Complaint Review: Wilkes County Department Of Child Protective Serves; Edith Bullis - Wilkesboro North Carolina

. The Department of Social Services removed the two oldest children from my youngest daughter's home almost 5 years ago. They placed them with me and since that time, I have adopted them. After they were removed, the parents had two more children, 11 months apart. DSS removed them as well but refused to place them with me. My daughter and son-in-law requested they be placed with me but the social workers called Edith Bullis, a CPS supervisor and she told them no. They placed them with my brother and his wife but 3 months later, my brother was in a car that the driver had an illegal firearm in and my brother was also charged with it. DSS removed the boys from their care. The firearm case is still pending in Wilkes County court. They have since been in 4 different foster homes.

Edith Bullis and I have a long history as she was the supervisor when the two children I have were taken and placed with me. The social worker, Mattie Fletcher has since passed away. During the time that DSS had custody of the two children I have, DSS worked diligently with the parents to encourage them to make a better home for the children. Because of their mental issues, they were unable to do so. Ms. Fletcher and Mrs. Bullis were going to place the children back into the home even though the only change was it had actually gotten worse. They ignored my pleas to not put them back and put me off continually. In the children's defense, I hired an attorney for them and got a Guardian Ad Litem involved. The GAL was supposed to have been put in place by DSS in the beginning but they failed to do that. When my attorney called the social worker to find out where the case stood, I received numerous threats to back off with the attorney or they would remove the children from my care. There were other occasions where threats were made to take the children, one being if I didn't let the parents visit the children at my home. I was renting from a person who did not want them on her property due to the husbands known stealing habits. I never did anything wrong to justify a threat. They wanted me to cower in fear like most other people who find them selves dealing with DSS. I have 5 years of college under my belt and I don't cower easily.

I made most of the child neglect calls to CPS myself in both cases. I knew the two younger children were in danger as the oldest two had been. I trusted DSS to do the right thing and protect my grandsons. I placed my faith in a system that is supposed to work. I was sorely let down and now the four siblings are suffering because of it. I filed for adoption of my two in December of 2007. It was supposed to be completed by March of 2008 since I have had the children for almost 5 years. DSS deliberately tied up the adoption so that they could adopt out my other two grandsons to someone else before they passed mine. They knew I planned to fight them for the boys but was waiting on our adoption to be completed for fear they would do something to stop it. I wasn't wrong. Our adoption became final October 2. 2008, almost 10 months after the inital filing. The boys' adoption was filed in June and went through in late August or early September.

More background: I always felt like and complained many times that Edith Bullis should not have been involved in either case. She is related to their natural father. This in my eyes is a conflict of interest. My daughter, son-in-law and I caught Mrs. Bullis and Ms. Fletcher in numerous lies to each of us in the first case. Recently, I managed to get Mrs. Bullis on the phone and she proceeded to tell me to get lost, that the boys were no longer mine. And what did I want with them when I didn't even adopt the two I have (which was already in the process). She refused to give me a reason why I could not have the two boys other than I have my plate full. How does she know what I have on my plate? She hasn't talked to me in 5 years. No one has been to my house to see my children or inquired about them in any way. Granted, when I took these two children they did have a lot of medical problems, birth defects. Since taking over their care, both children are doing wonderfully. Both children have gone through several corrective surgeries and the only thing medically wrong with either of them at this time is my little girl wears a colostomy bag. It's no different than changing a diaper. So I don't understand why she thinks my plate is full.

In the Department of Social Services Manual, Section 1201 Child Placement Services, it states, We believe that the family is the fundamental resource for the nurturing of children and that children have a right to their own families. It also states, Placement responsibility may be given by the voluntary consent of the child's parent or guardian. Both parents of these boys asked that they be placed in my care at the very beginning. That request was refused by Edith Bullis.

1201 Child Placement Services - G. Legal Framework for Case Planning and Service Delivery in Children's Services (Federal Protections and State Requirements)

Any child removed from his or her home shall be placed in the least restrictive, most family-like setting in which special needs may be met, within close proximity to his or her family and with relatives when appropriate. If placement with relatives or other kin is determined to be not in the best interest of the child, a foster family home is considered the least restrictive environment. There is absolutely no reason under the sun why I can not take care of these two boys. I can and will provide proof of physical and mental well-being for myself and my two children. I have adequate housing otherwise our adoption would not have been approved. So please tell me why my grandsons were stolen from me and their siblings????

