ACTIVE SEARCH CA - Hannah, 16, Devonte, 15, & Sierra Hart, 12, Mendocino County, 26 Mar 2018 #4

[Holl]

I agree. When you are on the outside of a situation it is very easy to stand back and judge. Many people failed these kids; the Dekalbs DID try.

Try as in months later........ Thanks to Mrs. DeKalb's mother for telling her 80 year old father and him calling police. By the time March 23rd came, it was too late and also headed for the weekend, therefore only limited attempts could be made by CPS to visit on Friday but not the entire weekend,. Bruce DeKalb is is insensitive man and media had repeated the story in several ways in which he does not seem to understand and grasp why his own wife was upset even, he is a pathetic excuse for a human being. Then complained that the family barged in his house looking for HH. No Bruce, you let them openly in .

 

[human]

Interesting, different view of couple from the early beginnings. Even with one child they were a little harsh. I can't imagine being taken to a beauty counter and made to have a 'makeover', parents watching arms crossed...

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...-remember-previous-foster-child-in-minnesota/

Wow.The eating out of garbage cans persists. Seems like some of the kids they had liked eating out of the garbage.

We had a curious custom at our home. Our kids could go into the refrigerator and the cupboards to get food. I wonder if they ever tried that unique idea.

And the person reporting that all parents they know spank. Funny, but none of my friends spanked their kids. And putting a head under cold water and leaving bruises that hurt the next day is no problemo?

It makes me womder what these people think good parenting is.

 

[bears10]

Interesting, different view of couple from the early beginnings. Even with one child they were a little harsh. I can't imagine being taken to a beauty counter and made to have a 'makeover', parents watching arms crossed...

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...-remember-previous-foster-child-in-minnesota/

From the article ....

Smith recalled a time that Jen, unhappy with the way female mannequins at Herberger’s had visible nipples because she believed it fed into society’s exploitation of women’s bodies, found a hacksaw from the store’s toolroom and sawed all the nipples off.

No one at the store reprimanded Jen, Smith remembered. Jen and Sarah “were really loved at that store,” Smith said.

—-

Uhhh what???

 

[Myfullcrewe]

Hope they find the missing children ASAP!

 

[human]

Her physical stats are just brutal.

It's just supposition but I've been wondering if Hannah might've been a premature baby & the Hart's dietary rules prevented her from gaining any catch up that she might have achieved if she was placed in any other home.

If they enforced food deprivation as punishment on a kid with that kind of history, that child would've had no reserves to hold off the damage to their growth & development

My grandson was a preemie. After a couple months he was chubby. As a teen, he became to be six feet tall.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Her physical stats are just brutal.

It's just supposition but I've been wondering if Hannah might've been a premature baby & the Hart's dietary rules prevented her from gaining any catch up that she might have achieved if she was placed in any other home.

If they enforced food deprivation as punishment on a kid with that kind of history, that child would've had no reserves to hold off the damage to their growth & development

Something was going on with Hannah (and Markis). Hannah's whole front tooth coming out could indicate some kind of major deficiency that was obviously not addressed by a dentist, or a doctor? And Markis looks to have a serious overbite. Did that complicate his ability to eat and sleep?

Without knowing their genetics, or mixed heritage, it's difficult to know or maybe approximate where they should have, or could have been height and weight wise.

I have a sibling who was born a month early and she is very delicate in stature, small boned, and lithe. A picky eater growing up. So, yes, premature birth could be a big factor.

Both these women look to have excellent teeth and dental care. And they are obviously not lacking in the food department for themselves. It makes any kind of food deprivation, as punishment, or wild dietary restrictions on these children seem that much more horrific.

Wondering if in their investigation they will find out if these children were ever seen by doctors, vaccinated, seen by a dentist? That will tell a lot.

 

[antechinusRAWR]

My grandson was a preemie. After a couple months he was chubby. As a teen, he became to be six feet tall.

Yeah, one of my kids is too (10wks early) & was pretty chubby a few months after being released from NICU. But a lot of the other babies we had contact with were very, very preemie & many (but defintely not all) showed marked delays in growth milestones well into their teens.


