Colorado officials refuse to take child abuse and neglect seriously

This Web only Speakout has not been edited.

Emily Tracy

Published January 26, 2008 at noon

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In Colorado, 2007 was the year of the child – severe child abuse resulting in too many fatalities, and too many child abuse cases with long-lasting injuries. And in many of those cases, the children and families were known to public child protection agencies.

Why are we tolerating this? Why are we turning a blind eye to the suffering and deaths of children in our state – those least able to protect themselves and to speak up?

A legislative committee recently held a hearing exploring solutions to the problem. However, news coverage of the hearing was limited and did nothing to fully illustrate the scope of Colorado’s tragedy.

Perhaps the list below will help: Weld County had at least two child fatalities in 2007 in which the children and families were known to the child welfare system. On March 9th, seven-year-old LoReyna Barea died of starvation and physical abuse.

Unbelievably, at age seven LoReyna weighed only 35 lbs. She was living with her aunt Genevieve Barea and the aunt’s boyfriend Dan Partch. Prior to the child’s death, Weld County Human Services had received reports of concern about LoReyna’s welfare.

On December 6th, seven-year-old Zoe Garcia of Johnstown was allegedly killed by her 16-year-old half sister Heather Trujillo and Heather’s 17-year-old boyfriend Lamar Roberts. The alleged perpetrators were said to have been imitating the video game Mortal Kombat in their assault on Zoe. In Zoe’s case, too, concerns about the well-being of the child had been communicated to Weld County Human Services prior to the child’s murder.

Denver County Human Services was involved with three families in which there were child fatalities in 2007. Seven-year-old Chandler Grafner died May 6thdue to starvation.

He had also been physically abused. He was in the care of his stepfather Jon Phillips and the stepfather’s girlfriend Sarah Berry. In addition to Denver, both Arapahoe and Jefferson counties were involved in this child welfare case. Among all the players in the three counties, no one seemed capable of appropriately responding to the concerns expressed – particularly by the schools – prior to Chandler’s death.

On September 21st, three-year-old Neveah Gallegos disappeared in Denver. Her body was found three days later. Neveah had been living with her mother Miriam Gallegos and mother’s boyfriend, Angel Ray Montoya. Human Services involvement? In July 2006, medical evidence confirmed that Neveah had been sexually abused, most likely by Mr. Montoya, but Denver Human Services apparently did not take the appropriate step of removing the child from the clearly injurious environment. Mr. Montoya was a registered sex offender – the question must also be asked, why was he allowed to live in a home with a young child?

Then most recently, on December 30th, four-month-old Luz Valdez died as a result of physical abuse, with Isidoro Valdez-Ruelas, 24, the alleged perpetrator. The Denver Department of Human Services had investigated the child’s situation approximately one month prior to Luz’s death, because there were allegations that Valdez-Ruelas was dropping the infant to the floor. It has been reported that on December 18th a caseworker said the case was “high risk,” however inexplicably on December 26th the agency determined there were no safety concerns. Two days later, while in the care of the alleged perpetrator, Luz was taken to Children’s Hospital with bleeding on the brain. She died two days later.

Another system-involved child fatality, this one in El Paso County: On October 10th two-year-old Alize Vick died of a violent blow to the head while in foster care with Kids Crossing foster parent, Jules Lynn Cuneo, 34.

The El Paso County Department of Human Services had received multiple complaints about Cuneo. For example, evidence was received from a neighbor in May that a child was suffering in Cuneo’s care. What was the evidence? The screams of a child inadvertently recorded on the neighbor’s child monitor. It is alleged that report was never investigated. Alize’s grandmother had also filed three complaints with the Department of Human Services because of concerns she had about Alize’s treatment by Cuneo.

Heard enough? We’re not done. On April 7th, three-year-old Jolyn Torpoh died in Arapahoe County in the care of her mother, Susie Ida Quartey, 34. The child had been beaten, stabbed and sexually assaulted. Ms. Quartey recently entered a plea of not guilty.

On October 31st, seven-year-old Rosalia Garcia died in LaJunta in the care of her father Salvador Quintana, 23, and stepmother Carmen Marquez, 28. The court files were sealed but were unsealed on January 9th. The coroner has not yet issued a finding on the cause of death.

In 2007 there were also several cases of severe child abuse in Colorado which did not result in death, two in Fremont County. On July 16th a two-year-old boy in a Florence home was discovered by police officers with severe injuries. The boy was transported to Children’s Hospital where medical staff said it was the worst case of child abuse they had ever seen.