Another statement from the manual: Chapter VI: Adoption Services - d. Placement of Siblings; Siblings shall be placed together whenever possible unless contrary to the child's developmental, treatment, and/or safety needs. If siblings are separated, frequent and regular on going contact should be arranged and encouraged. The children were NOT placed together and no visitation has been arranged. We were told that we could not see the boys at the daycare where they and my daughter go and no one will discuss visitation anywhere else. Their siblings and I have been blocked out.

Also: Chapter V: Jurisdiction in Child Welfare CHAPTER V JURISDICTION IN CHILD WELFARE: When removal from the home is required, the agency shall assess whether any relatives are willing and able to care for the child. How can a person assess a family when they do not contact them? Why was my pleading and begging for them ignored? Why would no one return my phone calls? Why do I not have my grandsons???

Another great point:

VALUES AND BELIEFS

There are specific values and beliefs that undergird the standards and guide practice for Family Preservation Services. It is critical that Family Preservation Services providers and supervisors have a firm understanding of and commitment to these values and beliefs about families. They include:

(1) Safety of the children is the first concern

(2) Children have a right to their family

(3) The family is the fundamental resource for the nurturing of children

(4) Parents should be supported in their efforts to care for their children

This was taken straight from the Department of Social Services manual.

I was completely banned from any involvement whatsoever with this case. I was refused entry to meetings involving the boys and all phone calls I made to DSS workers were not returned. I even had a door slammed in my face by Jason Gosset. All pleas for custody of the boys fell on deaf ears and voicemail that was never returned. I called the Raleigh office and talked with Ellen Thomas-Pullman. She twisted my words and tried to trip me up in our conversation. She promised to call the local DSS and find out the story. She promised to call me back with an explanation as to why I could not have the boys. She never called me back and did not return any of my phone calls to her. I called Stephanie Holbrook who was the boys caseworker and she did not return my calls. I called Jason Gossett and he never returned my calls. I called Hal Wilson and he did not return my calls. I called Edith Bullis and she told me to get lost and was extremely rude to me. I called Bill Sebastain who is Mrs. Bullis' supervisor and he never returned any of my calls. I tried to talk to the Director, Donnie Bumgarner but couldn't get past the operator or the front desk. I have been completely shutout.

Mrs. Bullis was recently arrested for obstruction of justice and possession of an illegal substance. There is a huge debate in Wilkes over this woman and her character as there should be. My understanding is, the director, Donnie Bumgarner had placed her on sick leave in June and plans to keep her on sick leave until this blows over. I for one do not believe it should be swept under the rug. I think the woman should be fired. She has a duty to the citizens of this county to maintain good standing along with good morals, ethics and principals. Others are now seeing what I and many, many others already knew about her. One of her coworkers has stated that Mrs. Bullis calls herself God at work and that Mr. Bumgarner will never fire her because she has too much dirt on him. This type of attitude is not good for someone who is trusted with our children. Is there not a code of conduct that state employees have to maintain on and off the job? If not, there should be. This woman curses more than most people I know. It was heard all over the police scanner the night she and her son were arrested and she has cursed me several times. Can a CPS employee have a criminal record, misdemeanor or felony? Is yes, why? If no, why is she still employed with DSS?

It has long been said that Wilkes County DSS has the worst reputation in the state and they have removed more children from homes and have more children in foster care or the orphanage than any county in the state. I am not willing to become a statistic. I am not willing to walk away from my two grandsons and pretend for the next 15 years that they don't exist. The last time I saw the oldest of the two boys, he was screaming for me to take him home with me, reaching out with one arm while his teacher was trying to pull him back with the other. That picture is forever burned in my mind and haunts me every minute of every day. I was forced to leave the daycare that day and was told the next morning I could no longer see them. On two separate occasions since then, he was waiting for me, looking out his classroom window. He blew me kisses and hugs and held out his arms to take him. I went into the school crying afterwards and when the receptionist asked me why I was crying, I told her in confidence why. Immediately after that, his teacher keeps him away from the windows and the door when she knows I am bringing or picking up my daughter. Their brother, sister and I were the only links to love and sanity from the madness they have endured and we were forced away from them.

