Posted on 02/14/2014 4:47:58 AM PST by massmike
Investigators are probing the death of a Yarmouth toddler who died while under the watch of state child welfare officials yesterday morning, as the grieving mom told the Herald last night she wants answers.
“I want to know how he died,” said the toddler’s birth mother, Jenn Cronin, breaking down in tears. “He was an amazing, amazing kid. He was so sweet, so smart. He had this wicked adorable laugh and smile. My world just crashed down.”
The 23-month-old, whom Cronin identified as Lucas Braman, was found unresponsive in his crib in a Yarmouth home and was pronounced dead at Cape Cod Hospital, said Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe.
Alec Loftus, a spokesman for the Department of Children and Families, said the child had been briefly placed in a foster home but was removed from that home by a judge last year — a move he said DCF opposed.
O’Keefe said the young boy had a number of pre-existing medical conditions and had been involved with DCF since being born to parents with substance abuse issues.
Cronin said her son had been living with her 24-year-old cousin and the woman’s 21-year-old girlfriend, who also had custody of Cronin’s 3-year-old daughter.
The girlfriend describes herself as a model and stay-at-home foster mother in online profiles. DCF said the agency has never placed foster kids with the women.
“I was going through an issue with housing and I trusted my cousin and her girlfriend to take care of my children while I found a stable home,” said Cronin, who added she became concerned
after her daughter broke her arm.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
Stories like this make me sick to my stomach——
There’s not much that the government does well that I know of.
Those outside MA probably don’t know that 98%, yes, 98%, of foster parent applicants with criminal convictions are ACCEPTED.
MA Governor Deval Patrick, an Obama protégé, famously stated that “someone shouldn’t be rejected just because he stole a candy bar.”
In fact, many of these foster parents have been convicted for drug-dealing and even child sexual abuse.
To top it off, the head of the agency was given an 8% raise last week.
And the Glob has largely ignored the issue.
That appears to have been an error.
If they can take our children by judicial fiat but cannot care for them, doesn’t it make sense that at some point those coming to take our children should fear for their safety?
This is like PETA taking in a few dozen animals from a hoarder: are the animals really any better off to die at the hands of PETA vs. the “somewhat” loving care of a hoarder?
Those outside MA probably don’t know that 98%, yes, 98%, of foster parent applicants with criminal convictions are ACCEPTED.
This says it all.........this is a money making venture for most of these foster parents, not all but most. How do you allow and disregard prior convictions?
GET MARRIED BEFORE YOU HAVE KIDS IDIOTS~~~~
And don't use drugs if you do find yourself pregnant. Lots of blame to go around, once the mother excused herself from responsibility so she could have drugs and sex.
I’m usually all for blaming the government, but in this case, it appears the mother herself left her children with the people who had physical custody when the little boy died.
We might not think a “cousin and her girlfriend” household is a good environment for children, but on the other hand, it doesn’t seem like the odds are a lot better in a state-approved foster home.
Stories like this make me sick to my stomach——
There’s not much that the government does well that I know of.
***
True. But, in this case, the parents were not doing any better.
If they can take our children by judicial fiat but cannot care for them, doesn’t it make sense that at some point those coming to take our children should fear for their safety?
***
Sadly, though, I suspect the “mother” in this case does not have the parental instinct for protecting her offspring. I am willing to bet she lawyered up the minute she heard of the child’s death and is looking for a big payoff.
Abortion has cheapened all life.
How can anyone doubt this?
Let’s face it—some people are below the IQ line to be able to adequately rear children. That’s genes and happenstance.
The government should be able to function well enough to protect these babies—but the operative word there is “should”
As long as our government is paying people to produce children out of wedlock, we will have cases like this.
LBJ and his “(not-so) Great Society was the start of this. We have been paying for it ever since——We need a new system to provide for out of wedlock babies.
This state needs an enema.
The sooner that the arrogant “Mini-Me” is gone, the better.
Anyone out there suspicious as to how similar he is to Bathhouse Barry?
When society reaches the depths ours has, with celebrations of perversion and promiscuity and no penalty or opprobrium for deadly behavior around children, the problem started way before the circumstances in that child’s death. That child was “collateral damage” in the war of evil against good that has invaded our land.
We need a new system to provide for out of wedlock babies.
***
Agree!
I would suggest city and county run orphanages-—with well paid, well supervised staff. Also, there should be unannounced spot checks by committees of citizens to examine the facilities and speak with the kids.
The citizens should all be volunteers, and should all have very thorough background checks.
It goes without saying that all would be monitored on camera…...
This sounds like another continuation of the LBJ welfare state. Being a foster parent is likely a new form of welfare for those who are connected to the political class.
Today on the Jeff Kuhner show a grandmother called in to complain of how she and her grandchild were treated by child services. She had to take care of her grandchild since he was born since her daughter couldn’t. The state said that she had to hand the child over to the child services even though she was the grandmother of the child. This grandmother did everything that she was told to do including having regular visits with the foster parent. When she went to court the state actually lied, they said that she DID NOT visit the child at the foster home. She was denied custody of her own grandchild and the child was put up for adoption, it only took one year for the process. Now she says that she feels like a visitor in her own grandchild’s life.
It makes you wonder just what is going on. Are they giving babies to their friends? Are they selling babies? I know it sounds crazy but who knows.
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