GUILTY WA - Boy "ND" 5, kidnapped by foster mother Amanda Dinges 35, Mount Vernon, 21 Nov 2022 *arrest*

[Tower]

Certainly the hoped-for outcome!

Wonder if the little guy will even remember the plane ride?

He’s 5 and in traumatic circumstances. I speak only for my and my children’s memories, but he will remember much of this.

 

[PromotedPawn]

He’s 5 and in traumatic circumstances. I speak only for my and my children’s memories, but he will remember much of this.

Often times details of traumatic events can be difficult to remember. I believe everyone is different when it comes to things like this. Hopefully, the little guy gets adjusted to life and is loved, protected and cared for. MOO

 

[Unalienable Rights]

A missing foster child was finally found. Grave questions about the child welfare system remain.

Washington state authorities appear to have missed several warnings before the 5-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped by his foster mom and taken to Vietnam.

www.motherjones.com

***************

Despite the relief of the saga’s outcome, the alleged kidnapping has shed light on problems that are far more systemic: red flags that child protective services missed in the lead-up to the kidnapping; an unwavering faith in the foster parent; and a subdued initial response by police and media when it became clear the boy was missing.

************

The department didn’t publish photos of the Dingeses until a full week after they began their investigation, by which point, court records suggest, the Dingeses had already fled the country. With the exception of TV station King 5, local media was slow to cover the kidnapping; the Seattle Times has yet to write about the case.

*************

ND was taken into state custody in February 2021 due to concerns about his mother’s substance use. “She’s someone who has always very, very much wanted to parent this boy,” Brittany Tri, the attorney representing the mother, told Mother Jones. “But she was also someone who, at the start of the case, acknowledged openly that she was struggling.” The mother stopped using in December 2021, and, in the subsequent months, completed the treatment and parenting classes required to reunify with her son. She was thrilled about the prospect of his return home, which was expected in January 2023.

Dinges, however, wanted to adopt him, and had raised eyebrows for her possessiveness over the boy. One caseworker told police that Dinges was constantly obstructing her attempts to coordinate court-ordered visits. After a meeting in July, during which Dinges said that ND was already part of her family, Tri became so alarmed that she emailed ND’s caseworkers to express her concern that Dinges would interfere with ND’s reunification with his mother.

**************

Tri, meanwhile, checked in ND’s mother. “She said they are very tired, but very excited, and she is thrilled that she’s going to get to spend Christmas with him,” Tri said. “Beyond that, she was a little bit at a loss for words right now.”

 

[Tower]

A missing foster child was finally found. Grave questions about the child welfare system remain.

Washington state authorities appear to have missed several warnings before the 5-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped by his foster mom and taken to Vietnam.

www.motherjones.com

***************

Despite the relief of the saga’s outcome, the alleged kidnapping has shed light on problems that are far more systemic: red flags that child protective services missed in the lead-up to the kidnapping; an unwavering faith in the foster parent; and a subdued initial response by police and media when it became clear the boy was missing.

************

The department didn’t publish photos of the Dingeses until a full week after they began their investigation, by which point, court records suggest, the Dingeses had already fled the country. With the exception of TV station King 5, local media was slow to cover the kidnapping; the Seattle Times has yet to write about the case.

*************

ND was taken into state custody in February 2021 due to concerns about his mother’s substance use. “She’s someone who has always very, very much wanted to parent this boy,” Brittany Tri, the attorney representing the mother, told Mother Jones. “But she was also someone who, at the start of the case, acknowledged openly that she was struggling.” The mother stopped using in December 2021, and, in the subsequent months, completed the treatment and parenting classes required to reunify with her son. She was thrilled about the prospect of his return home, which was expected in January 2023.

Dinges, however, wanted to adopt him, and had raised eyebrows for her possessiveness over the boy. One caseworker told police that Dinges was constantly obstructing her attempts to coordinate court-ordered visits. After a meeting in July, during which Dinges said that ND was already part of her family, Tri became so alarmed that she emailed ND’s caseworkers to express her concern that Dinges would interfere with ND’s reunification with his mother.

**************

Tri, meanwhile, checked in ND’s mother. “She said they are very tired, but very excited, and she is thrilled that she’s going to get to spend Christmas with him,” Tri said. “Beyond that, she was a little bit at a loss for words right now.”

These details are so sad. I work daily with foster and reunified biological families. The personal stories are heartbreaking on all sides. But I do judge this foster mother harshly in this case. MSM has reported reunification was always the goal for the bio mother and child. Every foster parent is extensively counseled that bio mom has the right to get her child back, if she proves fit. AD dumped the teen in her care (who also deserved stability!) and took a child who was not hers to Vietnam. Awful behavior, imo.

While I deeply empathize with the love foster parents feel, you sign up to give this child a stable life until he goes back to his bio mama. This would be too hard for me, so I have utmost respect for those who take it on. But foster parents know they do not get to decide they are better parents and just keep (or kidnap!) the child.

