Wilkes County Department of Social Services HANDWRITING COMPARISON and Lies Exposed

 

HANDWRITING COMPARISON and Lies Exposed

Real Safety Assessment V. Falsified, Fake Safety Assessment and Irrefutable Proof of Wilkes County DSS Lies, Illegal Activities, Threats, Retaliation, and Unethical Behavior

 

By Lawdoll

An in-depth comparison of the only real DSS safety assessment Allison S. Baker ever conducted about us versus the fabricated, falsified, and forged safety assessment that Allison S. Baker created to make it appear she had performed her duties as required by law.  I have included pictures of the documents in question.  Also contains some of the lies and documentation that proves those lies, threats, illegal and unethical behavior, and intimidation.

The first thing that needs to be stated is that we reported the mother for abuse and neglect on August 15, 2006 and the report was accepted that same day.  We were not the only persons who reported this mom, there was another report of abuse received and accepted on August 10, 2006, that we did not make.  Allison Baker was assigned to our report August 16, 2006, but she did not begin investigating the abuse and neglect until the middle of October.

The retaliatory “child abuse and neglect” report that was used as the excuse to begin an investigation on us October 25, 2006, was received by Surry County DSS (the county we reside in) on August 16, 2006.  This report was made the same day the mother was informed during mediation that we had made a report of abuse against her.

Surry County DSS screened this report out because, IT DID NOT MEET THE STATUTORY DEFINITION OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, required to initiate an investigation.

Wilkes County DSS, apparently, after we complained about them in late October, obtained this report from Surry County DSS, over two months later, and screened it in.

The first time Allison Baker even hinted at investigating us, and I had contact with her constantly, was during a phone call on October 25, 2006.  During that phone call, Allison Baker began asking me a lot of questions, such as social security numbers and the like.

This call is recorded so I can prove that this is the date that she began investigating us.

This vindictive investigation, which began precisely two days after I called Phyllis Fulton in Raleigh and complained about the Wilkes County Department of Social Services and their failure to perform their duties as prescribed by law and protect my stepdaughter, supports our assertion that it was began as a means to discredit, intimidate, and malciously prosecute us in retaliation of our valid complaints against them.

When we met with Allison Baker October 27, 2006, she had in her possession this screened out report from Surry County DSS, which said idiotic things:

• Trees growing in our gutters
• Poison Ivy in the yard
• Dirty dishes in the sink
• My stepdaughter woke up with a rat on her chest

Absolutely crazy stuff like that.

Allison Baker had already seen video of our home, which documented August 4, 2006, and up, and remarked about how clean it was and how nice our daughter’s room was.

Furthermore, if she had already performed a Safety Assessment on us August 17, 2006, why would she need to ask all of these questions, which should have been asked when she performed the safety assessment? 

She had never performed a safety assessment, she had never been to our home and did not come to our home until December 9, 2006.

She NEVER went to the mother’s home, who our report of abuse was on, until the middle or end of October either!  We know this, because the mother moved in September 06, but the only house Allison ever visited was her new residence. Remember our report of abuse was made and accepted August 15, 2006.  I am positive if a comprehensive investigation was conducted falsified documents and forgeries would be found concerning the biological mom, and the other daughters father and stepmom as well.

A significant fact that must be noted is, if our house was this bad, then why was an investigation never commenced about the 3 children that LIVED in our home FULL TIME? 

Neither Wilkes County DSS, nor Surry County DSS ever opened an investigation or case on us concerning the 3 children who lived in our home 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

These 3 children are not mentioned on any of the paperwork, safety assessments, risk assessments, case plan, nothing.  The three children living in our home were never talked to, or interviewed, nor was any CPS Assessement or investigaion of any form ever conducted regarding them… period. 

Although according to North Carolina DSS Policy they were supposed to.

 “Based on N.C.G.S. § 7B-302 (b), all children living in the home, in a non-institutional setting, shall be considered as alleged victim children when there is any allegation of abuse, neglect or dependency. Therefore, initiation of a CPS Assessment includes face-to-face interviews with all children living in the home.”

There is ample evidence that proves the sole purpose of the Wilkes County Department of Social Services investigation of us was far outside the scope of their duties, and a complete abuse of their power. 

Wilkes County DSS abused their power and unlawfully and maliciously targeted us as a means to discredit our valid complaints against Wilkes County DSS, to intimidate us, to shut us up and to cover up WCDSS’s failure to perform their duties by law and protect a child that was being abused and neglected by her mother.

Wilkes County DSS threatened us with foster care for my stepdaughter, thereby ensuring our compliance with their law breaking, through intimidation.  We had no choice but to comply with their illegal and unethical activities, it was abundantly clear that to do otherwise meant having the child, WE WERE NEITHER ABUSING OR NEGLECTING, needlessly placed into foster care.

