She Has to be Evaluated? Whiskey Tango...

[Coronach]

JohnBT,

You're misunderstanding my point. I'm agreeing with you that there is nothing odd whatsoever about DFCS no-commenting, or that there is almost certainly more to this story and that is is not being told in this 15-second newsblurb. This is not due to some stupid conspricacy, either...it has to do with:

1. the inadequacies of the drive-by media

and

2. legitimate confidentiality issues on the part of the agency, on behalf of the victim.

Mike

 

[Tim Burke]

We have all this juvenile justice system mostly because of the abdication of responsibility on the part of parents and relatives.

I see no evidence that there has been any abdication of responsibility on the part of this mother, and yet the state has taken custody of the child, and is now making the mother jump through hoops to get her child back.
Maybe they have their reasons. However, since they are exerting their authority, I think it is fair for them to have to provide the justification.

 

[JohnBT]

"You're misunderstanding my point."

Not really, I was just off and running on your comment that "There might be a lot more to this story."

I don't think there is too much more to it than what is in the article. Just my reading-between-the-lines guess.

John

 

[bearmgc]

The mother probably was, as most rape victims, very traumatized by the rape, and then further traumatized by killing the rapist. Post traumatic stress can be very debilitating, and takes time to resolve. While DFS seems to have been heavy handed in taking charge, I don't think we have all the information as to how the mother was affected by this. Confidentiality is mandated in DFS matters, so they really can't comment. Would have been better for relatives, if she had any, to have immediately stepped in and taken custody and provided support for the woman, who obviously has been through more than we could possibly imagine. Still though at face value, it seems like crimminals have more rights than victims in this Justice System, when looking at the far reaching effects of their heinious acts upon the innocent.

 

[JohnBT]

"Would have been better for relatives, if she had any, to have immediately stepped in and taken custody and provided support for the woman..."

Support??? She needed a M.A.S.H. unit to put her back together.

From the article posted below:

"The woman stabbed Lee in a struggle that left her with more than two dozen stab wounds and hundreds of stitches.

Friends say the attack injured her hands so badly that she can't return to work as a hairstylist for at least several weeks. A tendon in her right hand was damaged. A pin holds one bone in her left hand together."

On top of everything else she can't work and gave up the rental house where the attack took place. John
_________

Woman who killed rapist tells her supporters: 'God loves me'

By YOLANDA RODRÍGUEZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 11/30/06

She was in a life-or-death struggle just three weeks ago.

An attacker had broken into the 38-year-old woman's house, raped her and threatened her 7-year-old daughter. The woman stabbed her assailant to death with a butcher knife after a violent struggle that lasted up to 30 minutes.


Calvin Cruce/Staff
(ENLARGE)
Kim Chester is raising money to help her friend, a 38-year-old woman who was seriously injured while fighting off a rapist.


Calvin Cruce/Staff
The victim's injuries, including multiple cuts and a crushed finger on her left hand, may hinder her working as a hairstylist.

RELATED
• Victim's letter of thanks to the public
• Excerpt from her 911 call


"Oh my God," the woman said in a dramatic call to 911. "I can't believe this is happening."

Now she's out of the hospital, living with an aunt and trying to put her life back together. She wrote a letter to well-wishers a few days ago, signing it the "Girl from Ballground."

"From where I was three weeks ago, my physical injuries are healing quite well," she writes. "My doctors are amazed at how well I have recovered at this point. My answer to them is that God loves me and he really does answer prayers!!"

A friend, Kim Chester, gives the note to people who ask about her.

"I would like to let you know your power of prayer has been awesome," the woman says in the letter. "My wish list for Christmas is that I continue to recover and people pray that I find safe and stable housing so that I may start my life anew ... ."

Authorities say Gerald A. Lee, who knew the woman in high school, broke into her house in the woods of Cherokee County after dark on Nov. 5. They say he raped her and threatened to rape her daughter, who's almost 8. The woman stabbed Lee in a struggle that left her with more than two dozen stab wounds and hundreds of stitches.

Friends say the attack injured her hands so badly that she can't return to work as a hairstylist for at least several weeks. A tendon in her right hand was damaged. A pin holds one bone in her left hand together.

"Her hands are still bad," said Chester, a friend of 13 years.

Since the assault, the woman's daughter and a teenage son have been in foster care. Chester said a hearing is scheduled for next week to determine whether the children can go home with their mother.

Chester said the rented home where her friend was attacked is too full of painful memories for her and scary ones for her daughter.

"It was hard for her when she went back to make sure all of her things were moved out," Chester said.

Friends have helped the woman open a bank account under the name "A Mother's Love" at Bank of America. Donors have contributed about $300 so far. Chester also built a Web page — a-motherslove.tripod.com — with information about how people can help the woman.

"I could only hope and pray that I could be as strong as her," Chester said, "but I think any mother would."

Chester said her friend believes her daughter saved her life — not the other way around.

"With everything as brutal as it was she knew 'I've got to live for my baby,' " she said.

At the HeadHunters Hair Salon on Canton Road in northeast Cobb County, which Chester manages, a Christmas tree is decorated purple and white. The colors symbolize campaigns supporting efforts to end violence against women. Customers and employees have put donations in white envelopes on the tree. Chester signed hers "the Girl from Canton."

