CPS Investigation

[Kelly D. Everett]

I have a daughter that is 20 years old and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder resulting from a violent rape during her childhood. She has four children. Her first child was put up for adoption in the state of Virginia because her husband put her out and she had no way to care for the baby. She came to Texas to live with me and her father. She has had three children since. Child protective services have been harassing her for years. They have opened and closed five or six cases. The last case involved her using marijuana during pregnancy. CPS opened the case and she went through all of the steps they required. When I was told that they were going to remove these children at Christmas time, I contacted Governor Perry's office for help. I explained that the only reason she had been smoking marijuana during pregnancy is that she is unable to take the prescriptions needed to control her stress issues. They sent people to investigate and all of the sudden the case was closed. Since that time, my daughter had given her last child to an adoptive couple up north. She still has two little girls at home and does a very good job taking care of them considering her mental condition. Now that the big guys have left town, CPS has re-opened the old case stating that my daughter abused the baby by smoking during pregnancy. I realize that smoking marijuana is illegal, but there is not any scientific proof that this does permanent damage to a fetus. I still have not been able to get any help for my daughter. My husband and I have searched for years to get her assistance. The only thing that she is able to do is care for those children. She tries very hard to follow all the rules of life, but she continues to struggle. We pay her rent and the rest of her bills and we make sure that they have what they need. We cannot, however, seem to get any help for her mentally. We tried to get help during the last case by asking for a psychological evaluation, but they geared all of the questions around her sexual intentions with the children. Then they claimed that she became aggressive during the exam. Any normal person would become aggressive if someone was implying that they were having sexual thoughts about small children! They even asked her is she thought about sex while she gave the girls a bath. Then they told her that it was not appropriate to touch the childrens' "private areas" during bathing. How do you wash your babies without touching them? Anyway, if there is anyone that can help me, please, because removing these children would be the worst thing they can do for them and my daughter. I can't afford an attorney right now, but I am working on a career in psychology so that I can help her and get an attorney. I know that some people do abuse children, but I would be the first one to complain if I thought that my grandchildren were in any harm. Please, please help me, I don't know what to do. Shouldn't they have charged her with this when they first started the last investigation, or are they just mad at me for calling the boss?Texas

[CourtClerk]

They should not only charge her, they should remove the other 2 children and ensure they they are not put in your or your husband's custody either since you are so hell bent in enabling your daughter's drug use. Your daughter can smoke marijuana until the cows come home, but she has no right to put an illegal, mind altering substance into her body and jeopardize the well being of the innocent children. The only thing CPS did wrong (IMO) is that they closed the case the first time. You are right there. They should have nailed her to the wall the first time, no matter who you called.

[jojo4]

I know that some people do abuse children, but I would be the first one to complain if I thought that my grandchildren were in any harm.

Apparently not.

Your daughter suffers from PTSD from a rape when she was 20, yet managed to give birth to 4 children during this time?

Your daughter may very well have some issues, but that in NO WAY excuses her smoking pot while pregnant and around the children. If she wants to hit the bong, that's her choice. It's illegal, but I won't pass judgement on her for that. I WILL pass judgement on her for doing it around the kids and while pregnant. Are you seriously going to sit there and say, "well, there's no scientific proof that it might be harmful to the fetus." You've got to be kidding.

There has to be some reason all of the therapists are focused on their line of questioning. I'm not saying that she is molesting the children. I'm not. I AM saying that she is emitting warning signs strong enough that more than one therapist has questioned her.

Where is/are the children's father(s)?

Oh, and I assure you, Gov. Perry didn't call off CPS. He's too busy wighing his chances of future office right now. I live in TX. I'm well aware of what is going on with CPS. The case load is HUGE. Your daughter's case wasn't priority (in case you missed it, we've had a few high profile cases here lately). Someone finally got a chance to look at the case and see that there is cause to be very concerned for the children. Now they're getting around to handling it.

[Mr. Knowitall]

If this is going to court, your daughter should be able to get a court-appointed lawyer.

[jojo4]

I just realized that your daughter was raped as a child and is NOW 20. Sorry. I misread that part, but the rest....

[aardvarc]

Being very "sexually active" as an adult is a super common phenemenon in cases of sexual violence when the victim is young. HOWEVER, that activity does NOT have to result in the production of 4 children, particularly when the mother is disabled/dysfunctional to the point where she can't provide for those children - or even herself, since you indicate that she's off her meds.