Even when faced with overwhelming evidence of abuse and neglect my stepdaughter and her sister were enduring by their mother’s hand…  (Not my husband’s or the father of her other child), the Wilkes County Department of Social Services, ignored that evidence and instead focused solely on discrediting and persecuting us.

They ignored the mother’s noncompliance, lies, and the abuse and neglect of two little girls, so they could teach us a lesson, for speaking out about their initial failure to investigate an accepted report of abuse in the manner and time constraints required by law.

Wilkes County Department of Social Services instituted a malicious investigation against us, without good cause, they falsified records, forged my husband’s signature, discriminated against my husband for being male and the father, lied in assessments and their records, lied to the judge, the psychologist, threatened and intimidated us, abused their power, and neglected their legally duty.

 And then when all of their lies, fabrications, threats and intimidation, illegal and unethical behavior still failed to give them ammunition against us, and after, wrongly and illegally, trying to substantiate against us for serious emotional neglect, they created a new type of neglect and substantiated against us for that.  Injurious environment, parent’s inability to get along, a finding that does not even exist, a finding so far removed from the statutory definition of any type of abuse or neglect that it should have been found invalid the moment they used it, a finding that is so vague that every person in the world could be substantiated against for it.

With the evidence that we have, that proves what Wilkes County DSS did to us, my stepdaughter, her sister and her sister’s father and stepmom, the fact that not one government official will do anything demonstrates the lack of total accountability DSS faces, even when they commit felonious criminal acts.

Handwriting Analysis

•  This is a comparison of the handwriting on the REAL and ONLY safety assessment, dated December 9, 2006 Allison Baker ever did on me and my husband (Top) and the Fabricated, falsified, and forged one that was created to make it appear she had done one on us, when she had not, dated August 17, 2006.  You can clearly tell these are written by the same person.

• Again, this is a comparison of the handwriting on the REAL and ONLY safety assessment, dated December 9, 2006 Allison Baker ever did on me and my husband (Top) and the Fabricated, falsified, and forged one that was created to make it appear she had done one on us, when she had not, dated August 17, 2006.  Furthermore, I have no idea where the spanking allegation came from, neither one of us had ever spanked her.  Just another lie.

 

 

 

•  Below  this is a comparison of the signatures on the REAL and ONLY safety assessment, dated December 9, 2006 Allison Baker ever did on me and my husband (Top) and the Fabricated, falsified, and forged one (bottom) that was created to make it appear she had done one on us, when she had not, dated August 17, 2006. 
•  I was the only one home on August 17, 2006, David was at work, I will post his work record following this comparison, and you can see for yourself that on the day in question David worked 10 hours at LP.  Note that my signature is missing, David’s signature is different on these documents, and the only ones that look the same are Allison Baker’s and Mary Henderson’s.  The signature for David in the signature section on the bottom is forgery.

David did not sign this document and this safety assessment NEVER OCCURRED.

 

 

Work Record

 

• This is a copy of David’s work record for August 17, 2006, the day that Allison Baker claims to have performed the August 17, 2006 safety assessment on, impossible to do since David was at work for 10 hours that day. 

 

Personal Records

• I kept meticulous records; this is the August 2006 record.  Note that we made our report August 15, 2006, but there was a previous report made August 10, 2006 on the mom that we did not make.  
•  Note On August 15, 2006, the custody hearing was postponed, “Court postponed.  Turned Tammy in, Allison Baker assigned to case.”
• August 16, 2006, my stepdaughter finally had an appointment with Dr. Weinstein in Wilkesboro after two cancelled dentist appointment by her mom. She had new cavities that she did not have when she saw our dentist and had two teeth extracted on July 3, 2006. Court ordered mediation orientation between David and Tammy from 3-5, this is where David informed the Mediator about our report of abuse to DSS.  Special Note…  After this meeting is when Tammy made the report of abuse about us to Surry County, it was received August 16, 2006.  August 17, 2006 The ONLY note on this date is about my stepdaughter’s sister not being seen by the dentist again!  No visit to our home by Allison Baker, no safety assessment, nada.
• Also, note the continuous missed dentist appoints by both girls in their mothers care. In addition, note my contact with our insurance company verifying how much they would pay toward fixing my stepdaughters teeth.  We had insurance.  On August 11, I talked to the moms Medicaid worker who informed me that my stepdaughters Medicaid expired July 31, 2006…after having it continuously for her entire life.  (What a coincidence) Debbie Perry also informed me that the mom had never turned in David’s insurance information and that she was reporting her for Medicaid fraud.

Other Signatures

Scanned copy of David and my organ donation cards that we signed in 2004.  Please note David’s signature on both.  David has never signed his full last name the entire, almost 12 years I have known him.  I even have his high school senior shirt from 1998 and it is the same on it as it is here, just a little scribble.

• Below David’s signature on his driver’s license issued in 1999.