Now I've learned my two grandsons have been adopted. I am so distraught; I don't know what to do. I can't afford to pay an attorney but want to sue DSS and Edith Bullis for stealing my grandsons and deliberately keeping them from us. I don't care about money, all I want are my two babies. Their brother and sister are very upset because they can't see their brothers. My little girl can't see them at daycare either. This is so unfair. Those poor little boys have been so traumatized by the countless foster families. They cry and beg to go home with me and the kids don't understand why they can't. Please, I'm begging you. If there is any way possible that you can help us or know of someone who will, please, please help us. I am concerned with the time slipping away from us. I lost one son. I can't loose two more. This is the same as death of a child. The pain is unbearable at times. I can't sleep and some days have trouble even functioning. My heart is broken and DSS walked all over it without a care. I can't tell you how hard it is for me to take my daughter to Pre-K everyday knowing those boys are in there and I can't see them. The pain and suffering we all are going through is beyond belief.

I recently talked to two different DSS workers who work with Mrs. Bullis who know exactly what is going on but would not comment verbally because their jobs would be on the line if it were found out. They have confirmed what I've said through nods of the head and eye contact. One even publicly commented but her identity was hidden.

I find it deeply disturbing that an organization designed to help people in need has become so deviously harmful to the persons they are supposed to be helping. It's even more than alarming that employees of that organization are allowed to use their job status to harm and destroy the lives of people they have a grudge against or just don't like. I don't like the idea that children are being used as pawns in the games they play with other lives. These same employees use their job status to cover up any wrong doings with their own family and friends as in the case of Edith Bullis' arrest for narcotics and the hindrance of her 39 year old son being arrested for the same.

It seems they all cover each other tracks and have a silent code that no one talks about what goes on there and how some employees feel their jobs gives them the power to abuse others. Granted the job market in this time of recession in the United States makes anyone who has a job grateful that they do but I don't think that should be a reason to ignore the wrong doings that is going on there and to help stop them from abusing their job status. Wilkes County DSS has come under fire before for the same reasons I have stated here. As usual, it was swept under the rug and nothing came of it. I am aware of the numerous families they have been destroyed because of this abuse of power and the children that NEED protecting do not get it. I expect another death of a child from abuse will be the only thing that will get the state to investigate them again. I pray that will not happen to a child but I do know that DSS needs to be investigated in Wilkes County. Our county Commissioners will not even take a complaint against them. I don't know if it's a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours or plain fear of them.

God gave me good health and the opportunity for a college education for a reason. I feel that reason is to take care of my four grandchildren whose mother is not capable of doing and to fight for them to ensure their best interests are being met. I will probably have to move my family out of state to protect them from DSS in North Carolina but I will do so if necessary. I am not afraid to fight for what is right but stress that some people in DSS will stoop to harassment and removal of my children without just cause as a way to stop me from fighting. I hope to get enough eyes on them that they will leave us alone. I was born and raised in Wilkes County. This is my home. I don't want to leave but feel I will be forced to do so. Again, DSS has the power to control people's lives.

On November 9, 2008 Mrs. Bullis tracked down my son in law on his job and in front of 3 witnesses accused me of writing negative things about her on a local web site called GoWilkes. She told him to tell me that she knew that I had written it because she and a friend had looked up my ID and knew that it was me. She further told him to tell me that it wasn't her fault that I did not get my two little grandsons and while laughing told him to tell me to kiss her big white a*s. I know of the web site and have read the huge thread that was written concerning her and her son's arrest. I did not have an ID there and was not a member. Since that incident, I have become a member of the site and know that unless a person actually puts their name in their profile, there is no way she could have found out who wrote the remarks unless that person had listed their real name in their profile. While looking through profiles, I have found that 99% of the members do not. I feel her tasteless and unprofessional comments are a form of harassment. I have notified the Director of DSS, Donnie Bumgarner but do not know if anything has been done about her conduct. I did nothing to provoke her attack on me.

The Wilkes County Department of Social Services have violated many of their own rules and regulations. The DHHS chooses to look the other way and stand by what each DSS does even when they know they were wrong in what they did. Who will make them be accountable for their actions? When will they be made accountable? Will this be another one that is swept under the rug? Will we lose the few benefits we receive through DSS because of this? Will my children and I be forced to leave North Carolina to be beyond the reach of WCDSS?? Only time will tell.

If you have children, how would you feel if they came in and took your kids and adopted them out without giving you a chance to take them? Without money for an attorney, you would be in my shoes. I lost my son to diabetes and my youngest daughter's health is extremely poor and life threatening. These four children, my grandchildren are all I'll have left of my daughter. Two of them were stolen from me and their family that loves them and wants them desperately. We were not given an option in what happened to those two little boys. They took them and handed them out like Halloween candy. Those are my babies. They were never meant to be given away. They were supposed to stay in our family.

Dismayed Nanny

Wilkesboro, North Carolina

U.S.A.

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