 glowing references delivered to State Adoptions.
My nephew has been victim to severe bite marks on at least 3 occasions and CPS refused to move him even at the biological parents' request. I have witnessed perjury with my own eyes in court by CPS workers and have been denied "many" requests to keep up my biological relationship with my nephew with digital photos, phone calls, audio recordings of me reading to him, participation in therapy with him, overnights, and above all placement. Baby R has three older half-sisters that have been previously adopted. The two oldest J. and K. were adopted by their paternal grandparents. The youngest of the three was adopted by the maternal grandmother. I am the only one who has facilitated any kind of a relationship between the two older sisters and Baby R since his detainment. Neither the foster mom or CPS has facilitated any visits.
Now even as the named prospective adoptive parents, by State Adoptions, my husband and I have not received placement of my nephew. The foster parents have adopted before and are intent to add my nephew to their collection of children. Environmental Alternatives Adoption Agency, Del Norte CPS, and State Adoptions, Arcata District Office have had an agenda from the beginning; regulations and family codes have not been followed and now a biological relative may be lost forever.
My story is long and my plea very urgent, I am requesting your aid in bringing my nephew home to the first home he has ever known. I am a more than willing, ready, and able relative who has asked from the beginning for his placement. Not only does my immediate family lose out on a close relationship with Baby R if we are denied adopting him, but his two older sisters, his 10 cousins, several aunts and uncles, many-many extended family members to include a great-great aunt, as well as a supervised relationship with his biological parents. (The foster parents even TRIED to get a restraining order against the biological mother.)
Time is of the essence and a little boy is waiting to be brought home. As Martin Luther King Jr., so eloquently put it, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". IF relatives who have been able to do what we have, are as qualified as we are, and have fought this long, I shudder to think how MANY relatives will or have been lost to the average family.
I would appreciate a response at your earliest convenience, the next placement hearing is February 4, 2009 in Del Norte. (Documents in support of the above, may be delineated upon request.)
Respectfully,
Kimberly Fraser
cc: CA Foster Parent Ombudsman, Cynthia McDowell (877) 846-1062
Robert Cochran, Attorney at Law (707) 464-3178
No comments:
Post a Comment