 

 

• David’s signature on his driver’s license, 10 years later this driver’s license was issued on November 17, 2009.  David has consistently signed his last name the same way for years…he does not write out his last name, but makes some form of N swoop.

 

• David’s signature on the “In Home Family Services Agreement” signed January 1, 2008.

 

(I changed my mind about Linda Brookes after reading the lies she wrote to Judge Byrd)

I can and have consistently proven that the signature on the safety assessment dated August 17, 2006 is not David’s. 

I have consistently shown and proven that David has signed his name the same way throughout his entire adult life.

I have also shown that the handwriting on both documents is consistent with Allison Baker’s, and that the signatures of Allison Baker and Mary Henderson match on both documents. 

It is obvious and clear that either Mary Henderson or Allison Baker forged David’s signature on the falsified safety assessment. 

There is more than adequate evidence to support that this safety assessment never occurred. 

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

First, we have David’s work record showing that on August 17, 2006, he was at work for 10 hours at LP.

Then, according to North Wilkesboro Police Detective, Chris Handy, there is the absence of our name and information on Allison Baker’s Worker Daily Report of Services to Clients, form DSS 4263.

The DSS 4263 form is required to be filled out daily and turned in weekly and records every service and activity performed, for payment and is absolutely, necessary for federal reimbursement.  Not only is this document required, it must be certified by the worker.  The fact that our name does not appear on the DSS 4263 form alone is proof enough.

When you combined the two, you have irrefutable, documented evidence that for this safety assessment document to exist a felony was committed…because it did not come into existence under legal means.

Since this safety assessment was fabricated, proving who forged David’s signature is not necessary in order to prosecute Allison Baker, Mary Henderson, or other personnel at the Wilkes County Department of Social Services who may have had knowledge of its creation or participated in covering it up after the fact.

Why, in spite of all of this evidence and documentation, charges were dropped against Allison Baker in this case…CITING not enough evidence,  could it be because her grandfather, Glenn  Johnson, was a Wilkesboro Commissioner for 26 years?  

And why charges were never brought against Mary Henderson should be a matter of deep concern, as well?

Furthermore, why has an investigation about the conduct of the Wilkes County Department of Social Services in regards to us, and in the face of this evidence NEVER OCCURRED?

Why, in spite of all of this evidence and documentation, charges were dropped against Allison Baker in this case…CITING not enough evidence, and why charges were never brought against Mary Henderson should be a matter of deep concern, as well.

Frankly, when you considered the fact that the former, Wilkes County DSS Director, James (Donnie) Bumgarner and the current Director, Bill Sebastian were and are aware of this and have been since it occurred, alarm bells should be ringing loudly in your head. 

Tellingly, neither one has asked local or state law enforcement to conduct an investigation.

 Neither one has removed the substantiation against us that was based on the lies, false documents, forgeries, illegal and ethical behavior; it should make anyone reading this question their motives for allowing such a travesty to continue.

 I believe Donnie Bumgarner was involved in this forgery and falsification and/or at the very least, covered it up.

In fact, many government officials were contacted about this issue and all of them failed or refused to do anything.

People who have been made aware of this illegal and unethical behavior include.

• Renae Steele, Caseworker, Wilkes County Department of Social Services
• Nikki Hull, Caseworker, Surry County Department of Social Services
• Linda Brookes, Caseworker, Wilkes County Department of Social Services
• Mary Henderson, CPS supervisor, Wilkes County DSS
• Sonya Freeman, CPS supervisor, Wilkes County DSS
• Donnie Bumgarner, Former Director, Wilkes County DSS
• Bill Sebastian, Current Director, Wilkes County DSS
• Dr. James D. Powell, (who went right along with DSS’ lies)
• Matthew Levchuk, Assistant District Attorney, Wilkes County (who believed the lies told to him by Wilkes County DSS)
• Charles F. Bauer, Assistant District Attorney, Wilkes County (who dismissed the charges against Allison Baker for lack of evidence.)
• Keith Elmore, Wilkes County DSS Board Chair
• Rudy Holbrooke, Wilkes County DSS Board member
• Ken Noland, Town Manager, Wilkesboro, NC
• Lanier Cansler, North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary
• Dempsey Benton, Former North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary
• Sherry Bradsher, North Carolina DSS director
• Joann Lamm, North Carolina DSS Deputy Director
• Ellen Thomas-Pullen, Child Welfare Services Consultant
• Former North Carolina Governor, Mike Easley
• North Carolina Governor, Bev Purdue
• Chris Downing, Region IV Director
• Carlis V. Williams, Region IV Administrator
• Ruth Parker, Regional Program Manager, Region IV, Administration for Children and Families

And many others.

Not one of these people did anything about the law breaking, discrimination, malicious persecution of me and my husband for trying to protect a child…, which WAS the only thing we did.

