Family battling Children’s Hospital to bring teen home for Christmas

[Donjeta]

CT DCF not getting involved is very telling for me. This family has other children, if they abused the one in the hospital why is there no investigation in CT? What about the other children? If these people are abusers and if DCF had real proof like the judges decision would lead you to believe, why aren't they investigating the home and other children? This is and should be very scary for every parent. This is abuse of power and the more we stay silent and do nothing the worse it will be for everyone. WAKE UP .

BBM. Probably because there are no other minor children
There are four sisters and Justina is the youngest. Julia is 19, Jessica is 25 and Jennifer is the oldest.

http://www.chicagonewsday.com/natio...wishes-should-be-moved-to-another-clinic.html

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...lk-to-us-i-want-to-have-all-my-guns-blazing/#

 

[Gardenlady]

CT has found the parents negligent in justina's care, and took a year to even respond to the requests of the Mass judge. And even after finding that returning her home isn't appropriate, CT STILL refused to take the case. My opinion? They don't want to pay and don't want to deal with the circus surrounding this. That's ok, we will pick up their slack here in Mass.


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[jjenny]

How did CT find the parents negligent?
The child was living with the parents in CT. Not in the custody of DCF.
Sounds to me like MA DCF contacted CT DCF after MA DCF removed the child from parents at the request of Children's. And CT DCF just rubber stamped whatever paperwork MA DCF gave them.
Nothing more.
They didn't find the home "not appropriate." They have not done any investigation of the home as of yet.
If you read the judge's "ruling" he says CT DCF will have to evaluate the home.
So they haven't done any investigation or evaluation yet.

 

[jjenny]

CT has found the parents negligent in justina's care, and took a year to even respond to the requests of the Mass judge. And even after finding that returning her home isn't appropriate, CT STILL refused to take the case. My opinion? They don't want to pay and don't want to deal with the circus surrounding this. That's ok, we will pick up their slack here in Mass.


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Who is asking MA to pick the slack?
MA took the child from other state and stuck that child in a secure psychiatric ward for months.
That doesn't sound right to me, and certainly not something anybody should be grateful for.
By the way Justina's medical care is now back with Tufts.
Considering her parents were accused of medical abuse precisely because they were following medical protocol by doctors at Tufts, how does MA DCF justifies keeping their child from the parents?

 

[mikeysmommom]

CT has found the parents negligent in justina's care, and took a year to even respond to the requests of the Mass judge. And even after finding that returning her home isn't appropriate, CT STILL refused to take the case. My opinion? They don't want to pay and don't want to deal with the circus surrounding this. That's ok, we will pick up their slack here in Mass.


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You will also be paying out the lawsuits when they come in from the family.

 

[Gardenlady]

You will also be paying out the lawsuits when they come in from the family.

If we must pay, we must pay, it'll come down to what, maybe a dollar per citizen if they win a lawsuit? Folks are still presuming a lot, and still twithout knowing fully half the story.

Paying for strong social services doesn't bother me at all, and we can conclude based on voting history that at least a majority of Mass citizens aren't bothered either. If folks want to risk children in abusive situations in their states, well, apparently that is their right, sad to say. But I wish they'd stop flying in outside agitators to create circuses in THIS state to force their conservative political views about social services on us.

We see so many cases here on WS where there should have been interventions sooner or at all. No human agency is perfect, and no agency will be able to catch and save them all of course, but better to have a relatively well funded system in place to help all that we can. So no, if it somehow turns out that MA DCF, the judge, the Children's docs, the Mass GAL, and the CT DCF are all wrong, then a few dollars of my tax money in a hypothetical settlement really won't bother me.

 

[AnaTeresa]

Slate has a great article highlighting both sides of this case, contrasting mito with Muchausens. I highly recommend you all read it. It answers some questions both sides have had regarding her care, although it doesn't have any final answers. http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...ease_boston_children_s_hospital_suspects.html

I half wonder at this point if it would be best for her to be transferred to an independent third party hospital. There has to be a better way out of this deadlock and getting her the care she needs.

 

[i.b.nora]

I have always wondered why, if Justina had a bad case of the flu that night and if the mother felt she was in danger of choking, why they chose to drive in an ambulance the 3 hours it took to go the approximately 115 miles in blizzard conditions to Boston Children's instead of driving about 15 miles to the nearest hospital in Hartford?

