Help us get our son home!
Donation protected
CPS wrongfully removed our son from his family and his home.
This is where you come in. Going up against CPS is a very challenging case to take on and the lawyer requires a $5,000 retainer to take our case. With no evidence of any wrong doing on our part and an overzealous court ruling , we feel confident that we can reverse the court ruling and get our son home where he belongs. Anything you can help with is greatly appreciated and no amount is too small to make a difference!
This is long, but please bear with me and help us get our son home!
My stepson Camden is a very energetic and intelligent 7 year old. He tested a full grade level above where he should be! Camden gets very good grades, but he gets bored easily in class and acts out on occasion, like children sometimes do. The school thinks he is ADHD, we as parents disagree. We believe that it stems mostly from boredom and not being challenged in the classroom. The school has tried on several occasions to get us to have him diagnosed, so that he can be medicated. We as parents do not have the problems the school claims to have with him, at home. We know how to deal with a rambunctious 7 year old, but the school is content with making him believe that he is a bad child, we disagree.
The school did not like us going against their recommendations and proceeded to call children services 4 times over the course of the past year for false allegations ranging from physical abuse, neglect and no food in the house. We have no idea where these allegations came from, as we do not abuse our children and we have plenty of food. They were obviously completely made up. CPS never contacted us about these phone calls because they themselves admit that the calls were unsubstantiated.
The last week of February Camden got sent to the office for being disruptive in class. Upon meeting with the school counselor, Camden stated that he was upset because he felt that he was bad and wanted to erase himself from the earth. The counselor asked him how he would do that and he stated that he would stab himself in the eye with a knife. My husband immediately went to school and got Camden. We had a long conversation with him when he got home to find out what was going on. Camden said that he did not want to hurt himself and just said that because he was upset and wanted to see what the counselor would say. The school thought we should have taken him to the hospital emergency room for a mental health evaluation, but upon assessing the situation and speaking to him at home, it was clear to us that he posed no threat to himself and just said it to get a rise out of the counselor. He has never said anything about harming himself prior to this incident or after. This was one time, one day...most likely repeating something he heard somewhere.
The next morning we got a call from the school wanting to know if we took him to the hospital, we said no, that we spoke to him, had a long conversation with him and addressed the situation. The school official then began to pry and kept asking what the content of our conversation was. We informed them that it was a private family conversation and the details were not their concern. The school official did not like our response and called CPS once again claiming neglect.
My husband got a call from CPS about a neglect allegation. They asked about the incident and asked if they could come out to our home and investigate. My husband explained the situation and told the worker what happened. He told them that Camden is fine and poses no threat to himself or anyone else. An investigation would impose on our right to privacy, our fundamental right of child rearing and medical decision making on behalf of our child, all of which have already been written into case law. My husband informed them of our 4th amendment right to unreasonable searches and seizures and informed them that they would need a warrant to enter our home.
Two weeks AFTER the incident at school my husband received a call from a CPS worker informing him of a court hearing for later that same afternoon. Upon appearing in court we find out that the allegations have now changed from neglect to a "dependent child" case. We find out that this is an "Emergency shelter care" hearing later, we had no idea what we were walking into. It is so much of an emergency that it took them TWO WEEKS to file for the hearing, when in true emergencies they are supposed to file within 24 hours. Are you smelling something fishy yet?
They are alleging that Camden has a mental condition (without ever speaking to him or as so much as laying an eye on him) so severe that it warrants removing him from his home and family and placing him in the care of children services. They have zero proof of any such condition and zero proof of any parental wrongdoing, but yet the court ordered him removed? How can this be? How can CPS get away with ripping children from loving homes without just cause?
My husband and I have researched countless court cases, finding that what they are doing has already been proven to be wrong. A few examples are: Parham v. J.R. involves parent's rights to make medical decisions regarding their children's mental health. Quilloin v. Walcott states that a due process violation occurs when a state-required breakup of a natural family is founded solely on a "best interests" analysis that is not supported by the requisite proof of parental unfitness. Thomason v. Scan Volunteer Services Inc. states that parent interest is of "the highest order," and the court recognizes "the vital importance of curbing overzealous suspicion and intervention on the part of health care professionals and government officials." Troxel v. Granville States that the state may not interfere in child rearing decisions when a fit parent is available. Griffin v. Wisconsin states that the United States Supreme Court has held that the courts may not use a different standard other than probable cause for the issuance of such orders. If a court issues a warrant based on an uncorroborated anonymous tip, the warrant will not survive a judicial challenge in the higher courts. Anonymous tips are never probable cause.
My husband and I have talked with lawyers, counselors, friends and family and everyone agrees that this does not add up and what CPS and the court has done is wrong and not typical protocol. They have no case for abuse or neglect and are now fishing for a reason to justify their actions. They have ordered my husband and I to undergo a drug and alcohol screening, random drug tests and a mental health evaluation. We have completed the evaluations. Our evaluator was thoroughly confused as to why we were even in her office and could not believe the situation that had brought us there. We have zero substance abuse issues. We do not do drugs and have never been accused of such. We have zero mental health issues. Why would they order us to do this? Again, another fishing attempt to try to find a reason for justifying their actions.
CPS should not have this much unchecked power! We will not let them get away with this! We will not rest until our son is home with his family where he belongs!