Not one of these people stood up and tried to enforce the laws of this state, nor did any of them take any steps to protect these children by ensuring that the Wilkes County Department performed its statutory duty.

Not one of these people cared about the children who were being harmed while WCDSS continually harassed us, persecuted us, violated welfare policy and broke the law.  NOT ONE!

Even when faced with the damning evidence I have shown in this document, these people ignored it and allowed this travesty to continue.

Honestly, if these government officials were upstanding, honest, people you would think that when faced with this type of evidence they would do what is right or at the very least ask for an investigation.

The only person who tried to stand up for what is right and enforce the law was Chris Handy, North Wilkesboro Police Detective (who tried to seek justice, but was blocked by ADA Bauer)

We did not do the things that Wilkes County DSS lied about.

Threats

When we stood up to them, my life was threatened on www.gowilkes.com, a public forum.

• You best be glad you live out of the county.
• I know what your “REAL NAME” is.
• Be careful and don’t cut your own throat.
• You will be dealt with, and just as the same in your case, this is the “END”!

And still nothing was done! 

Then after my stepdaughter’s mother died, on the same public forum, another person who clearly worked at Wilkes County Department of Social Services accused me of killing her.

This person also talked about statutory protected confidential DSS information, for even if it is not true, it is still confidential.

Again, nothing was done.

We are the victims in a series of crimes committed by The Wilkes County Department of Social Services and the fact that no one will step up and do what is right, just enables WCDSS to continue to break the law and do this to other people.

Investigation Needed

An investigation desperately needs to occur in this case…and the wrong that has been done to us corrected… in order for that to happen, an extensive examination of the department and persons involved must be conducted.

• First and foremost, my husband and I must have access to the Wilkes County case file on us, so that we can view the contents and expose the lies, forgeries, and unethical documents, notes, and assessments, among other things, that are hidden behind the confidentiality laws that protect DSS case files from view, even when they have broken the law.
• The Wilkes County Department of Social Services and its DSS board members need to be investigated.
• The substantiation against us needs to be removed and our names cleared.
• The Wilkes County District Attorney’s conduct and refusal to prosecute, despite having adequate evidence to do so, needs to be investigated.
• Charges need to be pressed against the person/persons who committed these crimes.
• Most importantly, Charges need to be press against the Wilkes County DSS for failing to protect these two little girls.

To be clear

The Wilkes County Department of Social Services, in retaliation for our criticism about their unscrupulous conduct and dereliction of statutory mandated duties to protect children, invented a reason to investigate us, and created a fictitious abuse and neglect case against us, with the intention of discrediting, intimidating, and silencing us. 

When their harassing and vindictive, examination of us failed to uncover any abuse, neglect, or dependency being committed by us, they conjured a statutory nonexistent neglect finding out of thin air, so they could cruelly, spitefully, and callously brand us as child abusers.

After WCDSS vindictively substantiated against us, they continued their unlawful, harassing, and needless invasion in our lives forcing us to comply with whatever they “recommended” by threatening to place my stepdaughter into foster care if we bulked.

Some of the lies

They created an In Home Family Services Agreement that contained ignorant and useless findings, which did not remotely meet the definition of abuse, neglect, or dependency.

1. 1.  David was to provide basic insurance as directed by the child support agency, so cost would not be a reason to deny dental care.

• When her mother neglected her dental care, and allowed her teeth to get so decayed that two of them had to be extracted, David had insurance on his daughter, the mother had insurance on her, and the mother had her on N.C. Medicaid.  Lack of insurance was not the reason her mother denied her dental care.  Neglect by her mother was the reason for the denial of dental care!
• Not having insurance is not neglect or abuse, but besides that point, the only reason David did not have insurance on his daughter at this time was because he had lost his job, because of DSS, and their inability to attend appointments, for example:
• When we were scheduled to meet at Dr. Powell’s for the “evaluation” meeting, DSS did not show up so it had to be rescheduled.  David had to take off for the meeting because of DSS negligence to attend, then turn around and take off again for the rescheduled appointment, that DSS, specifically Renae Steele was an hour and a half late to.
• DSS was order by Judge Byrd after he was notified that we had made a report of abuse, to submit their findings to him.  DSS, failed to investigate the reported abuse in the manner prescribed by law for 2 and a half months, then drug their feet for almost 2 years.  David would have to miss work to go to court, only to have it postponed because DSS had not sent the Judge their findings.

1. 2.  David and I were required to make the child custody exchanges that were taking place “be as amicable as possible, with no heated exchanges.

•  David and I always made the exchanges as “amicable” as possible.  When the mother screamed, yelled, and cussed at us, we did not even respond.  We recorded the custody exchanges to ensure that the mother could not lie about our behavior and to document hers.  DSS ignored this proof and lied about us.
• Heated exchanges, bitterness, and verbal hostility are not abuse or neglect furthermore, David I NEVER engaged in them, proven by recorded phone calls and video recordings of the exchanges.

