Complaint Review: CPS Clark County NV. - Las Vegas Nevada

In Dec 2002, The father of three young children, became angry with the unappriciative attitude of the eldest boy (8),with the amount of Christmas gifts he received. The boy went upstairs after being called back and ignoring his father, father proceeded to go upstairs and spanked the boy, the boy put his hands behind his back, and the father hit his hand instead. Mother came upstairs to hear son screaming, and father raring back to spank child again, and came between child and father, told father she wanted him to leave the situation and she looked over the boy. The boy had a swollen elbow, and mother did not know the severity of situation, so called for an ambulance. When medics arrived, they inquired as to how this happened and called CPS. Report was filed agianst father on the word of the child, (he was beaten).

CPS arrived and said that the situation was not condoned and that she would insist on parenting classes, (father finished these)and mandatory drug counseling, (father was a methanphetamin user), father did not finish this.

When agent returned to home and did update on family, CPS agent releaved the family of any further actions. (knowing father had not finished drug assesment)

In Feb 2003 Mother went to CPS to report that husband was yelling and potentially violent and that she wanted to have help for placement in permenant housing. CPs agent acted as if the situation was not as severe as mother had stated and took a report, she instructed the mother to go to a "Safe House", mother asked if she could stay with a neighbor, due to a safe house not being large enough for there children and mother, agent said yes but to cancel "Safe House reservation". Mother did cancel and stayed with neighbor.

The following school day the children were visited by the same CPS agent that first came out in DEC. At this point the school age children were removed from the custody of parents and placed in protective custody, and mother was called to bring in small child as well.

Mother turned over small child with hesitation as to what would be happening, and was not answered with any information.

The following day Mother and Father were ordered to appear in family court, there they were returned the children and were told that they did not seem to he in harm by parents, and were ordered to return for a hearing in one month.

Hearing day, and parents were approached by agent and offered a deal to plead guilty to Abuse/Neglect charges and they would have to attend classes, and counseling, parents did not believe they were guilty of Abuse/Neglect and told agent they would not plead to it, she became visibly frustrated and said "FINE SEE YOU IN COURT".

During the time before court parents tried desparately to find an attorney and could not find one that would be able to accept payment for representation, or would not defend at all, said they were there for the children not the parents.

Needless to say parents had to defend themselves in court, not a good choice, but a forced one.

The parents questioned the agent and the agent denied all of the statements she was to of supposedly made to the parents over the past month and stated falsehoods in reguards to the living arrangements of the family, the neighbor that the mother stayed with was also in court and stated what they knew. The judge made remarks such as "if you ask the wittness if you love your children the wittness will be dismissed, we know you love your children, the question is that of abuse/neglect."

The mother questioned the wittness and rested, the DA questioned the wittness and rested, the judge did as well. The wittness was excused and the judge told the court that he did not believe the wittness and that the children would remain in the care of the parents but were considered wards of the court.

After the hearing, in the lobby the agent came out and stated, better luck next time and proceeded to instruct the parents as to what they were to do in the months to follow.

The mother asked if she was to leave the father, (as she was told she could do the day before the hearing) would this help in her situation. The agent stated "if you leave now we will take the children and you will have to fight for them in family court all over again". At this the Mother was visibly upset, she did want to leave and was not aided in this before, now she was being forced to stay with a man who was clearly abusive, verbally if not physically.

Now during the 6 months between the court hearing and the secondary hearing husband has become even more violent, but Wife can not leave due to statement of the CPS agent.

The agent that was on the case thru-out was now removed from the case and a new assigned, noone has been to the home in 5 months to do the inspection nor have the parents been contacted by CPS.

Three weeks before final hearing the CPS has contacted the parents via letter, to say that they have not contacted CPS and that the phone number that they have is incorrect. The number that they had was never the number of the parents, and the names were spelled incorrectly on the letter as well as the judgement of the first hearing, these were corrected both twice and the mother has made numerous attempts to contact CPS and leaving voice mails each attempt. The new agent now is telling the parents that they are not going to get the case settled this hearing that it will be extended another six months and that because they did not finish their counseling that they now will have to finish it or this will not ever get settled. The mother could not finish the counseling due to financial problems (lay offs) costs per session would be $100, and the father's attempt to restrict the wife form going. He has become excessively aggressive, the police have been called and she is stuck due to statement of prior agent.

The CPS needs reform and parents need the right to speak out and be listened to, with out fear of retrobution, or the threat of their children being taken. The neighbor tried to make a statement to the CPS agent and was told she needed to take care of her children as well. The intended threat was received, their children would be at risk if the neighbor said anything.

The agents need to stop lying, and the judges, agents, and counselers are all in this together, they receive money when a child is removed and this is sickening.

S.

Las Vegas, Nevada
U.S.A.

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