9 Year Old Begs to go Home

[jjenny]

I have been lurking here and I really appreciate the posts. This child has only known one family, and it appears she loves them very much. The biggest gift her biological father could give her would be to let go. If he truly loved her and cared about her, he would Put his daughter's needs above his own. Isn't that what we as parents do? JMO

You can take a look at Michelle Knight who was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. During this time her son was adopted. Wasn't her fault that she couldn't see her son (since she was kidnapped and kept captive). She decided to not appeal the adoption as it's not in her son's best interests.

 

[MyBelle]

This is my point. Why didn't they "put an end to it" in 2005, ensure a proper fact finding was done, and an appropriate permanent placement was found? The idea of the girl's prospects if she had been with the natural father's family from infancy doesn't fill me with joy, but then it wouldn't have ended up with this mess. Nine years later is simply too late to be trying to wind the clock back.

"They" being who exactly? The baby sitter who took the child with dad's permission believing the false pretense she needed to care for an ill family member and would return? Or the former foster parents who took his child from the babysitter, kept her for years and refused to work with Tennessee DCS returning her to her father? Neither the Tennessee court nor DCS nor the GAL appears to be too fond of the actions of the former foster parents.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

You can take a look at Michelle Knight who was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. During this time her son was adopted. Wasn't her fault that she couldn't see her son (since she was kidnapped and kept captive). She decided to not appeal the adoption as it's not in her son's best interests.

BBM. The point is that it was her decision. The father in this case has not been deemed an unfit parent. His parental rights were improperly removed from him and restored by a higher court. Parental rights do matter and so do the rights of the child, imo. SM doesn't want to return to the home of her former foster parents. Should a court ignore her wishes?

 

[MyBelle]

I have been lurking here and I really appreciate the posts. This child has only known one family, and it appears she loves them very much. The biggest gift her biological father could give her would be to let go. If he truly loved her and cared about her, he would Put his daughter's needs above his own. Isn't that what we as parents do? JMO

The decision of where she lives is not up to the father, it is up to the Judge. He's decided she's going to live with her father in Nebraska under the custody of the State of Tennessee which is what the child wants.


H. D., a court-appointed guardian assigned to look after Sonya's interests, said the girl has been doing well in Nebraska and that it would be "detrimental" for her to return to Tennessee to live. She said Sonya doesn't want to move back but would like to visit.


http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...s-9-year-old-should-stay-in-nebraska/9182089/

 

[Supernovae]

...refused to work with Tennessee DCS returning her to her father?

See, how do they just "refuse" to work with DCS. At that point they had no official standing, we're supposed to believe, if DCS felt the placement wasn't appropriate surely they could have moved her immediately?

 

[Supernovae]

I mean we're really supposed to believe that DCS are impotent in that situation.

 

[Supernovae]

The decision of where she lives is not up to the father, it is up to the Judge. He's decided she's going to live with her father in Nebraska under the custody of the State of Tennessee which is what the child wants.


H. D., a court-appointed guardian assigned to look after Sonya's interests, said the girl has been doing well in Nebraska and that it would be "detrimental" for her to return to Tennessee to live. She said Sonya doesn't want to move back but would like to visit.


http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...s-9-year-old-should-stay-in-nebraska/9182089/

I don't think any of us really know her true feelings. It must be very hard for a child to assert her wishes in that kind of situation for all sorts of reasons.

 

[Supernovae]

Whether he stays out of prison or not, for now his daughter and he have rights fully intact. And in America, that is the way it should be.

That's seems like a very empty conception of rights and one that I struggle to understand. What benefit do those "rights" afford her in that situation?

 

[MyBelle]

I don't think any of us really know her true feelings. It must be very hard for a child to assert her wishes in that kind of situation for all sorts of reasons.

Her GAL asserted her wishes to the Judge. Not a lot of mystery to it, according the the GAL. I'm not sure why you believe the Judge should ignore the child's wishes. If he had decided to remove the child from her father she'd go to another Tennessee foster home. I agree with the GAL that would be very cruel to do that to her.

H. D., a court-appointed guardian assigned to look after Sonya's interests, said the girl has been doing well in Nebraska and that it would be "detrimental" for her to return to Tennessee to live. She said Sonya doesn't want to move back but would like to visit.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...s-9-year-old-should-stay-in-nebraska/9182089/

 

[jjenny]

Her GAL asserted her wishes to the Judge. Not a lot of mystery to it, according the the GAL. I'm not sure why you believe the Judge should ignore the child's wishes. If he had decided to remove the child from her father she'd go to another Tennessee foster home. I agree with the GAL that would be very cruel to do that to her.

H. D., a court-appointed guardian assigned to look after Sonya's interests, said the girl has been doing well in Nebraska and that it would be "detrimental" for her to return to Tennessee to live. She said Sonya doesn't want to move back but would like to visit.

http://www.tennessean.com/story/new...s-9-year-old-should-stay-in-nebraska/9182089/

Oh please. Frankly I don't believe claims from people associated with DCF. Detrimental to return to TN? As far as I can tell, there were never any issues when she was there. She was doing great by all accounts.
Bring the child to court and ask her there, when bio dad isn't present.
This child never even had a hearing on what is in her best interest.
And I love how DCF spokesperson described father as "not a boy scout." Year, I would say that with his criminal record, he is pretty far from a boy scout.

 

[MyBelle]

Oh please. Frankly I don't believe claims from people associated with DCF. Detrimental to return to TN? As far as I can tell, there were never any issues when she was there. She was doing great by all accounts.
Bring the child to court and ask her there, when bio dad isn't present.
This child never even had a hearing on what is in her best interest.
And I love how DCF spokesperson described father as "not a boy scout." Year, I would say that with his criminal record, he is pretty far from a boy scout.