3.  The parents were required to take the girls to counseling. 

• First, David and I had been trying to get counseling for his daughter for years, because of the abuse and neglect concerns we had in regards to her mother’s treatment of her.
•  Second, Dr. Powell their own “Forensic Psychologist” said the girls did not need counseling.

 The entire In Home Family Services Agreement was a complete and total sham of statutorily insufficient findings, a ruse for their continued illegal involvement in our lives.

Furthermore, they lied in the Strengths and Needs Assessments, the Risk Assessments saying that “minimally participated in pursuing objectives in service agreement”.  This is an outright lie.  WE always complied with anything and everything that they asked us to do. Even with the knowledge that they were illegally persecuting us. Further lies include:

• For the Risk Reassessment dated 11-07-07 it states as a reason for Discretionary override: “age and previous report static but not pursuing all goals outlined in cft of 9-11-07”…there was no cft on 9-11-07, or 11-07-07 the cft wasn’t completed until 1-08-08 two months later.
• On this assessment we had a total score of 3, mainly just because of this lie.  This is just them trying to justify leaving this case open against welfare policy.
• They use the same override reason on 3-27-08, but in this one they do not mark R8 and R9 with (b) Minimal participation in pursuing objectives in service agreement…….1…So I guess basically the only reason it was left open then is my husband’s age.  Under 29…we had a 1 on this reassessment.

Then suddenly, out of the blue, they closed the case even though the one and only circumstance that had to be met to “keep the child out of foster care” according to the In Home Family Services Agreement, had not been met.  It was so important for my stepdaughter to go to counseling that they threatened foster care if she did not, but then closed the case before the required 3 sessions, THAT THEY REQUIRED, had been completed. 

This speaks volume to their true intent and purpose.

We then received a letter from Linda Brooks that stated:

MONITORING HER CARE FROM HER MOTHER!

This letter from Linda Brooks is a direct contradiction to the one that she wrote, that same day, May 14, 2008, to Judge Byrd, in that letter, Linda Brookes lies about the entire situation, case, and us.

Letter to Judge Byrd page 1 and 2

Conclusion

From beginning to end, every step that the Wilkes County Department of Social Services made in our case was either, illegal, unethical, untrue, or in violation of statutory law.

Since the entire case was based on falsified, forged documents, lies, as well as unlawful and unethical conduct, any substantiation or case decision reached by them is unduly prejudicial and fatally tainted. 

A decision based on lies, is a lie itself, for the truth cannot be discovered with lies.

Wilkes County Department of Social Services behavior in our case denotes a willful, malicious, and conscious intent to deceive, invent, and lie in order to harass, harm, intimidate, and discredit us.  Their persecution of us was a calculated, deliberate, and purposeful act, a wanton abuse of power that served no legal purpose.

Our case is so illegally tainted with lies, fabrication, embellishments, falsified and forged documents that it is wholly unreliable, and should be considered a work of fiction.  The only truth that could ever be ascertained from the Wilkes County DSS file on us is that it is necessary to verify the corruption in this case.

Allowing the substantiation against us to remain, in view of this indisputable evidence, is a travesty of justice.

Failing to seek prosecution of these criminals, allows them to continue to operate in this unlawful manner, puts families at risk, and endangers the lives of children.  Failing to take legal action against the Wilkes County Department of Social Services enforces their belief, as evidenced by their behavior in our case, that they are untouchable, above the law, and can do whatever they want because they will never be held accountable for their crimes.

They will do it again…if they have not already, and eventually a child is going to lose their life because of the rampant, unchecked, corruption of Wilkes County DSS.

 The unjustified treatment and criminal manner in which we were subjected to has left a scar on our lives.  The bogus, unlawful substantiation placed on us can prevent us from working in a daycare, or with children, prevent us from adopting or being foster parents…it can and does impinge on our lives.

 To allow this illicit, unethical, and fictitious case and phony finding to remain against us, despite the overwhelming facts attesting our innocence in this matter, harms not only us, but also the entire community and damages the public trust in Child Protective Services.

If CPS is permitted to behave in this manner without consequences, or accountability, why would anyone trust them to protect children?

Wilkes County Department of Social Services has proven with this contemptible behavior that they are unreliable, untrustworthy, criminal, and corrupted; they are more concerned with protecting themselves then the children of Wilkes County.

It would injudicious and foolish to assume that our family has been the sole victim of their corruption.

*This document does not contain everything that happened, I have complete documentation and records of everything that occurred, if you received this via email then those records are attached, if you are seeing this one line then those documents are below this posting.

I have other evidence that proves our claim, if I have emailed this to you, that evidence is attached.  If you are reading this one line, then that evidence is below this posting.  I have not finished uploading all the phone calls on to my computer, but when I do, they too will be sent or posted.