The child was badly bruised, malnourished and dehydrated, had a closed head injury, a burn, compression fractures, and had bite marks on his penis. The boy had been in the care of his mother, Mandy May Bates, 20, and mother’s boyfriend Ronald Jason Francis, 33.

On October 17th a two-year-old boy was severely injured in the care of his mother Monica Ellison and mother’s boyfriend Jeromy Pirraglia in Cañon City.

The boy was placed on life support in a Colorado Springs hospital, had surgery to remove half his brain, and is now in foster care. As a result of the abuse he is blind and cannot walk.

And in Denver on October 13th a three-year-old girl was discovered who was malnourished and dehydrated. She weighed less than 22 lbs., the average weight of a one-year-old. The girl had been in the care of her mother Shaunee Hall, 23, and a roommate Tina Marie Houcks, 36.

My list for 2007 is no doubt incomplete. I pulled together information from a number of news sources. The list certainly doesn’t describe such fatalities as 10-year-old Auralia Cisneros who was killed November 26th in a gang shooting at her home. And the “random” bullet that killed two females including a child on New Year’s Day will have to go on our list for 2008. Who else is missing? Are there other forgotten children killed or maimed in Colorado in 2007?

Sadly I have to report that part way through 2007, the fatalities got to me.

I contacted my legislators, plus the Governor’s Office, plus the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate (at the time), plus another legislator (recommended to me by the Speaker) who has an interest in the business of child protection. There were no meaningful responses from anyone – nothing from the Governor’s Office, nothing from my legislators, nothing. We hear endless talk about the importance of education for our children, the importance of health care, but almost no elected officials want to talk about the children who suffer every day from abuse and neglect, or about the children who die as the result of abuse.

It is absolutely essential that we make major changes in the operation of Colorado’s child protection system. Even if only one of these child deaths had occurred in 2007, it would have been too many. And to have so many fatalities of children already known to the system is absolutely inexcusable.

Colorado’s child protection system is state-supervised, county-administered.

That bureaucratic structure is not working sufficiently to protect kids. It’s like the old saying - we cannot expect different results when we keep doing things the same old way. The State of Colorado should fund a “SWAT” team of highly-experienced, well-paid child protection specialists who would have the authority to review all abuse and neglect reports, to respond immediately anywhere in the state to reports of high risk cases, and to ensure that appropriate, timely actions are taken by local law enforcement, local courts and local child welfare agencies. Any required changes in the law should be made as soon as possible, to empower this SWAT team of emergency responders so that vulnerable, powerless children can truly be protected. Colorado’s children are our most important resource. Our goal should be no more child abuse deaths. Will you join with me to make this happen?

Emily Tracy, a resident of Breckenridge and Cañon City, retired from the Colorado Department of Human Services in 2002, after a 17-year career in child protection. She is also a former candidate for the Colorado Legislature.

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January 27, 2008

7:16 a.m.

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vudumom writes:

You won't hear from any agency or government official. This is Colorado's dirty little secret that they want to sweep under the rug.
They proclaim our children are important,but let's face it they are not.Not only do we have a broken child protection system we have a major sex offender problem.
I have written hundreds of letters to people in the legislature pleading with them to introduce and pass Jessica's Law.Colorado is only one of 7 states that do not have Jessica's Law or something similar.It is a law that would put child sex offenders behind bars for 25 years to life first offense if found guilty of assaulting a child 12 and under.No answers and my pleas fall on deaf ears.
Colorado is a haven for sex offender's because of our lenient sentences and revolving door for offenders who get out after serving only a short time and they start all over again.
Colorado will some times sentence the worst of the worst to long sentences like the day care owner.However isn't one child that is being sexually assaulted enough for a long sentence?
Your letter has confirmed what I have known all along ,Colorado talks a good game when it comes to their professing to love and care for it's children ,but in rings hollow and doesn't fit the picture of so many abused kids and so many caskets being lowered into our Colorado soil.

Thank You for the painstaking letter to the RMN.whether it opens someone's eyes or not? I don't know.It must have been very difficult to put together the names and some details of the crimes committed against children that could have and should have been stopped.It is truly sad that in this state of such beauty it's a charade.If you look under the surface of thae beauty, you will find some real ugliness that no one wants to admit or see.
January 27, 2008

9:54 a.m.