This is where you come in. Going up against CPS is a very challenging case to take on and the lawyer requires a $5,000 retainer to take our case. With no evidence of any wrong doing on our part and an overzealous court ruling , we feel confident that we can reverse the court ruling and get our son home where he belongs. Anything you can help with is greatly appreciated and no amount is too small to make a difference!
This is long, but please bear with me and help us get our son home!
My stepson Camden is a very energetic and intelligent 7 year old. He tested a full grade level above where he should be! Camden gets very good grades, but he gets bored easily in class and acts out on occasion, like children sometimes do. The school thinks he is ADHD, we as parents disagree. We believe that it stems mostly from boredom and not being challenged in the classroom. The school has tried on several occasions to get us to have him diagnosed, so that he can be medicated. We as parents do not have the problems the school claims to have with him, at home. We know how to deal with a rambunctious 7 year old, but the school is content with making him believe that he is a bad child, we disagree.
The school did not like us going against their recommendations and proceeded to call children services 4 times over the course of the past year for false allegations ranging from physical abuse, neglect and no food in the house. We have no idea where these allegations came from, as we do not abuse our children and we have plenty of food. They were obviously completely made up. CPS never contacted us about these phone calls because they themselves admit that the calls were unsubstantiated.
The last week of February Camden got sent to the office for being disruptive in class. Upon meeting with the school counselor, Camden stated that he was upset because he felt that he was bad and wanted to erase himself from the earth. The counselor asked him how he would do that and he stated that he would stab himself in the eye with a knife. My husband immediately went to school and got Camden. We had a long conversation with him when he got home to find out what was going on. Camden said that he did not want to hurt himself and just said that because he was upset and wanted to see what the counselor would say. The school thought we should have taken him to the hospital emergency room for a mental health evaluation, but upon assessing the situation and speaking to him at home, it was clear to us that he posed no threat to himself and just said it to get a rise out of the counselor. He has never said anything about harming himself prior to this incident or after. This was one time, one day...most likely repeating something he heard somewhere.
The next morning we got a call from the school wanting to know if we took him to the hospital, we said no, that we spoke to him, had a long conversation with him and addressed the situation. The school official then began to pry and kept asking what the content of our conversation was. We informed them that it was a private family conversation and the details were not their concern. The school official did not like our response and called CPS once again claiming neglect.
My husband got a call from CPS about a neglect allegation. They asked about the incident and asked if they could come out to our home and investigate. My husband explained the situation and told the worker what happened. He told them that Camden is fine and poses no threat to himself or anyone else. An investigation would impose on our right to privacy, our fundamental right of child rearing and medical decision making on behalf of our child, all of which have already been written into case law. My husband informed them of our 4th amendment right to unreasonable searches and seizures and informed them that they would need a warrant to enter our home.
Two weeks AFTER the incident at school my husband received a call from a CPS worker informing him of a court hearing for later that same afternoon. Upon appearing in court we find out that the allegations have now changed from neglect to a "dependent child" case. We find out that this is an "Emergency shelter care" hearing later, we had no idea what we were walking into. It is so much of an emergency that it took them TWO WEEKS to file for the hearing, when in true emergencies they are supposed to file within 24 hours. Are you smelling something fishy yet?
They are alleging that Camden has a mental condition (without ever speaking to him or as so much as laying an eye on him) so severe that it warrants removing him from his home and family and placing him in the care of children services. They have zero proof of any such condition and zero proof of any parental wrongdoing, but yet the court ordered him removed? How can this be? How can CPS get away with ripping children from loving homes without just cause?
My husband and I have researched countless court cases, finding that what they are doing has already been proven to be wrong. A few examples are: Parham v. J.R. involves parent's rights to make medical decisions regarding their children's mental health. Quilloin v. Walcott states that a due process violation occurs when a state-required breakup of a natural family is founded solely on a "best interests" analysis that is not supported by the requisite proof of parental unfitness. Thomason v. Scan Volunteer Services Inc. states that parent interest is of "the highest order," and the court recognizes "the vital importance of curbing overzealous suspicion and intervention on the part of health care professionals and government officials." Troxel v. Granville States that the state may not interfere in child rearing decisions when a fit parent is available. Griffin v. Wisconsin states that the United States Supreme Court has held that the courts may not use a different standard other than probable cause for the issuance of such orders. If a court issues a warrant based on an uncorroborated anonymous tip, the warrant will not survive a judicial challenge in the higher courts. Anonymous tips are never probable cause.
My husband and I have talked with lawyers, counselors, friends and family and everyone agrees that this does not add up and what CPS and the court has done is wrong and not typical protocol. They have no case for abuse or neglect and are now fishing for a reason to justify their actions. They have ordered my husband and I to undergo a drug and alcohol screening, random drug tests and a mental health evaluation. We have completed the evaluations. Our evaluator was thoroughly confused as to why we were even in her office and could not believe the situation that had brought us there. We have zero substance abuse issues. We do not do drugs and have never been accused of such. We have zero mental health issues. Why would they order us to do this? Again, another fishing attempt to try to find a reason for justifying their actions.
CPS should not have this much unchecked power! We will not let them get away with this! We will not rest until our son is home with his family where he belongs!
Organizer
Katie Maple
Organizer
Lebanon, OH