You can see the rest of this story and more documentation at Wilkes County Department of Social Services Failure to Protect my Stepdaughter

Father files lawsuit in Swain County NC: Names key personal at DSS and DA, among others

Swain County father, Michael Shannon, has filed a civil lawsuit alleging that the civil rights of him, his daughter, and his father have been violated by key personnel in local and state government.

The lawsuit filed August 15, 2011 in the Swain County North Carolina Superior Court, names Michael Shannon, his father, Scott Shannon and his Daughter, Sierra Shannon as the Plaintiff’s and names the following as some of the Defendant’s.

•  Michael Bonfoey, District Attorney, Swain County, North Carolina
• Lanier Cansler,  Secretary of the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services. (click the link to find more stories of Lanier Cansler on this blog)
• Patrick Betancourt,  Director of Child Protective Services, North Carolina. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Tammy Cagle, Director of the Swain County Department of Social Services (Tammy Cagle was fired for  insubordination and conduct unbecoming of a state employee detrimental to state service during an investigation into the death of 15 month old Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn)
• Jerry Smith, Interim Director of the Swain County Department of Social Services
• Justin Green, counsel to the Swain County Department of Social Services
• Ellen Thomas-Pullen,  Child Welfare Services Consultant with the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services
• Aaron Ammons, Officer of the North Carolina Highway Patrol.
• Swain County Commissioners
• Swain County Department of Social Services Board

The lawsuit alleges, among other things, accounts of government corruption so all encompassing that I believe an SBI investigation into this matter is desperately warranted.

This corruption includes, but is not limited to:

• Failure to obey a custody order,
• Failure to obey a judges order to pick up a child,
• Wrongful arrest,
• Malicious prosecution,
• Placing a child in a dangerous environment
• Allowing a child to be abused and neglected
• Failure to obey statutory law
• Failure to protect
• Kidnapping
• Child abduction
• Perjury
• illegal and unethical practices

The Swain County Department of Social Services has been the subject of an intense investigation into their involvement in the death of 15 month old, Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn.  Social Worker, Craig Smith, falsified his records after Aubrey’s death, so it would appear that he followed the laws and policies during an investigation into the suspected abuse of Aubrey.  According to The Citizen Times, When investigator’s informed Smith that they knew he was lying,

“Smith then told the investigators that he was instructed to falsify the records by his supervisor after Aubrey died to show that he followed up with a call to the hospital.

He said he was later called to a meeting with his supervisor, Candice Lassiter, other agency officials and DSS Director Tammy Cagle.

They questioned him about his investigation at the Powell home. Cagle, according to the court papers, told Smith “we have to get everything in order and everything straight.”

The director, Tammy Cagle who is listed as a defendant is Shannon’s lawsuit, was fired  for insubordination and conduct unbecoming of a state employee detrimental to state service, for her apparent involvement in the falsification of records in Aubrey’s case.

It is abundantly apparent that Swain County DSS has broken laws in the case of Aubrey Littlejohn and in an attempt to cover their asses they falsified records and lied.  It is also abundantly apparent to me that these people were completely comfortable in their illegal behavior, so comfortable in fact, that they even held a meeting and discussed how to get “everything in order and everything straight”, or what I refer to as “a document forging party”.

The chances that the Aubrey Littlejohn case is the first and only case in which the Swain County DSS has exhibited this type of illegal and unethical behavior in, is in my opinion, slim to none.  I believe, based on the Swain County DSS’s proven behavior, that the case of Michael, Scott and Sierra Shannon should be looked at by unbiased, appropriate law enforcement.

I have heard the 911 call placed by Scott Shannon when he was being assaulted by Shannon’s mother, I have read some of the court papers and I have talked with Scott Shannon…there is something really fishy occurring in their case, and I believe with the illegal practices that have been brought to light in Swain County, that the Attorney General and the SBI owe a duty to investigate not only the Shannon case, but any other case that has been handled by the Swain County DSS.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of the Swain County Department of Social Services Please contact me at lawdoll1@gmail.com

For more information about Sierra’s case, please visit Michael Shannon’s site at the link below.

Sierra Shannon, 4 years old

A Victim of Child Abuse by

The Swain County, North Carolina

Department of Social Services

in Bryson City, North Carolina

We desperately need your help to save Sierra from the bureaucrats and criminals in the department of Social Services in North Carolina. A civil case was filed in the Superior Court of Swain County North Carolina on August 15, 2011 on her behalf by her father, Michael Shannon and her grandfather, Scott Shannon. The details of the case are below, as well as a link to a copy of the Civil Complaint. If you read these items you will discover a horror story that is almost beyond belief. 28 people are being sued in this case, and all have some responsibility for the abuse that Sierra has suffered since August 5, 2010.

