Found Deceased IL - Semaj Crosby, 16 mos, Joliet Township, 25 April 2017

[Cubby]

Is there a link confirming SG is disabled or is that speculation?

 

[perfectingpink]

I heard some social worker hating over here. Someone give me cliff notes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A social worker from DCF made a visit to the home hours before Semaj was reported missing and claimed there was nothing of concern with the people or the home. We found out today, the house has been condemned due to its deplorable condition.

 

[perfectingpink]

Is there a link confirming SG is disabled or is that speculation?

No link. The reporter, Anita, was told by someone Sheri was mentally challenged and the godmother said the same thing in her FB live video that is posted on Anita's page.

Here is Anita's FB page where all the videos are.
https://www.facebook.com/AnitaPadillaFox32Chicago/

 

[Tricia]

Hey Everyone,

This is a terrible and tragic story. I can barely bring myself to read updates.

Please everyone, no swearing, keep things under control.

It's hard to do in a case like this one but you must stop yourself from going over the edge or the whole thread goes downhill fast.

Rest in peace little Semaj.

Tricia

 

[katydid23]

It is hard for me to throw the social worker under the bus. If they took away every child that they visited, when they found messy, crowded, even filthy conditions, there would be entire neighborhoods cleared of their children. There are way more children that are living in questionable conditions, than there are places for them to go live safely.

Urban social work is like an emergency triage situation. If a child has no bruisesor injuries, has food in the kitchen and a mattress to sleep on, they may get moved to the bottom of the list. Kids with visible injuries, no food and being totally neglected or abused are given priority.

There is only so much that can be done, given the lack of resources and lack of safe places to rehome children to.

I just feel really bad when we call out individual social workers and accuse them of being cold hearted or inept or worse, when they live with this heartbreak and stress every day. :cry:

 

[sorrell skye]

I have followed so many of these kinds of cases over the years but for some reason I cannot explain or even understand myself this sweet, beautiful baby Semaj just reached out and grabbed onto my heart from day one.

She deserves justice (the that put her in the couch, you vile piece of garbage),
accountability, (the lying social worker that reported she was inside the home and there were no safety or hazard issues..... you're a flat out fraud - we've all seen the inside of this house. It was junkie-freakin' central.
It was the city flippin' dump. How DARE you file the report you filed?

I'm sorry if I sound all messed up. I AM all messed up.

I'm messed up right there with ya, O-mom.

This precious baby didn't put herself underneath/inside that couch where 10-15 "squatters - i.e. junkies" were coming and going on a daily basis.

I refuse to defend the social worker who claimed that there were "no obvious hazards or safety concerns".

Baby Semaj's family totally failed her. The system that was tasked to protect her totally failed Baby Semaj.

I can't help but feel that the city is condemning the abode as an afterthought, in order to cover their asses, because they KNOW they failed this child.

 

[katydid23]

I'm messed up right there with ya, O-mom.

This precious baby didn't put herself underneath/inside that couch where 10-15 "squatters - i.e. junkies" were coming and going on a daily basis.

I refuse to defend the social worker who claimed that there were "no obvious hazards or safety concerns".

Baby Semaj's family totally failed her. The system that was tasked to protect her totally failed Baby Semaj.

I can't help but feel that the city is condemning the abode as an afterthought, in order to cover their asses, because they KNOW they failed this child.

I agree that the system failed that sweet baby. But I am not sure I can pin the blame on the individual social worker. She probably had no idea there were 10 to 15 squatters. The families who have lots of CPS contacts know how to work the system. They know that they need to say or do to squeek by.

Maybe I am being too biased in the social workers favor---but I know a few of them very well, and they put their heart and soul into this work, for very little compensation and a lot of overtime. They LOVE children and never ever want to see them suffer. But they see a lot of suffering and they cannot always change every situation. I wish they could.

 

[momrids6]

The lack of good foster parents is partly due to the ridiculous hoops people must jump through to foster. Both parents must attend mandated classes, etc etc, even if they have successfully raised kids; teachers, nurses, etc. Impossible with jobs that don't have bankers' hours. Have to take the same parenting classes they make the ones who lost their kids take.

They wait too long and give far too many chances; by the time the kids are removed- many are horribly damaged. Then they give them back- again & again. Here- take this class....smdh

The low totem pole social workers who make home visits are bound by the rules/beliefs/budgets set. Low salaries,reality, and burnout take out many good people.

 

[sorrell skye]

I agree that the system failed that sweet baby. But I am not sure I can pin the blame on the individual social worker. She probably had no idea there were 10 to 15 squatters. The families who have lots of CPS contacts know how to work the system. They know that they need to say or do to squeek by.