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Art writes:

Thanks Emily for an enlightening look at what is going on in Colorado. It is the same throughout the country unfortunately. Colorado is not unique in this respect. For an interesting and informative look at what has happened in Washington DC with the Jacks case I suggest the following article by Richard Wexler which will take only a few minutes to read. Changes need to be made and blaming the caseworkers is not the answer.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
January 27, 2008

11:47 a.m.

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me2 writes:

One common thread, the mother or caregivers "Boyfriend". Unrelated males are dangerous to children. Unrelated females also, but not so often.
January 27, 2008

1:11 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

The Hoosier State , Indiana

As two Indiana children sit at the lunch table during school, one child asks the other child, "Why is Indiana called the Hoosier State ? What does “Hoosier” mean?"

The other child replied quite quickly, "Oh that is easy! It is because it is the most used words in Indiana by many. Hoos ier mommy? Hoos ier daddy? Hoos ier sister? Hoos ier brother? Hoos ier grandma and grandpa?"

The inquiring child sat quietly, and then tearfully responded, "You're right. Do you know Hoos ier mommy?"

The other child sadly replied, "No, but I am given an anti-depressant to help me not think about it too much. But, I was told my sister was in 11 foster homes, and now, she is homeless."

This is a reality of suffering and devastation endured by Indiana children, while many parents are defamed and falsely accused by biased and subjective hearsay, as Indiana government officials enjoy the federal incentive bonus packages, re-imbursements, and grant funds, of financial profit into the state’s bank.

May the Hand of God move swiftly, in order to save the innocent and place judgment on those who condone the suffering.

Pray for our leaders, they need both guidance and mercy.

What can be done to stop the madness of our children being harmed and families being destroyed, by a government agency, Child Protection Service, which claims to “PROTECT CHILDREN” and “PRESERVE FAMILIES? Our government will not acknowledge, listen, or act, upon the tragic harm they cause. With black and white evidence of what harm and destruction they are causing, they are not concerned. The lives and voices of children go unheard.
January 27, 2008

1:12 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

To those who need the truth to explain why so many children die each year in the nation of The United States, especially the state of Indiana . This letter does not even begin to mention the concern of the untold numbers of “to be children” abortions done in secrecy in this state and nation, but also of a lack of Indiana’s ability to accurately perform autopsies for the children murdered under the care of the state, in order to, prosecute the perpetrator, which is not mandated. This would allow the citizens to be aw! are of how many children die under the state care, (direct lack of care), for the children they are supposed to be “protecting’!!

Department of Children, known as Child Protection Services, CPS for short, is a government agency for a child trafficking business, a BIG money business, NOT a “protection” agency.

Our children are being abused and killed at the hands of strangers and parents are loosing their entire hope for a piece of themselves to carry on in this world after they pass. Cultures and family heritages are being demolished by those that are to "protect". Until I was forced to witness how CPS truly functions within a secret circle of deception, I never knew the depths of sorrow that could be felt, after witnessing first hand, the crimes CPS has done to so many, and continues to do the same, today. Crimes committed by Child Protection Services and their affiliates, judges who are comfortable being passive and willing to allow both parents and children to be victimized, and is the utter and complete destruction of many lives.

The truth is that the government agency, CPS, which is to protect children, fails to do so. The tendency of CPS is to ignore the children who really are in danger, and removed children from safe homes to place them into danger. Either way, the involvement of CPS places children into danger, as these state workers do not know the difference of safety vs. danger, truth vs. fiction, or how to investigate vs. bogus documentation.
January 27, 2008

1:12 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

The belief that the elected officials will respond to their own constituents when the constituents plead and cry many letters out, phone calls, and walk-ins to the offices, for the help to save a child's life, is only a belief, without any truth or action upon the elected officials to note otherwise.

Child Protection Services is allowed to walk about as a god. They refuse to follow any law, act carelessly with the well-being and well-fare of the family unity, the parent’s character, and safety of the child.

Child Protection Services have no one to answer to, they investigate themselves, their freedom to use falsification and deception in the judicial courts, is their greatest power, second, to the strongest force of using fear, to make parents sign papers of CHINS and whatever else, as parents are told they will never see their children again if they refuse to sign the CPS paperwork. CASA and Guardian et Litem, and all other CPS affiliates will do the same. CPS is a breed of government that would make Hitler rise from his grave and smile.

