The nutters in CA who chained up 13 kids...

[LSUmiss]

Thank you.

Regarding the bolded, I actually find that disheartening. I know these are complex issues, but I don't feel the goal should ever be to return a child into the care of someone who actively abused them. Having been a victim of child abuse myself, it was fear of this exact situation that stopped me from seeking help. As a kid, the closest I ever came to telling someone the truth about what was happening in my house was when I was in the hospital being interviewed by police on suspicions of abuse. Ultimately, the fear of being sent back to continue living with my parents after opening that can of worms was too terrifying, so I chickened out and told them everything was fine. Children need to feel empowered to come forward and know that if they find the courage to do so, action will be taken and they'll be kept safe. Step 1 of keeping them safe is to keep them away from their abuser.

In some cases, reunification is never an option.

 

[LSUmiss]

Not sure about TX but in my state cps is grossly understaffed. I know of a student who has had cps called multiple times every year since kindergarten - with concerns specifically regarding the hygiene of the student. Someone comes out talks to student. Presumably talks to parent. Parent comes in screaming at the office staff. Case is closed. Next complaint, same cycle.

Its not fair to assume no one called and reported or talked with and gave consequences to the students for picking on her. I remember the stinky kid in my school. I remember kids teasing him. I don't remember adults doing anything but I have to believe they did. Clearly this case is extreme and anyone with contact with the children is beating themselves up over missing signs, the villains are the wack job parents.

Yep in LA too. Ppl don’t want to pay for state budgets.

 

[punkin]

In some cases, reunification is never an option.

Unfortunately, in other cases even where it is clear to everyone involved that reunification will never happen, it is put as a first goal and chldren are held in limbo, just so everyone can say "due process was followed."

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Unfortunately, in other cases even where it is clear to everyone involved that reunification will never happen, it is put as a first goal and chldren are held in limbo, just so everyone can say "due process was followed."

What would happen if the child said, "I don't want reunification. I don't want to live there ever again, I don't want a relationship with my abuser, don't make me go back"? Does the victim have any voice in these decisions, or is it all about what the court and parents want?

 

[punkin]

What would happen if the child said, "I don't want reunification. I don't want to live there ever again, I don't want a relationship with my abuser, don't make me go back"? Does the victim have any voice in these decisions, or is it all about what the court and parents want?

It depends on the extent of provable abuse and the age of the child, but in my (limited) experience (in my own family), the child was not forced to go back to her abusers, but she did have to spend over 2 years in foster care until CPS had enough documentation to try to terminate parental rights. In this case, the parents repeatedly threatened the child in front of case workers and even the judge that they would "teach her to call CPS" just as soon as they got her home.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

What would happen if the child said, "I don't want reunification. I don't want to live there ever again, I don't want a relationship with my abuser, don't make me go back"? Does the victim have any voice in these decisions, or is it all about what the court and parents want?

IME, the courts are totally screwed up, when it comes to birth parents getting custody. From my experience, it's mostly birth mothers. Birth fathers don't seem to have the same power in the judicial system that birth mothers have. I can't help but wonder, if there's anything short of being in prison for life that a birth mother could do to lose custody of their kids permantly. Some states may offer equal protection for men, but that hasn't been my experience.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am hearing about the classmate of the older girl, who, years ago, in elementary school, said she came to school filthy and smelling foul.
It is so sad that she was bullied mercilessly!!!!

But, what makes me angry...
Aren't the schools mandated reporters.... They are supposed to protect the basic welfare of the children.
This girl came to school without basic hygiene, and malnourished.
WHERE WAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT!!!!

PS: I also see a picture of the mother SMILING (at the father') when they were there today.

I have to agree with others, it is very possible reports were filed.

It's been almost 25 years since i taught, but when I did, well, here were two examples:

a young teen boy, junior high. never knew Dad. Mom wqas in jail. Lived in a trailer without electricity or running water. Mom's boyfriend showed up once in a while (not sure if that helped or hurt). Sometimes did drugs himself. No adult at home 90% of the time. No adult the school could reach in an emergency. Every single one of us from the school had called and reporter---we all got told the same thing, that they were so understaffed that it was impossbile to help all the 4kids so they had to asume the teenagers could tke care of themselves.

