Between a rock and a hard place(Update Pg 2)

[Pooh Girl 71]

Originally posted by TheOtherVillainess
As soon as I arrived at work this morning (around 10am) I called DCFS. They told me that unless I had proof of specific neglect (i.e. Sis letting DNiece wander around in the street while she was strung out and stone or whatever), there was nothing they could do. I don't have any proof..only what I've been told by other family members who are worried about Sis and the baby. I felt so darn frustrated because the person on the other end of the line sounded sympathetic like he WANTED to help (as I'm sure he did) but acted like his hands were tied because I didn't have any proof. I was told the only t hing I could do was call the local police if I found evidence of drugs in her apt and let the police handle it. That kind of ticked me off but I figured what else can I do?

I am at my wits' end. I've never had to deal with something like this before and I'm not sure where to turn now. I don't know if Mom would help me out by getting proof that Sis neglects the baby or not. Mom would not want to ruffle feathers or make waves or do anything that would get the baby taken away, even if that is what is in the child's best interests. I have this feeling that if Mom got involved, she'd also have to tangle with Sis's BF's parents who would probably not take having their grandchild taken away too well.

Crap..now I don't know what to do.

TOV

They aren't even going to investigate???? In Virginia, they are required to investigate ALL claims that are called in.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Thanks. I could use the secure website, but I'd really prefer to remain anon. because I don't want to cause any more family drama than I have to with this. I don't live in the same area as Sis and so it's hard for me to get proof. I have to go on Sis's history of drug and alcohol abuse and what I hear from other family members.

If I knew my mom weren't such a flake about things like this, I'd enlist her help. *sigh* And I can't ask my stepdad because he's so...emotionally unstable. Can't ask DBro because he'll stick up for Sis because they are so close. Can't ask DSis's BF's parents. I don't think they'd agree with taking the baby away from Sis, no matter how bad things got. They are the kind of people that don't believe in meddling in other's affairs (even that of your own family) or breaking up families. Or at least that's the impression I've gotten the few times I've met them.

*sigh* God this sucks.

They aren't even going to investigate???? In Virginia, they are required to investigate ALL claims that are called in.

Nope. That's what I was told this morning when I called it in. I was told that unless I had specific evidence of abuse or neglect there was NOTHING they were willing to do or could do. I was told it was a matter for local law enforcement, which really annoyed and frustrated me. I told them I didn't live in the same area as Sis (which is true..I live out past Dallas and she lives in the Quad Cities area over an hour away) but I had gotten reports from reliable sources that she was back on drugs. I told them she had a history of drug and alcohol abuse. I told them that she seemed clean while she was pregnant but I'd been told (again by reliable sources) that she started using again after the baby was born. I told them I felt it probably wasn't a good idea to leave this poor 6 mos old baby with her parents who are probably strung out and stoned most of the time. The man on the phone told me there was nothing he could do or was willing to do. He told me a couple of different times that because I had no 'evidence', it was a matter for local law enforcement and out of their hands. Made me so mad I wanted to scream at him but I didn't. I just calmly told him thank you and hung up the phone.


TOV

 

[Dan Murphy]

That's sad, ToV, people have to wait for kids to be actually hurt and harmed. Bureaucracy. UGH.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I know..I know. And you know what, as bad as it sounds, I halfway expected DCFS to act this way. When I was growing up, somebody called CPS on a family who lived on the next street over because the parents were extremely emotionally and physically abusive to their two kids. But because there wasn't a single mark on either child and the house was clean, the parents passed whatever test CPS gives for child abuse/neglect and nothing was ever done about it.

TOV