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Haleigh Poutre Update...

The Republican just posted this blame game. We hear some explanations of how it all happened from the Govt. perspective.

BOSTON - The commissioner of the state Department of Social Services yesterday said the agency wanted to remove Haleigh Poutre from her abusive home, but was thwarted by medical professionals who insisted the girl's wounds were self-inflicted.

During the first meeting of a new legislative panel investigating child abuse, Lewis H. Spence, commissioner of the agency since 2001, said social workers were aware the child was suffering from some severe injuries. The girl's treatment team, including doctors, psychiatrists and pediatricians, blocked the agency from separating the child from the adoptive mother and stepfather who were later charged with abusing her, Spence said.

"We were the only party pressing to remove the child from her home and were deeply impeded by the treatment team," Spence said, after he was questioned by Rep. Stephen P. LeDuc, D-Marlboro, a panel member.

Hearings open on child abuse

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Here is more on Haleigh...

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BOSTON— House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi said Massachusetts has the nation’s third-highest rate of child abuse and neglect cases, and he pointed yesterday to the case of a severely beaten 11-year-old Westfield girl as an example of social services policies in need of reform.

DiMasi opened the testimony before the House Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect by saying, “The number of children confirmed as abused and neglected in 2005 — 35,214 children — would fill Fenway Park. Half were aged 7 and younger.”

DiMasi formed the special committee after Haleigh Poutre allegedly was beaten into a coma by her adoptive parents in 2005 after the Department of Social Services decided against taking her away from the couple despite the girl’s previous injuries.

Social work reform urged... Mass. child abuse rate cited in policy review

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That's a new slant. Haleigh's MEDICAL TEAM was protecting the abusive step-parents? Against the wishes of DSS? I find this very hard to swallow.

Earlier, we had reason to suspect that Holli Strickland was playing the DSS like a harp in order to steal Haleigh from her mother, Allison Avrett. While Haleigh was visiting from Virginia, Holli made abuse charges against Avrett (her half-sister, I think) and her boy friend. DSS gave custody to Holli without substantiating the charges; Virginia investigators said the abuse charges were baseless. In short, the DSS helped Holli steal the child, and Holli was the real child abuser!

So, the DSS was not only irresponsible, but it threatened to seize Avrett's baby too, if she didn't sign away her rights to Haleigh. It is THAT bit of fraud that today lets the DSS keep Avrett from even seeing her daughter. In the eyes of the DSS, Avrett is not a mother any more. Also, in the eyes of the DSS, Haleigh doesn't need her mother's love. But she does -- desperately.

Here's another article from someone who gets it. People tend to forget that DSS tried to put Haleigh down after they knew her condition had improved. Most of the media leave out that little tidbit. Some go so far as to lie about it. But the records prove what really happened. It's nice to see someone tell the truth about it for a change.

Panel holds hearing on child abuse
The case was complicated when the Department of Social Services sought to remove Haleigh from life support after her condition had begun to improve.