Sisters aged 2 and 3. Mom had previously lost custody, but havingt left their father and taken some classesv the girls were returneed to her. Part of the bargain was tht they attend the daycare I worked at, court ordered to come at least three days a week (about a third of our kids this was the case)---essentially us daycare teachers were making sure the abuse stopped.
When Mom was with her boyfriend (who seemed to truly care about tge kids) the girls came in dressed in clean clothes with hair and teeth brushed, not starving, sometimes the talked about going to parks, etc (well the older one---the little one never spoke, she had issues, probably related to how she was treated). When Mom and boyfriend were on the rocks? The girls would wear the same clothes for a week, they'd come in on Moday with matted hair and food caked on their little faces usually revenous and eting tons of the food we served family style at meal times. We'd take photos, document, clean their faces, find other clothes they could wear while we washed their's, brush hair, etc. None of those calls over more than a year resulted in another remocal. There were no (new) cigarette burns on the girls, no bruises (we were asked every time) and they were brought to daycare so that was apparently good enough given the system in place and resources avaiolable at the time. it was absolutely heartbreaking to work with those kids and not be able to do more to help them.

 

[mnrose]

I have to agree with others, it is very possible reports were filed.

It's been almost 25 years since i taught, but when I did, well, here were two examples:

a young teen boy, junior high. never knew Dad. Mom wqas in jail. Lived in a trailer without electricity or running water. Mom's boyfriend showed up once in a while (not sure if that helped or hurt). Sometimes did drugs himself. No adult at home 90% of the time. No adult the school could reach in an emergency. Every single one of us from the school had called and reporter---we all got told the same thing, that they were so understaffed that it was impossbile to help all the 4kids so they had to asume the teenagers could tke care of themselves.

Sisters aged 2 and 3. Mom had previously lost custody, but havingt left their father and taken some classesv the girls were returneed to her. Part of the bargain was tht they attend the daycare I worked at, court ordered to come at least three days a week (about a third of our kids this was the case)---essentially us daycare teachers were making sure the abuse stopped.
When Mom was with her boyfriend (who seemed to truly care about tge kids) the girls came in dressed in clean clothes with hair and teeth brushed, not starving, sometimes the talked about going to parks, etc (well the older one---the little one never spoke, she had issues, probably related to how she was treated). When Mom and boyfriend were on the rocks? The girls would wear the same clothes for a week, they'd come in on Moday with matted hair and food caked on their little faces usually revenous and eting tons of the food we served family style at meal times. We'd take photos, document, clean their faces, find other clothes they could wear while we washed their's, brush hair, etc. None of those calls over more than a year resulted in another remocal. There were no (new) cigarette burns on the girls, no bruises (we were asked every time) and they were brought to daycare so that was apparently good enough given the system in place and resources avaiolable at the time. it was absolutely heartbreaking to work with those kids and not be able to do more to help them.

That breaks my heart. It makes me so sad that children grow up like this. I was raised in pretty extreme poverty, but one thing we never lacked was a loving mother who made sure we wore clean clothes even if they were pretty thread bare and hand me downs several time over. You can survive poverty. You cannot survive, in a mentally healthy way, a lack of love.

 

[Wishing on a star]

WOW, I don't put a lot of stock in State CPS agencies...
But, some of these stories are just incredibly heartbreaking.
You would think that in these extreme cases, SOMETHING would happen.
Just....

 

[runwad]

It is so sad what these children have to live with on a day to day basis. But we no longer have orphanages or children's homes and there isn't enough Foster parents to keep all these kids. Especially with the Opioid epidemic, the kids are just going back home to parents or sometimes even family members who might be only one step above were they came from. But the fact of the matter is there just isn't anywhere else for them to go :-(.

My kids babysitter were Foster parents and God bless them. It was heart breaking and I have to be honest I hated knowing these kids stories, who would be placed with them for months, and then sent back to their dead beat parents. I would have such a hard time getting attached to these poor babies and sending them back to those crappy lives. But thank God there are special people out there providing them a loving home if even for a short while in their lives.

 

[monsterkitty]

I am hearing about the classmate of the older girl, who, years ago, in elementary school, said she came to school filthy and smelling foul.
It is so sad that she was bullied mercilessly!!!!

But, what makes me angry...
Aren't the schools mandated reporters.... They are supposed to protect the basic welfare of the children.
This girl came to school without basic hygiene, and malnourished.
WHERE WAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT!!!!

PS: I also see a picture of the mother SMILING (at the father') when they were there today.

WOW, I don't put a lot of stock in State CPS agencies...
But, some of these stories are just incredibly heartbreaking.
You would think that in these extreme cases, SOMETHING would happen.
Just....