Maybe I am being too biased in the social workers favor---but I know a few of them very well, and they put their heart and soul into this work, for very little compensation and a lot of overtime. They LOVE children and never ever want to see them suffer. But they see a lot of suffering and they cannot always change every situation. I wish they could.

Please help me to understand why the social worker gave the home a pass? Please help me to understand why the home has been condemned now that baby Semaj has been found deceased in that home?

Do you think the condemnation of the home is a political maneuver?

 

[momrids6]

2 military parents here went on vacation - left 2 kids under 5 home alone. They were found eating dog food. They took that fabulous class, and got them back... fact.

 

[katydid23]

Please help me to understand why the social worker gave the home a pass? Please help me to understand why the home has been condemned now that baby Semaj has been found deceased in that home?

I'd have to know how extensive that visit was and if anyone went all the way into the home. The call was an emergency call of 'abandonment' of children, IIRC. So that was what the worker was setting out to look for. If she comes across the 4 children, all dressed, clean, full of food, and playing happily in the front yard, then she is going to cross that accusation off the list.

We don't know if she did any kind of investigation beyond that. We don't know if she did a home study of any kind because that was not what the emergency call was about.

Maybe the front room was cleaned up really quickly when someone saw her pull up. So while she is out front talking to the children and taking notes, the adults inside are cleaning the front room and putting on a pot of soup, so when she steps inside, it all looks OK.

We have to remember what REAL HORRID situations look like. That is what they come across routinely. So if it is just really messy and dirty, but the kids are dressed and have full stomachs and are healthy and happy, then they drop to the bottom of the list.

People can be homeless with babies and toddlers, and still not lose their children. It takes a lot to get your kids taken if you are living in a rough, low income neighborhood. And I really cannot blame the social workers for that horrible truth.

 

[katydid23]

2 military parents here went on vacation - left 2 kids under 5 home alone. They were found eating dog food. They took that fabulous class, and got them back... fact.

yep. It takes a lot to get your kids permanently taken away.

 

[katydid23]

Also, I think the social services SYSTEM, as is stands now FAILED the child. But not necessarily the individual social worker.

Let's be realistic about what would have happened if she said the house was not fit for the kids that day. The entire extended family was squatting in that house. So this kids would most likely be placed in Foster care or state care.

The 14 yr old would likely end up in a juvenile detention center type of situation. Sadly enough, many young teens are sent to 'group homes' that include juvenile delinquents, if they are taken from family.

The 4 kids would probably be split up. That is very scary and sad for the children. And it is really hit and miss in terms of the quality of care they might receive when being taken out of their home. It might be out of the frying pan into the fire.

Of course, knowing what we know now, it would have been the best thing for little Semaj :rose: --- but in many many other cases, it is not really an improvement and can be worse in the end.

So it is understandable that a SW might decide that the kids looked healthy and happy and decided they were not in danger.

 

[Willow Knight]

I know blind people that parent effectively. Mentally challenged people successfully raise kids all of the time. Just because you can barely manage...

Seriously, this mindset is what lead to the mentally challenged being sterilized in certain parts of this country.

Actually I believe the OP is spot on. Questions need to be answered as to whether this child was neglected or if this child was in the care of a person not capable of the responsibility. Every child deserves to have a guardian that provides safe living conditions, proper food, and love. Every baby/toddler the age of this little one demands constant supervision. Accidents do happen even when a child is properly cared for, however in this particular case this baby was living in an unsafe environment. Child protective services had been called several times, the baby was missing for a couple of hours before LE was called into help. Now, the house/home has been determined unfit, that tells me it was unfit while sweet Semaj was living there. We need answers.

 

[Willow Knight]

I'd have to know how extensive that visit was and if anyone went all the way into the home. The call was an emergency call of 'abandonment' of children, IIRC. So that was what the worker was setting out to look for. If she comes across the 4 children, all dressed, clean, full of food, and playing happily in the front yard, then she is going to cross that accusation off the list.

.

RSBM

I'm glad I read this katydid23, I was under the wrong impression, I thought it was a follow up visit due to numerous calls of neglect.

Thank you to the posters that put out facts.

 

[sds71]

I thought the abandonment of emergency call was a 911 hang up and the case worker went to the home after an Aunt reported her son was beaten inside the house.