Sadness, great sadness, is all that can be said, when one awakens to the facts that surround the numbers of children removed from their homes, alienation from their parents, and siblings scattered into different foster homes. In Indiana , grandparents are ignored and disrespected of the right to participate to provide safe homes for their own grandchildren. Legislation is too busy with their own agenda to be concerned for the citizens of Indiana , of which our representatives are to serve. As money, power, and status-quo, is of utmost importance, citizens are second class, unless they are large financial contributors to the political party. Unfortunately for many innocent and law abiding citizens of Indiana , the definition of “Serve” is not understood by Indiana ’ governmental officials.

Families are devastated by mere hearsay and biased subjective emotions of a social worker or case manager, and a judges’ disregard for the oath taken. The Constitution is disregarded.
January 27, 2008

1:13 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

Child Services, Juvenile Judges will force a woman to sign an affidavit that a man is the father of the child, because the man who was request by the judge to take a paternity test simply refused to do so. This is not surprising, as the judge requested the man to take a paternity test, the man refused due to his heavy illicit drug use; so therefore, the judge forced the woman, who was defamed by the abusing drug user, to sign an affidavit that the man was the father. Again, hearsay vs. fact is how Indiana Juvenile Courts operate regarding the governmental agency, CPS, now called The Dept. of Children, in Indiana, which continues to fail to protect both innocent children and parents, by the state’ negligence and willingness to function on hearsay rather than medical valid evidence.

The truth is that many parents, who love and care for their children, are defamed without the ability to protect themselves or their children from the perjury and falsification of court documents done by the state workers. Children who are abused by foster parents are afraid to speak up, for fear of not being listened to.

The truth is that CPS, Juvenile judges, do not honor the taken oath, "For liberty and justice for all”, as hearsay, mere hearsay, is judged upon. No truth, no evidence, no facts, and no objective black and white clinical evidence, just hearsay.

The truth is that parents, who are falsely accused and loose their children, are never allowed a fair trial in criminal court. The Juvenile Judge makes un-founded judgments against the parents, who are again ‘forced’, to sign documentation to terminate parental rights. Where was the option for a jury? Juvenile Court is for minor children, not adults. If the parent committed a valid crime against their children, the parent must be arrested and prosecuted before their peers. This is not confidential information, as CPS wants the citizens to believe. Confidentiality is regarding the children under age, not the adult parents. Adults committing crimes or charged of crimes, is in fact, public notice. If a child is removed from a home, one would think a crime has been committed and the adult would be arrested, right? Not in Indiana , where children are removed with a phone call, as the social workers sits at her desk to write bogus lies.

The truth is that many children are in foster care due to the lack of the government agency, Child Protection Services, to assess, identify if an allegation has any validity, promote family relationships, intervene with careful planning to maintain family well-being, ability to evaluate all situations, and most importantly, CPS workers, fail to report factual truth. CPS workers function on hearsay, lies, deceptions, falsification of court records, and are willing to ignore the harm a child is in by the person CPS places the child into their care. CPS workers have no concern or fear to be held accountable or responsible for the accuracy of their actions.
January 27, 2008

1:15 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

If anyone thinks this agency has oversight to protect the citizens, that person is very wrong. This agency’s actions and functions are Criminality and extremely un-Constitutional! ! Their ability to use coercion, threats, and conspire to commit perjury and falsification of court documentations is never questioned. The terrorist group this nation best be looking out for is not from overseas, but from our own governmental agency, Dept. of Children, Child Protection Services, as they walk as a god, no one has jurisdiction of this agency, and their ability to cover-up the deaths of children under the state care and remove children from parents without cause is enormous. The agency is largest agency of this nation, so out of control, but no one is accountable. Your tax dollars fund this agency, so you too have a hand in it if you just sit back and believe the verbal garbage this agency writes, states, or publicizes. They have more to gain by gathering up more and more children into foster and institutional care with intent for adoptions; and forcing more and more parents into the federal grant programs for services and classes of all sorts, whether the parent is in need of the services and classes or not!

Just what do any government workers do for the people in Indiana ? We pay for what? Victimization, ignored, lied to, terrorized, and oppressed. This is a question for all citizens all over the nation.
Why do we even have an election? Campaign promises are lies.
January 27, 2008

1:16 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

Perpetrators of Maltreatment is: Child Protection "Predator" Services
CPS commits un-punished crimes against innocent parents and children and destroy families f! or Feder al $$$Funds

Physical Abuse – 59 by parents 160 by CPS

Sexual Abuse – 13 by parents 112 by CPS

Neglect – 241 by parents 410 by CPS

Medical Neglect – 12 by parents 14 by CPS

Fatalities – 1.5 by parents 6.4 by CPS

FACT: Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the United States . These numbers come from The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) in Washington .