We call and we call and we call.
CPS is understaffed and overworked. It has to be really bad for a child to be removed because there is so little funding for CPS and social services.

My DH and I are teachers. We've called to report our niece and her husband. Heck, DN's own father has called and said he would take custody so the kids wouldn't go into foster care.The kids are still in a house of drugs and open weapons with a father who was shot by his dealer because he didn't give him the money he owed for drugs. Did I mention he was laying in bed when shot? "father" has been convicted and done time for three or four other crimes. Kids are still in the house because CPS can't get to everyone.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

This would be a big fat NO from me:

http://www.insideedition.com/turpin-house-horrors-uncle-says-he-wants-care-children-40105

I hope when choosing where to place these children long term priority is given to who's qualified to handle their psychological, emotional, and medical needs and not to the "blood ties" of people with whom the children have never had any meaningful relationship, who themselves come from the same dysfunctional environments that produced these monsters.

 

[RangerPooh]

They do not need to go with relatives. I'm going to wager that a portion of this interest is fueled by the prospect of money that can be made through rag magazines and movie of the week.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Dr. Phil is having a show on this topic on Monday. It didn't look like he'll have any of the kids on, which is the right thing, IMO. Love him or hate him, Dr. Phil is good about bringing in resources to help people.

 

[LSUmiss]

What would happen if the child said, "I don't want reunification. I don't want to live there ever again, I don't want a relationship with my abuser, don't make me go back"? Does the victim have any voice in these decisions, or is it all about what the court and parents want?

What’s sad is in my experience the child almost always wants to go back despite the abuse.

 

[Erin1700]

Did they realize the 17 year old got out?

 

[design_mom]

What’s sad is in my experience the child almost always wants to go back despite the abuse.

I suspect in many cases the "known" -- even if it's terrible -- is often less scary than the "unknown."

 

[stitch'sgirl]

What’s sad is in my experience the child almost always wants to go back despite the abuse.

I suspect in many cases the "known" -- even if it's terrible -- is often less scary than the "unknown."

I'm glad others are saying what I was thinking. I wasn't sure exactly how to word it. These kids must be terrified to leave the only way of life they've ever known. Just hoping they can move forward somehow and never look back. One small step at a time I suppose. Heartbreaking.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I'm glad others are saying what I was thinking. I wasn't sure exactly how to word it. These kids must be terrified to leave the only way of life they've ever known. Just hoping they can move forward somehow and never look back. One small step at a time I suppose. Heartbreaking.

Also, for a young child to stand publicly and say their parents are abusive and they don't want to live with them anymore... That's huge, and I imagine most abused kids would be too terrified to "defy" their parents in such a major way, particularly if they think there's any chance they'll end up back in their care. Some kids may be scared of the unknown, but I'm sure there are also plenty of kids who want out but are just too scared to say so.

 

[MomOfDisneyPrincess]

So did they buy the toys for the kids as well or did those come from family members that never got opened over time?

[ I came across a comment somewhere from one of their Texas neighbors who said at one point the Turpins had eight shiny, brand new kids bikes lined up outside their house that never moved, were never played with, and sat outside weathering and rusting for years.

My thoughts on the toys and bikes: These are things the parents were doing in order to "look like good parents" or to "pretend being parents". I'm guessing we are looking at some level of mental illness here, not just dysfunction. They do some things that parents would do, but only on occasion, when they feel like it and when they will get attention for it. I would not be surprised if the bikes and toys came from charities or generous people who, perhaps, saw this "beautiful, large family on Facebook" and wanted to do something nice for them. I think the mom craved attention and was getting it by; being a stay at home mom, being a home-schooler, having lots of children, etc, etc. It fed her need for attention, but it was all pretend. The children were merely pawns in her sick fantasy. Dolls that she threw into the "toy box" when she was done playing with them.

I also wouldn't be surprised if the child who went to college courses was only forced to do so because she was "keeping up with" or copying others in her online community who had children going off to college. Again, it's all a fantasy for her, so when she got bored with it, she stopped taking him to classes.

Who knows? Maybe that last baby was purposeful because someone in her online "Moms of Mega Families" had a baby and was getting all kinds of attention, that she decided she wanted "new baby" attention. As soon as that new baby wasn't fun anymore, she would have gotten chained in the basement with the rest of them.

As for moving, my thought was that these kids would probably have been chained to the inside of a moving van, in the middle of the night and moved across country without food, water or bathroom breaks. It horrifies me to think that if that had really happened, they might not have survived the move.