Complaint Review: Columbia County Children & Youth Services - Bloomsburg Pennsylvania

In March of 2010, Children & Youth Services of Columbia County recieved a Repot that I, Mother had been useing drugs. Children & Youth Case worker had come to my home to test me, yes I had been using at that time. Before the test come home back just 2 days later I had tried to take my own life. My 10 year old daughter was taken to my Parents home while I was recovering in the Hospital.

My child remained in the Coustody of my Parents until the end of the School year. I came home from the Hospital after 8 days and started to pick up the peaces of my life and doing every thing I could to become a better and sober parent. I spent as much time with my daughter as I could while she was with my Parents. My childs father also started taking a intrest in her well being.

Father and I have had many troubles thru out our relationship for many years. Father filed for Custody of  our daughter in Aug. of 2010. At the time of the Hearing before John L. McLaughlin Esq. Specially-Appointed Master of Marks, Mclaughlin, & Dennehy 12 West Market Street Danville PA

, 17821

August 18, 2010 a Hearing was held. Both Father and I did not have councel present. At the time of our hearing I had addmitted to my wrong doings and informed the Special Master that I had been having a problem with drugs and I was on my way to recovery at that time.

 

I also told the Special Master that I had conserns about father becomming the Costodal partent do to his history of physical abuse. I had formal documents of his history of abuse to my self i 2001 and to another young woman in 2003 and the details of the abuse as well as his history of drug abuse. Special Master John L. McLaughlin Esq. refussed to hear my argument or to even look over the documents I had offerd.

Special Master McLaughlin asked father of his history of drug abuse, father denied any and all accounts of drug abuse and stated to the Courts that he had indeed had a problem with Alcohol. I had tried to inform the Courts that father was aware of my drug abuse do to the fact that he also was buying drugs from the same place I was. Again father denied all wrong doing pertaining to drugs. I stated to the Courts that his history of physical abuse was a larger consern to me the his drug abuse. Special Master Mclaughlin did not want to hear it.

As I could see the largest consern to him what the fact that I was the one abuseing drugs and freely addmitted it. I tried to get the Special Master to listen to my conserns but he did not.

I had been visited by Children & Youth Serviecs and I had asked them to check into fathers background of abuse and voiced my conserns to them about my child being in the home with father do to his temper.

I was told by the Case worker Rose Moreira that they didnt have any reason to investgate his back ground.

I had felt that my voice was never hurd by the people that are set forth to protect my child in her best intrest.

I was tring my very best to deal with my life, I had faild a few times and had used again the first few months. I had finally become sober, and I have stayed that way ever since.

Father and I had constent arguments on and off over my visiting with my daughter for what ever reason he felt at the time. The Special Master had given Father Primary Physical and Legal Custody of our Daugher. Leaving visitation at fathers discression, we he felt it was in the childs best intrest.

I, I had no transportation to return my daugher back home after my visits, so I got any and all help that I could from family and friends to that I could continue to see my daugher as offten as I was allowed by father.

Father was imployed and worked 2nd shift hours leaving my daughter in the care of her grandmother who they lived with. Primary person careing for our daugher most of the time.

I have voiced my conserns a numbre of times to the Case worker Rose, I continued to be unhurd by anyone.

The Special Master had stated the I submit to random drug testing each month. I never refussed a test be it positive or not. After a while Children & Youth Case worker Rose wouldnt show up at all. The month of November 2010 she never showed at all its was some time mid December she came to visit.

Again for the Month of January and Feburay I did not hear from or see the Case worker Rose.

I had made many attempt to contact Supervisor Jane Allyn Mott in regaurds to the action and inaction taken in this case. I had no return calls.

When I has requested information in reguards to alligations made on the part of Children & Youth Services showing proff of the alligations made on there part stated in our Family Service Plan that I had refussed to sign each time do to false alligaions made on there part.

Again no return call from Columbia County Children & Youth Serviecs.

On March 10,2011 I recived a call from father in reguards to transportaion, father and I again got into a argument and he stated that Im not seeing my daughter again because its what he he says goes! I should read my Court papers.

About a hour later my daugher called me and told me her father wasnt letter her come to my home, she was cring and very upset. She then called me back a little while later and said she was on her way to my home she talked to her father and he said ok.

My daugher come in to my home ran into my arms and was cring so hard  couldnt understand what she was tring to tell me. She was devistated! She had told me that she made a statement to her grandmother and her father truned in the front passanger seat and pulled his fist back and plunged tord her face and stopped 6 inches from her face. She was scared and shaken and begged me not to take her back home.

I contacted the Children & Youth hotline, and informed them what had just taken place. I was informed at that time that because he didnt follow thru and hit her it did not consatute as Child abuse. I was irate!

I had to tell me daugher that I had no choice but to return her back into the custody of her gandmother and father. She was devistated, scared and shaking.

After taking her back home, I contacted the Scott Township Police Department and talked to a Patrollmen Figueiredo. I had informed him that I was reciveing text messages from my daugher all night stateing she was scared and shakeing. I told him of the what had acurd eairlyer that day. He said he was going to contact Children & Youth sevices and with his call being made that Children & Youth on call Case worker had to check on the child for her safty.

I had recived a call Friday March 11,2011 via cell phone from my daugher, she was still at the School and told me again she was scared to go home because her father was there and she felt she was still in trouble and didnt want him to hit her. I told her that I had contacted the police and they were going to see that some one come out to make sure she is ok. I told her not to worry that some one from Children & Youth was comming to talk to her and make sure daddy didnt hurt her.

Friday March 11,2011 I recived a call from Jane Allyn Mott Supervisor of Columbia County Chilren & Youth Service. After call from my daugher, Jane told me that she had done a investgation in reguards to my consens. Then informed me that she has talked to father in this reguard and she didnt feel that a fack punch consatued child abuse.

I was again irate! I told her of his prior abuse and that I was in fear for my child safty, and I as her mother was not going to wait for my child to be injured by the same man that is to protect her "father" Jane and I continued our conversation I told her I was aware that she didnt speek to my daugher the victom in this case but to the perputrator. I asked since when do you do a investgation by first getting the information from the perfutrator and not the victom? She said again there is no abuse. I had informed her that there were not doing there job to protect my child and seeing that she was ok just by making a phone call to father in reguards to the alligations.

She was out of line, She and I screammed at one another. She ended the conversation that they would continue to do a investgation and some one would contact me via phone Monday March 13,2011 and that they would do what they had to do.

I had stated to Jane that I would also do what I had to do. She asked what I ment by that? I stated to her that I will contact anyone I had to over her head or the public or in what ever way I can to who ever will listen and help me protect my child. I stated I will do what ever it takes to insure her safty because I am her mother and that is my Job as a parent.

With sarcasum in her voice she stated to me, the reason my daugher was even with her father is do to my inability to do the right thing as a parent. I admit my falts 100% take the blame. Although I used drugs I never used them during the time I was with my daugher, or had my daugher in my custody. I know that dont make it right but Im doing every thing in my life to be a better person.

I feel that my child is in danger of abuse, I feel helpless. The agencys that are there to protect our children are the same people that are putting the child in danger because they didnt do there job. Who is there to help the children if we as a parent cant be hurd when there is a consern. Why must my child feel scared, and I cant help her. I need any and all help to anyone who is out there who can Please help my litter girl.

Thanks you,