Edit : I should probably add too, that after we stopped tube feeding, I had to follow our paediatrician's advice to the letter & stick to hourly feeds, 24/7, for 6 mths straight before he looked like a healthy, chubby baby. We also attended an early intervention clinic weekly for the next 6 years.

If a parent is unwilling or unable to maintain the recommended feeding/intervention schedule you may not see the same gains - & in some cases you won't see gains even if you do stick to it.

 

[kikukohime]

Wow.The eating out of garbage cans persists. Seems like some of the kids they had liked eating out of the garbage.

We had a curious custom at our home. Our kids could go into the refrigerator and the cupboards to get food. I wonder if they ever tried that unique idea.

And the person reporting that all parents they know spank. Funny, but none of my friends spanked their kids. And putting a head under cold water and leaving bruises that hurt the next day is no problemo?

It makes me womder what these people think good parenting is.

So their very first foster child also ate out of their garbage. I'd seriously suspect they were starting their food deprivation/punishment way back then. I still wonder if these women didn't both have food issues in their past also.

This can be an issue with some foster and adopted kids. It's an emotional issue, not always solid proof of them being starved.
https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/hoarding-overeating-food-obsessions-adopted-kids/

 

[Jax49]

Any word on the id of the body found a few days ago? IIRC, the autopsy was supposed to be yesterday.

 

[Zelda1010]

I wonder why they ran to the DeKalbs rather than the other neighbor. The other neighbor seemed somewhat acquainted with him whereas the DeKalbs were like, "Huh who are you?" when Hannah first showed up. Maybe the other neighbor was friendly with the mothers and they were worried that he would side with the moms if they confided in him so they decided to reach out to the DeKalbs instead. Maybe they figured the DeKalbs would be more neutral and less likely to side with the moms. So tragic that the DeKalbs failed them. I hope they never ever sleep peacefully again.

I think she tried. I don't know what makes them say that in this article, but they do. Maybe the blackberry brambles indicate she tried a different route first?

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2018/03/hart_family_update_march_31.html
The girl had apparently tried to crawl through the blackberry bushes on the DeKalbs' property to get to another house, the couple told reporters Wednesday. She gave up when she came across a fence and ended up pounding on their front door. Bruce DeKalb answered.

 

[Lilibet]

This can be an issue with some foster and adopted kids. It's an emotional issue, not always solid proof of them being starved.
https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/hoarding-overeating-food-obsessions-adopted-kids/

I suspect that was the case with the foster child. That they complained to others about her eating out of the garbage can and not being smart says that they needed help for this girl...more than a makeover at a department store could accomplish. So what made it seem to be a good idea to take on 3 small children and then 3 more a few years later?

And cutting nipples of mannequins? Is she nuts? Does this tie in with keeping the kids small...preventing sexualization? Or am I over-analyzing this?

 

[human]

This can be an issue with some foster and adopted kids. It's an emotional issue, not always solid proof of them being starved.
https://creatingafamily.org/adoption-category/hoarding-overeating-food-obsessions-adopted-kids/

I am confused. The author says that children should eat, not be restricted, How would eating out of the garbage be an issue if food was available?

 

[gcharlie]

Interesting, different view of couple from the early beginnings. Even with one child they were a little harsh. I can't imagine being taken to a beauty counter and made to have a 'makeover', parents watching arms crossed...

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattl...-remember-previous-foster-child-in-minnesota/

It would be interesting if this foster child, who now must be in her twenties, stepped forward and shed some light on what it was like for her while she was under the care of the Harts.

 

[Lilibet]

I am confused. The author says that children should eat, not be restricted, How would eating out of the garbage be an issue if food was available?