With that said, if her PTSD is crippling her, then she needs to be in a counseling program specifically geared towards trauma survivors. They are a bit more specialized, but are there if you look for them. If you get stuck, try contacting RAINN or your state's sexual assault coalition. It might take in-patient assistance for a while, and might cause the need for someone else to look after the kids for a while - but PTSD doesn't just "get better". It takes a lot of painful work and tears for most people so disabled by it to return to better functionality, and it's SUPER hard to do while trying to care for children. Has she been declared disabled due to the PTSD, or have you taken it upon yourself to simply try to provide for her to "lessen her burden"? If this is the case, you may be doing more harm than good by enabling her. She had no choice about the tragic event in her childhood, but she CAN make choices now, and your support of destructive choices is only going to hurt her MORE in the long run. Stop helping her make excuses, and start helping her do whatever it takes to get the outside help she NEEDS - even if it means trying every therapist, counselor, shrink, witch doctor in town, going on Dr. Phil's show or whatever.

If she's not already on SSD, get her there. By allowing her to be so dependent on you, you set her up to be devistated should something happen to you.

[lealea1005]

I realize that smoking marijuana is illegal, but there is not any scientific proof that this does permanent damage to a fetus.

Kelly, I'd just want to address the statement above. Marijuana crosses the placenta to the fetus. It prohibits the proper amount of oxygen the fetus needs to grow. Marijuana is a toxin. Medical studies have shown that smoking marijuana, even only a few times during pregnancy, can cause miscarriages, premature birth, low birth weight, and arrested labor labor, developmental delays, and learning disabilities. I think the wellbeing of your unborn child should be enough of a deterrent.

[Kelly D. Everett]

O.K Maybe I didn't explain well enough. My daughter has a fifth grade education and has spent most of her childhood in mental facilities. By the way, she quit smoking pot. We tried to get help but because she is grown now, we don't have any legal rights over her. All I'm trying to say is that they don't arrest women that smoke cigarettes while pregnant and they are more harmful. I also did not say that her second oldest child was born she was premature due to a serious car accident in which my daughter was a passenger ejected from the vehicle. She was born at 25 weeks and was given a 13% chance for life. When she did come home she was attached to all sorts of life sustaining equipment. They told us that she would need these until she was in school. Because of my daughters excellent care, the girl is fine today. The machines were taken away before she was a year old. When she laid in the hospital barely holding on to life, it was the THC in the breast milk that saved her life. The doctor told us this "off the record", of course. Despite popular belief, marijuana does have medicinal qualities. I would also like to add that aside from the marijuana use, there was no other basis for these cases. I never said she smoked in the presence of the other children. As for "Court Clerk", you should not be so quick to judge people with such a narrow view on life. Someday we will all be judged by the standards we set for others. Let he who has no sin cast the first stone. Do you honestly think that being in a child's mind herself that she doesn't deserve any help or consideration? How would you feel if this was happening to your child? As for my husband and I, we have only been trying to help her. If she ever listened to our advice, we would not be in this situation. I think I am well on the way to having an educated opinion as I currently hold a 4.0 in psychology and social work. I have dedicated my life to helping people in situations where the system has failed. My son is an honor student and is quite well adjusted and I would never teach him that having such a narrow point of view. I have been to all of the facilities, web sites, offices, ect.,to no avail. The only advice they can give is for her to move to a big city that has better programs. This would be fine if I could find a nice two bedroom house in a quiet neighborhood for $200 per month. Sorry to start such a controversy.

[jojo4]

All I'm trying to say is that they don't arrest women that smoke cigarettes while pregnant and they are more harmful.

As bad as cigs are, they are LEGAL. Therein lies the difference.

Do you honestly think that being in a child's mind herself that she doesn't deserve any help or consideration?

Nobody said she didn't deserve help. The point is that the children should not be at risk while she is getting that help. I also question how at 20, she has had 4 children. Obviously, at least one (and that's only if she has litteraly had 4 children within 4 years) of these children was born when she was still a minor.

[Kelly D. Everett]

You see, we have already been to court. They ordered my daughter to drug awareness classes that she completed. They ordered her for drug testing, she did, and past. Then they closed the case. The baby in question has been adopted and the other two are in no danger.