A missing foster child was finally found. Grave questions about the child welfare system remain.

Washington state authorities appear to have missed several warnings before the 5-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped by his foster mom and taken to Vietnam.

www.motherjones.com

 

[JerseyGirl]

Missing Mount Vernon boy found in Vietnam, flown back to US

Police believe Amanda Dinges and her mother Amber Dinges kidnapped Amanda's foster child and took him to Vietnam.

www.king5.com

 

[PommyMommy]

DEC 29, 2022

Foster parent, mother arrested after alleged kidnapping of Mount Vernon boy​

[...]

Amanda Dinges, 35, and her mother, Amber Dinges, 60, were arrested by Mount Vernon police on Dec. 29 upon returning from Vietnam. They are currently in custody at Skagit County Community Justice Center in Mount Vernon.

During their first court appearance on Dec. 30, no contact orders were established, preventing either from contacting the boy or the boy's biological mother. They are not allowed to be within 1,000 feet of the boy or his school, nor are they allowed to be unsupervised with minors or have firearms.

They are being held on $100,000 bail each.

[...]

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

Often times details of traumatic events can be difficult to remember. I believe everyone is different when it comes to things like this. Hopefully, the little guy gets adjusted to life and is loved, protected and cared for. MOO

I hate to say this and I hope it's not the case, but there's a possibility that the kidnapping is the most non-traumatic thing that happened in this young boy's life. My heart goes out to the little guy. MOO.

 

[PromotedPawn]

I hate to say this and I hope it's not the case, but there's a possibility that the kidnapping is the most non-traumatic thing that happened in this young boy's life. My heart goes out to the little guy. MOO.

There is always that possibility but of course being uprooted, likely smuggled in to a new country, then taken away by strangers AGAIN can be awfully traumatic.

 

[BeginnerSleuther]

There is always that possibility but of course being uprooted, likely smuggled in to a new country, then taken away by strangers AGAIN can be awfully traumatic.

Oh, no doubt at all. But as someone who's worked with foster children, some of them are in foster care for traumas that are truly unspeakable, and being kidnapped and taken to another country (assuming he was treated well during this ordeal) would be the least traumatic thing that had ever happened to them. I hope that isn't the case in this little boy's case and I hope they can get him therapy and a warm, supportive environment so he can overcome whatever he's been through.

 

[PommyMommy]

JAN 12, 2023

Mount Vernon foster parent, her mom plead not guilty in international kidnapping

Amanda Dinges and her mother Amber are accused of absconding with a 5-year-old foster child to Vietnam.

www.king5.com

[...]

Skagit County Prosecutor Rich Weyrich has personally taken on the case.

[...]

If there is a trial, prosecutor Weyrich said he believes the mother and daughter would likely be tried together.

In the meantime the attorney for the biological mother told KING 5, Thursday the boy is doing well and is back in school.

In fact, she said he is so happy to be back with his mom that it's hard to get him to go to school some days.

The trial is set for Feb. 21, but prosecutor Weyrich said he doubts the case will get that far, as he expects a plea bargain at some point.

 

[PommyMommy]

MAR 24, 2023

Mother and daughter plead guilty to taking foster child

A Mount Vernon mother and daughter each pleaded guilty Thursday in Skagit County Superior Court to first-degree custodial interference, after taking a foster child and fleeing to Vietnam.

www.goskagit.com

A Mount Vernon mother and daughter each pleaded guilty Thursday in Skagit County Superior Court to first-degree custodial interference, after taking a foster child and fleeing to Vietnam.

Amanda Dinges, 35, was sentenced to a year in jail, and her mother, Amber Dinges, 60, was sentenced to six months.

[...]

The Dingeses pleaded as the result of a deal with the Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. They both had initially been charged with second-degree kidnapping, a more serious charge.

 

[NeverPersonal]

Wait - duh - is this adult trying to prevent this little guy becoming "the next Oakley Carlson?"

WA - WA - Oakley Carlson, 5, missing during welfare check, Oakville, 10 Feb 2021 *mom guilty, identity theft*

Clearly CPS ignored it. There ought to be at least 5 years prison terms for anyone who failed these children. Up to and including the judge who signed their warrants. MOO Amen to that! Nothing will change though. The State will probably be facing another lawsuit and it will just continue as usual.

www.websleuths.com

OR "the next Charlie & Brayden Powell?"

Jury in Washington State Finds In Favor of Susan Powells Parents.

Hey Everyone Susan's parents were awarded 98 million dollars in their case against the state of Washington. Her parents claim the state was negligent in the deaths of their grandkids Jury finds state DSHS negligent in violent deaths of Susan Powell's son

www.websleuths.com

No. This kid has a mom who very much wants and loves him, and has gone through treatment and jumped through the hoops CPS has asked for. Amanda seems to have felt entitled to her foster kid. From Amber's FB it looks like she may have done fostering too. They should have been helping the mom be stronger and maybe trying to join their extended family (wouldn't that be lovely?) instead of kidnapping the boy.