One in four children, under state care WILL die.

Why is Indiana the number one state for the deaths of children? Lack of accountability, responsibility, & oversight.

Why do foster parents and institutions get by with abuse and murder? Lack of accountability, responsibility, & oversight.

When there is a complaint against the Dept. of Children, CPS, who does the investigation? They do, as the fox watches over the hen house, so does CPS cover-up, shred up, lie, make false documentation, and conspire to obstruct justice, of their own crimes.
January 27, 2008

1:17 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

Just where is our federal government that is giving the bonuses, incentives, and grant funds, that is allowing this terrorist governmental agency to function to harm so many? Don’t know where they are but do know they are aware of this abusing, deadly, and terrorist governmental agency, called, Child Protection Services.

Homeland Security is to protect the US citizens from those on the outside of our nation, but who is protecting the US citizen families and children, from attacks from their own government from within?

Indiana is number one for deaths of children within the entire nation. Indiana pays the highest taxes for total of needs of children. Government is paid, citizens are ignored. What is wrong with this state? Remember, you are paying taxes for this agency to harm and literally be involved with the deaths of many children. Our politicians are not listening because they do not understand and most likely, do not care!

Please go to website: www.honkforkids. com or www.honkforkids. com/videoindex. htm
January 27, 2008

1:24 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

Politicians do not want to 'Rock the financial boat" for the state, because the profits from the federal government is extremely large. Not only does the state get grants for making parents take un-necessary classes for parenting, drug, and alcohol programs, but they get a large re-imbursement for using 'magic words' for adoptions of the children removed from their homes. Therefore, children in safe homes are placed into danger, and children in dangerous homes are left to promote use of lengthy government funded programs.

How much money does Child Protection Services need for 'protection of children' in Indiana, yet fail to do so?
Has anyone noticed that all states received authorized appropriated federal funds in the sum of 325,000,000 each fiscal year, (per the Title IV, part B, Sub part 1) and then gain $43,000,000 for each fiscal years 2004 through 2008, (which is why more and more children are removed un-necessarily from safe homes to be placed into foster care), and more funds from the federal incentives programs, and grants of $100,000,000, then federal payments for foster care and adoption assistance, just to start off with. CPS is the only agency that does not have to show what they do with their money, as it is a secret.
January 27, 2008

1:28 p.m.

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RevealTruth writes:

CPS is a facade of 'protection', as they function to profit by human trafficking by federal funds.

When did this governmental agency, CPS, become a state of dictatorship? Who gave them the right to violate the rights of all?

*** Children's Bureau Express Nov 2004 http://cbexpress.acf.hhs.gov HHS Awards Adoption Bonuses to States On October 14, 2004, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced the awarding of $17,896,000 in adoption bonuses to 31 States and Puerto Rico. The funding comes from the Adoption Incentives Program and is given to States that were successful in increasing the number of adoptions from the public child welfare system over the number of adoptions in 2002. ....The threshold to receive incentives has been reset based on the number of adoptions in FY 2002, making States that reached their highest number of adoptions in the earlier years of the program more likely to qualify for a bonus. ..." (THIS IS WHEN THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF CHILDREN BEGAN TO BE REMOVED BY MERE FALSE ALLEGATIONS, parents defamed, families destroyed, AND CHILDREN SOLD LIKE CATTLE!)

Children, do not have to be abused, raped, or mistreated, or murdered, please, their voices must be heard!!!! Many children are being abused under state care, parents are being defamed, and families are being destroyed, needlessly. This must stop!! Please, help our leaders to see what is happening to the people they have been blessed by God, to serve for His Sake! My heart is full of sorrow, like never felt before, and tears flow without dryness near. Precious, innocent, unborn children, are slaughtered, not be cave men, but be educated professionals, and our leaders, turn their heads of the blood shed.
January 27, 2008

1:30 p.m.

