Physical & Emotional Abuse Support Group

I have a case,in PA,that has infuriated me from day one. My brother had an affair with a woman and they had a son.This girl was openly verbally abusive to this child,screamed in front of a half dozen witnesses that she wished he'd die.She left him UNATTENDED at age three next to a pool and left with her friend,never telling anyone she was leaving,or asking anyone to watch him.Thankfully,he was spotted and cared for.The department of child services were called by the boy's paternal aunt and she and the person who rescued the boy from the near disaster both attested to the verbal abuse,physical abuse and irresponsible behavior.NOTHING WAS DONE. This woman partied and ignored bills and was soon homeless.The father of the child,with his new girlfriend...offered to allow mother and child to stay,rent free,at their home while she looked for appropriate housing.During this time,she showered with her child,acted strange and cussed at him,acted erratic and unstable.Again...the dcs was called...again,NOTHING WAS DONE.One day she just flipped,for no apparent reason,and flung a hot cup of coffee at the face of her child's father...witnessed by non family members and family members alike.SHE called the police and told them that SHE didn't feel safe there,and was whisked away,with her son,to a woman's shelter.
The father loved his son,had done nothing against the mother but it was word against word(even with 4 witnesses for the father)and she even made up a lie...saying it was the father's girlfriend who showered with the child...something known by many to be a blatant lie. I firmly believe,to this day,that she molested her own child...and the people that are supposed to protect him ignored the problem before it even came to that...even allowing it to happen by giving her custody of him.
Anyway,eventually these morons realized she was as unfit and unstable as was reported YEARS BEFORE,but because this person pointed the finger at the father's girlfriend,and she had no way to prove her innocence,the boy was put in foster care rather than given to his father,or even members of his father's family who loved him so much.Where is the justice?!!!
The system eventually even put the boy up for adoption and approved an adoption...without the knowledge or consent of any of his father's family.
Who were they protecting?When a child was abused for a period of time because of their neglect,I feel that there should have been restitution made to the child as well as the innocent parent who loved his child.Who knows what atrocities she subjected him to. My heart bleeds for that little boy and I will never forgive the Pennsylvania Child Protective services for such a blatant case of injustice to a child.

Val, I understand that things like this are being allowed to go on. You and the little boys father is going to have to be the voice for justice! You guys have to raise your voices and make sure this little boy is heard! Because you are the ones who love this child enough to never give up and to endure even when it seems hopeless. Just use what you do well at.
I am not a lawyer however if this was done without the father signing away his rights he may have a good chance of getting this adoption overturned. Anyway I have seen it on the news where an unmarried father because he was not notified nor did he sign away his parental rights was able to overturn an adoption. So go to google and start googling to find groups that do things like that and will help him you know advocates and be a persistant and tenous advocate for your nephew. It may take awhile Try the Amercian Family Rights Assocation group them people seem to care and really support there members. It's a yahoo group. Good luck.

Val, But most of all when a child's well being is at risk never ever give up!

I attempted to go to our local legal aid,who promptly dismissed me by saying that they had over 5000 cases to deal with and wasn't going to take on this case as well.My brother attempted to get custody once,was supposed to have his son relinquished to his custody...then that was when his ex girlfriend made up the preposterous story accusing others of molestation.The unspeakable hell that this little boy must have had to deal with by being in her unsupervised care makes me ill.He was around 4,the last time that I saw him,and now he will be 12.They won't even allow me to know where he is.I committed no crime,was always about loving and protecting him,and they treat us as though WE are responsible for anything he has been through.Without money,I can't fight the system.I am on ssd and can't find anyone who was willing to help.(Believe me,I tried n tried).Knowing that that woman can no longer hurt him is a small bit of solace,but what the system has done is a complete injustice.

Val MC,
I understand you are being told these things. I have no doubt of that because many of us were told the same thing to leave the child with the abuser and we were always made to feel like these officials had never heard of this before when infact there our over 10,000 of us. Not keep trying was not an option for many of us. Find what you do well, something that comes to you for ex. talking to people, making phone calls (you would be surprised how many 8oo numbers are out there go to anywho and use toll free an do attorneys in your state. start calling them ask if they do pro bono work even if you call 1000 and 1 says yes it will still be worth it) mailing letters, having a big mouth (yes that can a good thing if you use to help your nephew).
Many of the protective just kept fighting because leaving the child in abuse was not an option. You would be surprised what you could do if you weren't allowed and had to figure out away.
Many of us know the feelings you feel but we aren't it to be right or to right an outrage or to save the world we are doing to save our abused child and by doing that you might actully save other abused children without even knowing.
Start googling any idea that comes to mind see what you can find out. When you were High Shcool and had to write a term paper first you had to look up all the information on it and than do something. Start learning as much about anything relating to this you can (cross referencing is good thing) than start going on other messageboards that have the same concerns as you and network with them ask them questions these are termed grassroots activist and if there is attorney out there who is good and will help you they'll tell you. ALso you can file pro se an Aunt has more legal rights than they are telling you. Google legal rights for aunts and see what comes up. Stuff like that. IF your mad,if your outraged take that and educate about your nephews situation and let that mad keep you going till you get an answer. See thes kind of people are counting on you giving up so don't give them what they want. They don't want you to know you do have rights you just have to keep talking till you find the person who knows your rights.
Be strong
Teardrops for katelynn