I think the issue is that they eat out of the garbage even when they’ve eaten meals, etc. In other words it’s a mental health issue of obsessive eating. A foster mother upthread talked about this IIRC.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Try as in months later........ Thanks to Mrs. DeKalb's mother for telling her 80 year old father and him calling police. By the time March 23rd came, it was too late and also headed for the weekend, therefore only limited attempts could be made by CPS to visit on Friday but not the entire weekend,. Bruce DeKalb is is insensitive man and media had repeated the story in several ways in which he does not seem to understand and grasp why his own wife was upset even, he is a pathetic excuse for a human being. Then complained that the family barged in his house looking for HH. No Bruce, you let them openly in .

These neighbors tried twice. I think the disconnect is in LE. Could LE have done a search to find a prior abuse conviction in MN? Could they have stopped by for a welfare check no matter when a distressed neighbor calls? Could they have done all that and then referred it to CPS?

And, if the Harts had answered the door and dealt with CPS that Friday instead of fleeing town and driving off a cliff two states away, would anyone be raking the neighbors over the coals?

 

[SATA]

The Hart family were photographed for this story on the 2015 Goonies festival in Astoria, Washington. The kids appear in photos 3, 6, and 7. Jen is quoted as saying she spent six months designing the kids' custom costumes. I suspect that's an exaggeration for all of them. But most of them are still pretty cute. The costume Hannah is wearing- compared to the others- raises serious red flags for me.

http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20150608/goonies-fans-had-weekend-of-nostalgia-in-astoria

The teeth!

 

[enelram]

It would be interesting if this foster child, who now must be in her twenties, stepped forward and shed some light on what it was like for her while she was under the care of the Harts.

Yes, agree. And I also wonder why they didn't consider adopting this girl while they fostered her.

I'm convinced that neither of these women came from an 'emotionally healthy background' themselves. How can

CPS or private adoption atty. expect a couple of women, who themselves are mixed up, raise a group of emotionally needy siblings? And

then to approve a second group. There had to have been some reasons behind the scenes that we are no longer privvy to the answers.

 

[Mira_Eg]

Interview with the couple who runs a farm the Hart family used to volunteer in in the period between 2013 to 2016.
Few comments on the children dietary habits, stating they were super healthy! "The kids would come here and there would be thousands of pounds of food all around them, and children would be eating food constantly"
The owners also think it was an accident or the family met with foul play: “There’s a piece of me that just believes we’re missing something – whether it’s foul play that nobody’s figured out, or there was a medical condition, or a seizure ..."
http://www.kptv.com/story/37927858/hart-family-volunteered-at-sherwood-farm-and-food-pantry

 

[enelram]

Interview with the couple who runs a farm the Hart family used to volunteer in in the period between 2013 to 2016.
Few comments on the children dietary habits, stating they were super healthy! "The kids would come here and there would be thousands of pounds of food all around them, and children would be eating food constantly"
The owners also think it was an accident or the family met with foul play: “There’s a piece of me that just believes we’re missing something – whether it’s foul play that nobody’s figured out, or there was a medical condition, or a seizure ..."
http://www.kptv.com/story/37927858/hart-family-volunteered-at-sherwood-farm-and-food-pantry

DENIAL-- so often when a public tragedy comes to light, some people can't admit they missed clues. Also some

people are not perceptive enough to detect abnormal behavior or physical condition signs.

 

[Myfullcrewe]

I have a child adopted internationally who came home at 6, the size of a 3yo. At 11, he is the size of an average 6/7 yo now. Food is a major issue still as he has no concept of feeling full and will eat and eat, as fast as he can and never stops until his belly is huge and protruding that he throws up and then he will still eat more unless we place appropriate limits. Being around others with food or at food related events are very hard with him. He will and has eaten out of the trash, other peoples plates, off the floor and random strangers drinks when we are out shopping.

The early years have a major impact on a child’s growth and development and much of that can’t be caught up on.

The difference is that we’ve had medical care involved for the past 5 years, trying to figure out what is causing his growth issues and get him help. No answers yet but we haven’t given up.

It has not been confirmed whether the Hart children have SN but I do fully understand the stress and challenges involved in caring for kids affected by trauma. We are deep in the trenches now and I do believe the prior adoption training was not enough. Help are respite and resources are hard to come by. Hardest thing we have ever done. Abuse is never escuseable, however.