Chester said her friend remembers Lee from high school and never suspected he would be capable of such violence.

"There's nothing she could have done to provoke it," she said.

 

[Wiley]

Let's everybody hold up here for a sec. I live in Cobb County, the county just south of Cherokee (both just to the NE of Atlanta). I heard this from the begining. I also have a friend who worked 35 years for DFaCS as a caseworker and supervisor.

As I remember, the lady is single. DFaCS (Dept. of Family and Child Service) would take custody of the child as it was a criminal case, no spouse around. DFaCS will not just give custody to a reletive, friend, etc. Wheather the lady would even survive her wounds was in doubt for a time.

There are procedures to be followed in returning custody to the parent. And, currently DFaCS is running scared as mid-level supervisors over-ruled the case workers and returned a child (1 of 8) to a psyco mother who in short order beat the kid to death.

So. I very much doubt that a Judge, in Cherokee County, GA, who must rule on returning the child to the lady in question, will hesitate an instant in signing the order. Again DFaCS is going to follow procedure to the letter (a talk with a shrink is part of that) but I doubt that it is anything more than a formality. Also the caseworker will have a lot to say about wheather the lady is ready to look after the kid.

OK, now that you are a little more educated about what is going on, rant away.

 

[tellner]

Thanks for the missing pieces, Wiley.

 

[Tim Burke]

Based on Wiley's post I can understand them taking the child in the first place. I still don't understand why she has to jump through hoops to get her child back now that she is competent to voice her opinion.
Thanks for the article, JohnBT. I sent her a donation.

 

[MudPuppy]

As someone who is undergoing training (yes training) to become a foster parent, I'd encourage anyone with questions about this type of situation to do a little research (outside of this fine gun oriented forum). It was eye opening for me, and I've been around the block (or so I thought...).

There's lots of little ones in need (even in bizare situations). The more good folks involved in the process, the better for everyone.

 

[Wiley]

Tim Burke: Based on Wiley's post I can understand them taking the child in the first place. I still don't understand why she has to jump through hoops to get her child back now that she is competent to voice her opinion.

Me again. Unfortunatly, in this case the Mother's opinion doesn't count. It's up to the courts. The state taking custody of the kid is a legal proceding as is the return.

Tim, the state taking custody of a kid is in some cases the first step in suspension of parental rights, ie., "We've taken your kids and you ain't gettin' 'em back 'cause you're unfit parents and shouldn't be alowed to breed."

The most recient example was two methheads cooking in a small travel trailer with their three kids sleeping next to the cooker. They, the parents, the methheads, should never get their kids back, nor should they even be allowed contact with them (suspension of parental rights).

Again, all of this is part of the law. Most times it works and works fairly well. Sometimes you get head scratchers.

 

[JohnBT]

"DFaCS will not just give custody to a reletive, friend, etc."

Maybe they'll listen to you. Thanks.

Meanwhile, I made a donation, too.

John

 

[Tim Burke]

Tim, the state taking custody of a kid is in some cases the first step in suspension of parental rights, ie., "We've taken your kids and you ain't gettin' 'em back 'cause you're unfit parents and shouldn't be alowed to breed."

I understand that is necessary in some cases; what I don't understand is the state treating this lady as if she was an unfit parent.

 

[Cosmoline]

Links? Don't quote without links!

 

[Tim Burke]

See Post #8 for original link.
Or are you looking for the link to the story in Post #30?

 

[JohnBT]

"what I don't understand is the state treating this lady as if she was an unfit parent"

The long and the short of it is very simple. There are steps - procedures - that must be followed before a child, any and every child, is released from foster care. Things like a home visit to see if there is a safe place for the kid to live and somebody capable of taking care of them and providing for them.

The foster care system is concerned about the well being and safety of the child - not the parent. And that's the way I think it should be.

John

 

[Tim Burke]

So there's no reason for it, it's just the policy.
Excuse me for not being convinced that the child is safer in foster care than with her mother, who has already proven she will kill or die to protect her daughter.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

we know

very lil about this lady. other than my admiration for her winning that fight i know not whether shes a good mom or a lady with consistent "bad luck" choosing men. since its family court we don't know if her family was already unser supervision before this attack. i do find it telling that mom seems not too put out bt the proceedings. might take a swag thats shes not totally unfamiliar with the system.and who kinows she might have been blessed to have a system in place to care for kids while she recuperated

 

[hsalom]

Maybe this can answer some questions... www.a-motherslove.com

 

[Don Gwinn]

You might liken it to a policy of checking the depth of a creek before you dive in headfirst. It doesn't mean you think the creek is shallow or dangerous; it means you have a responsibility to check first.

When they took the child, for whatever reason, they took responsibility for her. They can't just shuck that off because they like this parent. They have to check. They know that the mother has been through severe emotional trauma; if they don't check, and the mother ends up killing herself in front of the daughter or worse, most of the people here howling about this case become the people howling about that case.


And again, we STILL know absolutely nothing about the state's reasoning beyond one sentence from the mother. Nothing is a very poor basis for analysis.