--- In Fathers_are_Parents_too@yahoogroups.com, "James Stagliano"
<james_stagliano@h...> wrote:

Mr. Murphy,

From the ALCFC discussion group, I understand that you are looking for DHR horror stories. There are more actors than just DHR in the story I am about to tell, but their needed for completeness.

On May 6, 1998 my three year old son was the victim of a horrific attack.
He was beaten and shaken by his mother. I cannot describe the my feelings when I rushed into the ER and saw my boy covered in bruises writhing in seizure. A set of four bruises were very disturbing, they appeared to form a handprint on my son's face. A major portion of my son's brain was removed to save his life. Still, we were told he would not survive, but he did survive.

When my son was released from the hospital, DHR authorized his release to his mother. When asked why DHR allowed my son to be placed with his mother, the response was "because she asked". So, in this state, it appears that if the abuser ASKS that the child be placed with her, it will happen.

Well, a week after refusing the mother's request to obstruct the investigation, I was hit with supervised visitations, supervised by the mother at her convenience. The mother claimed that since I was not from Enterprise, Alabama I would take the child and run.

When we went to court, the judge rolled his eyes when I stated explicitly that my son's injuries were due to abuse and the mother was THE primary suspect. Fourteen months after the final hearing, the judge ruled.

He identified the mother as the perpetrator of the abuse, yet STILL GAVE HER CUSTODY. I received "standard" visitation, for the first time unsupervised.

My son has suffered numerous injuries, broken bones, finger bruising, etc.
The mother historically has pointed the finger at the school. A hemiplegic child has a broken arm and a broken leg within 8 weeks time. Both cases, the mother states it happened at school. In both cases, DHR responds with, "if the mother says he broke it at school, there is no need for an investigation."

There have been numerous times the child has had finger bruises on arms, legs, chest, shoulders, and face. The one time DHR responded to complaint (filed through the police department), they concluded that my son's bruises were due to his sitting on blocks. How anyone can obtain bruises on the top of one's shoulder by sitting on blocks is beyond me. The county director of DHR as well as the CPS supervisor have told me repeatedly that "it is not DHR's job to protect children, it is the father's job."

I have taken the mother to court for custody because she was NOT following the physician or therapist treatment instructions, canceling many, many appointments, etc. In court she admitted to not following the treatment instructions, stated her intention that she will never follow the physician or therapist instructions. To quote, "I will only do what I think is important". The result, the judge stated that proper medical care is not important to my son's well-being, however I am ordered to make sure he gets appropriate care when he is with me (he does and he will, it is just the obvious inconsistency in the orders).

I have concluded that it is the official state policy to maximize the abuse.
In this way the cycle of violence is continued if it already existed or initiated if it did not. The cycle will grow exponentially and under the current US laws, the state will receive more money. However, the long term social problems will be devastating.

I think county directors need to be removed. There needs to be accountability. The caseworkers and their supervisors held accountable. If accountability was applied at the county level, I think THEN there would be changes.

I recommend that you read the speech by Canadian Senator Anne Cools from 1996. From the detailed history she describes, you will learn nothing has changed in more than a hundred years. I have attached her speech in text format.

To end, my son's (and daughter's) ordeal is not over. Their mother has moved 300 miles away (yes, even with the Child-Parent Relationship Protection Law, the court allowed the move). My son has gotten better over the years, not as far as he could have. He can walk with assistance, but at close to 150 pounds, that assistance is becoming more and more difficult.

Toilet use is spotty. Mentally, emotionally he is still a 3 year old.
Sadly, everyday I expect to receive that final phone call.



Dr. James J. Stagliano, Jr.
--- End forwarded message ---