Just one of those nagging questions that I have.

 

[i.b.nora]

That IS a good Slate article. Thanks.

 

[mikeysmommom]

If we must pay, we must pay, it'll come down to what, maybe a dollar per citizen if they win a lawsuit? Folks are still presuming a lot, and still twithout knowing fully half the story.

Paying for strong social services doesn't bother me at all, and we can conclude based on voting history that at least a majority of Mass citizens aren't bothered either. If folks want to risk children in abusive situations in their states, well, apparently that is their right, sad to say. But I wish they'd stop flying in outside agitators to create circuses in THIS state to force their conservative political views about social services on us.

We see so many cases here on WS where there should have been interventions sooner or at all. No human agency is perfect, and no agency will be able to catch and save them all of course, but better to have a relatively well funded system in place to help all that we can. So no, if it somehow turns out that MA DCF, the judge, the Children's docs, the Mass GAL, and the CT DCF are all wrong, then a few dollars of my tax money in a hypothetical settlement really won't bother me.

I have no problem paying for DCF or what ever the initials change to for a "REAL" Children's Protection Agency" Unfortunately I have seen first hand what a sham the one we now have in place is.They have no one they answer to in the way they deal with abuse allegations. Ask them to protect children who come to you with horrific abuse and if the mom does not comply with their plan 9 out of ten times they do nothing.They keep more children in homes that are unfit then save the children.We read about cases on a daily basis where they have failed children and children die.They investigate themselves , then say we will do better but they do not. The system needs to be gutted and changed. They do nothing for our children it just gives society a false sense of security, if any children get saved it is usually in spite of DCF being involved like that 5 yr old who was being abused and starved to death in Spring TX.DCF was involved with him before he finally was saved. I found out the hard way when I was told of abuse and tried to have DCF help the children. They failed them horribly and still are 4 yrs later. I prey you never find out first hand as I did how they do not protect the children but shield the abusers, especially if the mother is one of the abusers. I do not understand how anyone still believes in them after all the stories of their failures in actually saving children.

 

[i.b.nora]

I came across this March 27th article today that I don't think has been previously linked here:

DCF Defends Actions In Pelletier Custody Fight

The Courant
By WILLIAM WEIR,
6:47 pm, March 27, 2014

"The state Department of Children and Families is defending its actions in the case of Justina Pelletier after a Massachusetts judge criticized the department for not officially taking on the custody case of the 15-year-old West Hartford girl."

*

"Connecticut DCF Commissioner Joette Katz said in statement released after Johnston's ruling that the Pelletiers did not give the agency permission to conduct an evaluation until March 10 of this year."

Well, there's alot more...

http://touch.courant.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-79748187/

 

[jjenny]

I have always wondered why, if Justina had a bad case of the flu that night and if the mother felt she was in danger of choking, why they chose to drive in an ambulance the 3 hours it took to go the approximately 115 miles in blizzard conditions to Boston Children's instead of driving about 15 miles to the nearest hospital in Hartford?

Just one of those nagging questions that I have.

Their Dr. in Tufts suggested that Justina saw her GI specialists who moved from Tufts to Children's. The name of the specialist is Dr. Flores.
She was not allowed to see Dr. Flores when she arrived.
"Justina was in pain and had stopped eating, so the family called Korson, who recommended Justina see Flores again, who by then had moved to Boston Children's Hospital, said Pelletier."
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/advoca...-pelletier-held-state-pysch/story?id=22312907

 

[jjenny]

If we must pay, we must pay, it'll come down to what, maybe a dollar per citizen if they win a lawsuit? Folks are still presuming a lot, and still twithout knowing fully half the story.

Paying for strong social services doesn't bother me at all, and we can conclude based on voting history that at least a majority of Mass citizens aren't bothered either. If folks want to risk children in abusive situations in their states, well, apparently that is their right, sad to say. But I wish they'd stop flying in outside agitators to create circuses in THIS state to force their conservative political views about social services on us.

We see so many cases here on WS where there should have been interventions sooner or at all. No human agency is perfect, and no agency will be able to catch and save them all of course, but better to have a relatively well funded system in place to help all that we can. So no, if it somehow turns out that MA DCF, the judge, the Children's docs, the Mass GAL, and the CT DCF are all wrong, then a few dollars of my tax money in a hypothetical settlement really won't bother me.