The hearing wasn't to determine what is in the child's best interest it was to determine if the former foster parents have any legal standing to remain in the case and they lost. Her GAL and DCF said it would be detrimental to return her to TN and the Judge agreed. The GAL said the child wants to continue to live with her father. I'm not sure why you think the Judge should ignore the child's wishes or think the father has a decision in the matter.

They certainly can appeal the Judge's decision.

JMO

 

[jjenny]

The hearing wasn't to determine what is in the child's best interest it was to determine if the former foster parents have any legal standing to remain in the case and they lost. Her GAL and DCF said it would be detrimental to return her to TN and the Judge agreed. The GAL said the child wants to continue to live with her father. I'm not sure why you think the Judge should ignore the child's wishes or think the father has a decision in the matter.

They certainly can appeal the Judge's decision.

JMO

Judge hasn't asked the child what her wishes are. As for father not having a decision on the matter? Surely you are joking. If he wasn't demanding custody he wouldn't have gotten it.

 

[MyBelle]

Judge hasn't asked the child what her wishes are. As for father not having a decision on the matter? Surely you are joking. If he wasn't demanding custody he wouldn't have gotten it.

<modsnip> The State of Tennessee determines where she lives and with whom.

The purpose of the hearing wasn't to determine what the child's wishes were, the foster family was trying to persuade the Judge to vacate his previous order. He refused.

After about 25 minutes, Jackson denied the motion to vacate his previous order and said Sonya would remain under the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children order that allows her father to have physical custody while her situation will continue to be monitored by the children&#8217;s services departments in both states with a goal of working toward a permanent placement plan. He scheduled another review for June 18.



http://wdkn.com/news/

 

[jjenny]

<modsnip> The State of Tennessee determines where she lives and with whom.

The purpose of the hearing wasn't to determine what the child's wishes were, the foster family was trying to persuade the Judge to vacate his previous order. He refused.

After about 25 minutes, Jackson denied the motion to vacate his previous order and said Sonya would remain under the Interstate Compact on Placement of Children order that allows her father to have physical custody while her situation will continue to be monitored by the children’s services departments in both states with a goal of working toward a permanent placement plan. He scheduled another review for June 18.



http://wdkn.com/news/

It really is very simple.
State of TN wouldn't have given her back to the father if father wasn't asking for custody.

 

[Soulmagent]

Meanwhile, baby sitter J. G. fled, leaving her mother, Joy, to look after Sonya.

&#8220;I didn't think the whole thing was responsible,&#8221; J. G. said. &#8220;That was a messed-up situation.&#8221;

She said her daughter hadn't intended to take anyone's child. She said that she felt their family was being threatened by her son-in-law and by John M. and that she &#8220;wasn't going to send the baby back like that.&#8221;

&#8220;So we went to court,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We were happy with (Sonya) to go with her family if they could provide a safe environment.&#8221;

But she wasn't convinced it was safe. Nor did she see herself as the long-term solution.

&#8220;I ended up,&#8221; Gunn said, &#8220;being put in the middle of something I didn't ask for.&#8221;

http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140316/NEWS/140318867/1685

Really , Sonya is a victim of all of these people. She wasnt going to send the baby back. That sounds like an intentional act to me.

 

[MyBelle]

It really is very simple.
State of TN wouldn't have given her back to the father if father wasn't asking for custody.

You're right. At this point is it simple: The father has his parental rights intact and his child back in his home.

JMO

 

[MyBelle]

http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140316/NEWS/140318867/1685

Really , Sonya is a victim of all of these people. She wasnt going to send the baby back. That sounds like an intentional act to me.

I agree. It appears some kind of plan was in place before she ever left Nebraska with the baby.


JMO

 

[jjenny]

Babysitter might have been concerned with the father's activities. Considering he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years, I would say her concerns were justified.
Father couldn't raise the child during the time he was locked up, could he?
The only other person who could have raised the child appears to be bio grandma.
Who had her hands more than full, since she took in 7 abandoned children from another relative.
So what was this child supposed to have been doing when bio dad was sitting in prison?

 

[TripleA]

Babysitter might have been concerned with the father's activities. Considering he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years, I would say her concerns were justified.
Father couldn't raise the child during the time he was locked up, could he?
The only other person who could have raised the child appears to be bio grandma.
Who had her hands more than full, since she took in 7 abandoned children from another relative.
So what was this child supposed to have been doing when bio dad was sitting in prison?

That may be all true, but the babysitter had absolutely no right to not bring the baby back all of those years ago. She had no right and her mother had no right to determine where Sonya should live. Kids are not born with the right to a pony and designer clothes. Many great adults are born out of ****** childhoods. Yes it sucks that not every child can be spoiled and have perfect parents, but unless she was/is abused then no one has the right to remove her from her biological family. I feel very sorry for this baby girl, but right now, legally, she belongs with her father - even if he is a criminal.

 

[jjenny]

That may be all true, but the babysitter had absolutely no right to not bring the baby back all of those years ago. She had no right and her mother had no right to determine where Sonya should live. Kids are not born with the right to a pony and designer clothes. Many great adults are born out of ****** childhoods. Yes it sucks that not every child can be spoiled and have perfect parents, but unless she was/is abused then no one has the right to remove her from her biological family. I feel very sorry for this baby girl, but right now, legally, she belongs with her father - even if he is a criminal.

Babysitter turned the child into DCF. Isn't that what a concerned citizen supposed to do?
How did she belong with her father? Do you think the authorities should have put her in the same cell in federal prison so her father could raise her when he was locked up?