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vudumom writes:

me2, Your absolutely right. Somehow the women with children think it's okay to:
1. Not get married but have not just one child but many.
2.They think it is okay to parade man after man through their house in front of their children and let these men discipline their children and they have no right to do that.
3.women are suckers and are easy prey for sexual predators who treat the women well and all the while the got their eyes on the prize ,their children.
4.Single mother's are stupid.They put their own needs or wants before their children's.
5.Memo to single mother's out there.Your children come first.Not your latest boyfriend.There should be no man in the house if you are not married .These children have enough to deal with already ,like not having a father around,or only seeing their father's rarely,having their mother bringing in strange men and allowing them to discipline the children,then the relationship fails and again here comes another man in the children's life. This is no way to raise a child.They can have and deserve a stable home life with their parent giving them love,support and putting their needs over hers.Put the children up for adoption if you don't want to be a full time parent. Then you can go sleep around all you want.Just be prepared to be not as popular because you don't have children,men that are nice and seem like a dream guy will not want you if you don't have children and they are child sex predators.Stop being selfish and start raising your children.
Please know where your nearest Planned Parenthood is to protect yourself from having anymore children.Have a savings accout with enough for an abortion if you don't,protect yourself from getting pregnant.

I'm tired of seeing broken children,not because they come from a single parent family,because the come from and are not cared for by the parent.You can be single and raise our future children to become great people.Cut our all the selfishness on your part and put the kids first.
January 28, 2008

7:02 a.m.

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vudumom writes:

RevealTruth, I can see by your posts that you are passionate about children.What did CPS do to you that made you post all the posts on here?
It seems we have a conflict here. You say in Indiana CPS is overstepping their bounds and snatching children out of families for no reason.
Here in Colorado we have the opposite. We have CPS letting children continue to live with abusers until they are murdered.They either refuse to do a child welfare check on a child after recieving many complaints or they check on the child clearly see something is not right and let the abusers talk their way out of it and then the child ends up murdered.
The system everywhere is flawed and our children are dieing or living nightmare childhoods and growing up to be nightmare adults,
January 29, 2008

3:48 p.m.

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T1anda writes:

Barea, Garcia, Gallegos, Valdez, Cuneo, Quintana, Marquez, Montoya, Valdez-Ruelos, Cisneros, Trujillo, Pirraglia, Ellison, Hall, Houcks, Phillips, Berry...but then what's in a name right???????
January 29, 2008

4:05 p.m.

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annie143 writes:

Revealtruth is indeed very passionate though I am not sure this is the forum for it.

I live in Florida and see much abuse of children. We have had some horrific cases that breaks the heart.

My heartstrings will resonate with thoughts of little Chandler Grafner, a sweet child who should not have suffered what he did.

Colorado needs to do a better job towards protecting its children. But if the guardian ad litem okayed giving Chandler to Phillips, are the ad litems being screened well enough ? Has anyone looked into that ?That was my understanding from the onset. How qualified was she to make that decision ?

I know the grandmother is no saint but I dont think Chandler would have died under her care. Forget about the mother, she doesn't have a clue.Her punishment will come when she stands before her maker.
February 5, 2008

7:54 p.m.

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Jeb writes:

The CPS system is broken and those closest to it should not be trusted to fix it. I'm sure the creators of the system had good intentions, but in 2007 too many children were not helped and reports of DSS caseworkers devestating families due to bias and incompetence continue to grow. An 'outside' DSS oversight organization should be stood up to remove caseworkers that are too lazy and abuse their office. I will never support giving caseworkers more power until the system is thoroughly overhauled.
February 5, 2008

8:08 p.m.

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Jeb writes:

One last comment - When will the RMN report on DSS caseworkers that abuse their authority? You can start with the Boulder County caseworker that was put on administrative leave for violating the Ramsey's right to confidentiality. The caseworker disclosed information to the local media. This demonstration of arrogance and abuse is not uncommon.
February 7, 2008

12:53 p.m.

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Carli240 writes:

The abuse of children and the horrific consequesnces of the state's failure to follow through in protecting our children go on. In Colorado Springs, a mom who's husband committed suicide last year, tried to slit the throats of her 5 children before setting them on fire. El Paso County DHS was involved with the family, but provided no help or resources for the distraught mother. Now, instead of getting the help she needs, she will spend the rest of her life in jail. One of her children was murdered. The other 4 are in the hospital with life threatening injuries. Scars that will follow them for the rest of their lives-physical, mental, emotional, spiritual scars.

What do we do? How do we make a difference if no one else will?

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Colorado officials refuse to take child abuse and neglect seriously

This Web only Speakout has not been edited.

Emily Tracy

Published January 26, 2008 at noon

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