Please read these materials and then take action to do what you can to help save Sierra from continuing abuse by these criminals, uncaring bureaucrats, and others who have allowed her to be abused and illegally taken her from her loving father. I know there is a lot of material to go through, but unless you know the entire story and all of the facts, you can’t understand the full horror of what has been done to my family. If you consider yourself a caring person, please read all of it. The links in the text will open in a new browser window so that you can always conveniently return to this page.

Read more

THIS COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE!!!!

Grapevine mom leaves kids outside school in freezing weather

 

http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1880227.html

By BILL MILLER

wmiller@star-telegram.com

GRAPEVINE — Police are considering whether to pursue charges against a mother who left two children, ages 5 and 7, outside a closed Grapevine elementary school Thursday morning in freezing weather, a police spokesman said Friday.

It was 24 degrees with a wind chill in the single digits when a nurse on her way to her job at a nearby hospital spotted the children alone in the parking lot of Cannon Elementary School, 1300 W. College St.

The mother did not realize that Grapevine-Colleyville administrators had delayed the opening of school because of icy roads, said Lt. Todd Dearing, a police spokesman.

The nurse called 911 at 7:14 a.m., and officers went to get the children, Dearing said. Meanwhile, the mother heard on her car radio that the school was closed and returned to get her children, he said.

By the time she arrived, police were there, Dearing said.

“She made a mistake, she knows she made a mistake, and now we’re investigating to see if we’ll be filing criminal charges,” Dearing said.

The possible charge is abandoning or endangering a child, a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.

Child Protective Services was notified, Dearing said. CPS spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales said the children were not in the agency’s custody and thus she could not say whether CPS was involved.

This was an honest mistake, what is the phase that CPS uses to encourage people to adopt a child from foster care, “You don’t have to be perfect, to be a perfect parent.” “After all, kids don’t need perfection; they need you!”

This mom made a mistake and as soon as she realized it, she immediately turned around and went to get her children. They obviously were not outside that long before she did, since she was still in the car when she heard about the delay on the radio!!!!

Leave this mom alone and go focus on the Texas CPS workers who are failing to do their jobs. So many children have died in Texas after CPS involvement and now the police and CPS want to waste time investigating this mom.

What is amazing to me is that the police are even considering charges against this mom for her one mistake, yet absolutely no charges have been pressed against the Texas CPS workers who “Investigation shows family history of abuse missed in half of cases”

“Caseworkers for Texas Child Protective Services have regularly missed warning signs that Houston-area children were in danger, including failing to thoroughly investigate a family’s previous history of abuse or neglect, according to a report released on Monday.”

Why don’t you go press charges against these people instead, they are the ones who acutally deserve to be prosecuted!

GIVING TREE TOYS RELEASED TO SALVATION ARMY FOR DISTRIBUTION

 

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/Some-County-Commissioners-push-for-Another-DSS-Investgation-79353437.html

by MICHELLE BOUDIN / NewsChannel 36

E-mail Michelle: MBoudin@WCNC.com

Posted on December 15, 2009 at 6:31 PM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Some county commissioners are calling for yet another investigation into the Department of Social Services’ program that was supposed to get toys to needy children.

The call for action comes on the same day that thousands of toys from the now-suspended Giving Tree program finally were released from an office to a place that will actually get them to kids — the Salvation Army.

 

At the Salvation Army Christmas Bureau on Tuesday, hundreds of volunteers were building bikes, stuffing stockings and filling giant bags, making sure thousands of children’s wish lists will be filled.

“It feels good to be able to help those in need,” said volunteer Jennifer Newman.

The job got easier late Tuesday morning as about 4,000 toys were moved from the Mecklenburg County DSS building, where they were collecting dust for the last month.

“These items have been in limbo since then based on the investigations and the audits,” said county spokesman Danny Diehl. “It’s about doing the right thing right now, which is making sure these items get to those who need them the most.”

CMPD is investigating the Giving Tree program. Federal authorities are reportedly investigating, too. Investigators are looking into some bad accounting practices to see if they were criminal or mistakes.

Three Republican county commissioners also want to hold a special meeting to question the head of DSS and the former head of the Giving Tree and allow anyone with concerns to come forward anonymously.

Democratic Commission Chair Jennifer Roberts says, “The intention was a good intention. But the idea of a secret meeting, I think, is inappropriate. I don’t think we want anything behind closed doors.”

Commissioners will vote Tuesday night on whether to hold the special meeting. It would likely be later this week.

COUNTY SUSPENDS AUDIT DIRECTOR

 

Mecklenburg manager aims to restore credibility after error in audit report on $162,000 in donations to charity program.

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/topstories/story/1068184.html

By April Bethea

abethea@charlotteobserver.com

Posted: Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009

Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones on Friday said he has suspended the county’s internal audit director and will find a permanent replacement in hopes of improving the credibility of county government.