MA doesn't have "strong social" services. MA DCF is called a "disaster" and those are not my words.
"DCF is an agency in crisis. More funding and more workers may be needed, but there is a far more pressing need for sensible, proactive and intelligent leadership that engages workers and the public as allies, not enemies."

http://www.telegram.com/article/20140330/NEWS/303309961/1020

 

[Linda7NJ]

Their Dr. in Tufts suggested that Justina saw her GI specialists who moved from Tufts to Children's. The name of the specialist is Dr. Flores.

She was not allowed to see Dr. Flores when she arrived.

"Justina was in pain and had stopped eating, so the family called Korson, who recommended Justina see Flores again, who by then had moved to Boston Children's Hospital, said Pelletier."

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/advoca...-pelletier-held-state-pysch/story?id=22312907

In pain and not eating =flu?


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[jjenny]

In pain and not eating =flu?


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She had the flu and became weak as a result.
Even healthy people become weak after the flu.
You never heard about complications from the flu? Even perfectly healthy people can get those.

 

[Gardenlady]

MA doesn't have "strong social" services. MA DCF is called a "disaster" and those are not my words.
"DCF is an agency in crisis. More funding and more workers may be needed, but there is a far more pressing need for sensible, proactive and intelligent leadership that engages workers and the public as allies, not enemies."

http://www.telegram.com/article/20140330/NEWS/303309961/1020

The term "disaster" was used by the Worcester paper. Forgive me if I'd rather go with what the audit reported, which cited exams, privacy and such. Nothing that would affect a case like Justina's and nothing to suggest some sort of conspiracy of corruption bent on "imprisoning" children, or systemic corruption or failure at all.

We do have strong social services in Massachusetts, but as with anything imrovements can always be made. Audits are good in any field because they show where to target improvements. None of the targets mentioned suggest anything close to the level of corruption that many on this thread have leveled accusations of.

 

[Linda7NJ]

She had the flu and became weak as a result.

Even healthy people become weak after the flu.

You never heard about complications from the flu? Even perfectly healthy people can get those.

Well I've known some very medically fragile people that have required hospitalization for the flu.

"Weak" before during and after the flu IMO wouldn't warrant a 3 hour ambulance drive in a blizzard to a hospital, when there is a much much closer one.


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[Gardenlady]

I have no problem paying for DCF or what ever the initials change to for a "REAL" Children's Protection Agency" Unfortunately I have seen first hand what a sham the one we now have in place is.They have no one they answer to in the way they deal with abuse allegations. Ask them to protect children who come to you with horrific abuse and if the mom does not comply with their plan 9 out of ten times they do nothing.They keep more children in homes that are unfit then save the children.We read about cases on a daily basis where they have failed children and children die.They investigate themselves , then say we will do better but they do not. The system needs to be gutted and changed. They do nothing for our children it just gives society a false sense of security, if any children get saved it is usually in spite of DCF being involved like that 5 yr old who was being abused and starved to death in Spring TX.DCF was involved with him before he finally was saved. I found out the hard way when I was told of abuse and tried to have DCF help the children. They failed them horribly and still are 4 yrs later. I prey you never find out first hand as I did how they do not protect the children but shield the abusers, especially if the mother is one of the abusers. I do not understand how anyone still believes in them after all the stories of their failures in actually saving children.

I'm very sorry for your situation, but knowing and having worked with people in DCF and other social services agencies here in Mass, I know for a fact that it is untrue that DCF does nothing for children as you say. Your situation sounds troubling, but I won't argue people's personal situations, but will only say that I don't think we can say anything at all about Mass DCF based on your situation in Texas, as every state funds and runs their DCF equivalents differently. I wouldn't even say that your case is representative of Texas DCF, as we can't judge an entire process/agency/group by one example.

I hope things get better for the children in your situation.

 

[CHERIE.T]

Be thankful you don't live in NC, SC, Maryland, or Va.

I know someone who worked in those states with the Dpt of SS for 30 years.
The case loads were huge and SS failed miserably in many cases.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Be thankful you don't live in NC, SC, Maryland, or Va.

I know someone who worked in those states with the Dpt of SS for 30 years.
The case loads were huge and SS failed miserably in many cases.

30 years????

Damn..,
I lasted only one.


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