 

[Queena]

Have to say the departments of government here are very lazy and corrupt (hope it's okay to voice my opinion on this, I live in the state.). But it's Illinois after all, so not surprising. A family member used to work for DCFS and said as long as kids have clothes and food and no immediate signs of abuse, they are "fine" and people who call in abuse claims need to stop being "so dramatic" and "abuse does not mean what most people think it means." Yeah, okay. -_-

Having worked with DCFS to adopt not one, but two kids, and watching my parents adopt 5 kids, what you're saying is a very generalization of DCFS and Illinois. Every single social worker that I know is hard working and tries their best.

 

[Queena]

I work with young adults (in a special education program with students who can be educated until 21) with disabilities. I am not sure the disability that this mother has. But, if she has an intellectual disability, she may struggle with organization, decision-making, being able to go against the will of stronger people, not listening to anyone/making decisions based on power versus evidence and more. I have seen at least one person who knew her (the god mother) say that she was slow. She may be gullible, unable to anticipate what was unhealthy about mold and a non-working stove, and unable to navigate with 7 or 8 adults who refuse to leave or come at their own will. With young adults I work with, we are continually counseling parents to get guardianship to help protect them from those who might take advantage. Now, with many of my young adults, you might not, on the face, be able to note that they may not be capable of making a decision or handling a conflict. Many of my young adults attend high school and graduate with a diploma. They attend community college, technical high schools, have children and some even drive. This mom may not be severely disabled but disabled enough that she can't navigate chaos. If the squatters created havoc in her home, it may have led to the conditions we see on the photos.

About the tears. That may also be a factor of the disability. She may not exhibit a full range of emotions, privately or publicy.

My gut says that she did not harm this baby. Although my gut is usually right, I am hoping against hope that it is right on this one. RIP little one.

Thank you!

 

[Queena]

I believe it was due to the fact that a group of people are covering something up. IMO that many people can not live in a small space without knowing each others business. I believe that's also why a lawyer was hired so quickly. MOO

Or maybe they hired a lawyer because it's the correct thing to do when dealing with the police.

 

[Queena]

I just want to chime in and offer a viewpoint on the responsibilities of the case workers who visit homes in these cases. Not necessarily in reference to this case, but all similar cases.

It is certainly possible that some caseworkers are bad at their job and negligent themselves. However, I do not believe they are the majority. I think most caseworkers do what they can with the limited time and budgets they have to do their job. they do a very difficult job for not that great a salary, a job many of us could never do.

To some degree they have to be very pragmatic and they see all manner of living situations that most of us could never even imagine. On top of that they have to work within rules and guidelines set for them by the department they work for and while they are generally able to use professional judgment and discretion they can't just take every child they see. They can only take as many children as there are foster homes/emergency placements. I always see tons of people saying "I would have taken that baby and looked after it" - really? This isn't aimed at anyone in particular, but if you say that - have you registered as a foster carer? There aren't endless supplies of foster carers or residential facilities! Outcomes for kids placed in foster care are actually pretty bad. It's an option avoided as much as possible for that reason.

And while its true social workers sometimes will go as far as to looking after kids removed in emergency situations back in the office overnight (I have a social worker friend who has done just that) such a case would not be routine. A house being filthy would not in and of itself mean children should be removed from the family - the family as a whole probably should be though! [Not to mention, landlords and property managers doing their jobs properly would never let a house get to this state] And apparently once kids are removed, the process to get them back is pretty longwinded and significant. It's considered much better if you can work WITH the family to improve the situation rather than making the very significant decision to take kids away. And it's easy to see with hindsight that this would be the result, but on the job you can only work with what you see and what people are telling you.

And then there is the fact that most social work research and literature - academic work upon which policies are based - comes from the viewpoint that children are best with family - not always necessarily parents, but family. This is the result of past policies and practices that saw many children removed when they shouldn't have been and for reasons now seen as invalid (such as removing children from unwed mothers, even if they were capable of caring for them and wanted the child, or removing children of colour and placing them with white families). This has, probably in all honestly, made most social services departments a bit gun-shy when it comes to taking kids away.

Now, in this specific case, maybe the caseworkers were negligent. Their work practices will probably be investigated, and they should be. A true professional would indeed be happy to have their work reviewed. Maybe the department was operating under flawed policies. Hopefully everything that contributed will be investigated. but it's a complex issue, far far far more complex than 'they should have taken the kids'. It just doesn't work that way in reality and until social services departments (not only in the US but everywhere really) are given more generous and realistic budgets, there are probably always going to be kids that "should" have been removed but weren't. Even parents who seem to have it all together and never have contact with child services sometimes harm their children. Caseworkers are only human and they can't see the future or tell who is going to kill their kid.

Thank you! DCFS will try to work with a family first before removing kids. It's a last resort. There aren't many foster homes in Illinois, and I know that in my part of the state, we're severely lacking in foster homes.