Cornita Spears this week admitted an error in an audit report of how more than $162,000 in donations were spent through a charity meant to buy gifts for needy children. County officials had ordered the audit after allegations of possible misspending.

Spears still works for the county but is on non-disciplinary suspension with pay, Jones said. Spears could not be reached for comment.

Former county Finance Director Harry Weatherly will oversee the audit department as a consultant for up to 90 days. He’ll get $80 an hour, the same fee he has received for other work with the county, Jones said.

Chris Waddell, another auditor in the department, will lead day-to-day operations.

Meanwhile, the county’s human resources department has been asked to recruit a new department director. Spears would not be considered for the position, Jones said.

Jones first announced the changes in a memo to county commissioners and some staff. He told the Observer he hopes the moves will improve the department’s credibility among county management, commissioners and the public.

The county has faced months of scrutiny and criticism from the public following an investigation into the Giving Tree charity, and fiscal practices across the Department of Social Services.

Some commissioners supported the move to replace Spears, but said it doesn’t resolve other questions raised in past months.

“I think it’s a needed step, but I don’t think it’s the final solution,” said commissioner Neil Cooksey, who recently suggested the county appoint an ethics officer.

The changes come days after Spears issued a revised report about spending within the Giving Tree charity, which was run by DSS. She told commissioners Tuesday that an employee returned more than $33,000 to the county earlier this year, but the money hadn’t been properly accounted for until last week.

The county hasn’t said publicly who returned the money, just that it was an employee who worked with the Giving Tree for about 10 years.

The Giving Tree program spent more than $162,000 last year. Spears said this week that the $33,000 that was returned helps explain about $23,000 that a June report said was unaccounted for. It also includes $10,000 the employee received in the current year, which wasn’t covered in the audit review.

Even with the returned money, however, the county said it still can’t offer complete assurance that no money was misspent because of problems with receipts or other documentation for more than $108,000.

Some commissioners said they were disappointed about the new report, saying the county had faced months of scrutiny and criticism by the public. Jones said the error left him embarrassed and was unacceptable.

“It has damaged the credibility of the Internal Audit Department and Mecklenburg County as an organization,” Jones wrote in the Friday memo. “I have determined the credibility of the Internal Audit Department cannot be restored with the current management of this department.”

Jones told the Observer the error was a failure on the part of the auditor to consider information that had been available before the June report.

Commissioners Vice Chair Harold Cogdell said he thinks Jones had no option but to make personnel changes within the department. “Unfortunately, that was an error that should have been picked up on months ago,” he said. “It created some real confusion.”

Commissioner Bill James said the management changes were a good step. But he doesn’t think they explain whether money was misspent within the Giving Tree program, or address his belief that county auditors should report directly to the board’s Audit Review Committee and not county management.

Jones said he plans to meet with Weatherly soon to outline specific goals for his work with Internal Audit. But he said it could include, among other things, recommending what resources are needed in the department and crafting job descriptions for the new hires.

Since leaving his director post, Weatherly has worked with the finance department on issues such as a tax review, software contract and MEDIC.

The Giving Tree study was part of a broader investigation into accounting practices within DSS. Auditors cited numerous lapses within the department’s finances.

Since June, the county has announced multiple steps to address the problems, including retraining DSS staff on financial policies and procedures, and putting the department’s finances within the county finance office’s control. In addition, a review of financial practices within all county departments is under way.

The county also has sought to bolster the internal audit department by agreeing in August to hire more auditors. The board also added two commissioners to its Audit Review Committee and removed county staff as members.

Cogdell said it’s important the county make sure it has enough safeguards in place to ensure financial compliance within all county agencies.

Cooksey suggested the ethics officer position earlier this week, and commissioners have said they will study the idea. Cooksey said it is common in the private sector, and said it would keep Jones and other managers out of investigations.

See the paper trail here

 

THE DSS MYSTERY: WHERE DID MONEY GO? (MECKLENBURG COUNTY DSS, NORTH CAROLINA)

The DSS mystery: Where did money go?

 

E-mails show officials suspected misspending, but they have never said who was at fault for disappearance of $162,000 in donations for needy kids

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/1044222.html

By Fred Clasen-Kelly

frkelly@charlotteobserver.com

Internal e-mails reveal new allegations of misspending at the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, raising more unanswered questions about what happened to money intended to help needy children.

Some of the more than 1,000 e-mails the Observer obtained through a public records request provide the most detailed account to date about the agency’s accounting fiasco.

E-mails show:

Officials suspected an employee wrote $80,000 in checks to herself from donations.

An administrator questioned why other donations were used to buy $340 diamond earrings, leather coats and a $300 DVD player.

A top executive complained that a senior fiscal administrator frustrated co-workers with her “inability to explain the simplest concepts of revenue and expenses.”

After nearly a year, officials have never said who was at fault for $162,000 that disappeared or whether anyone was disciplined.

No one has been charged in an ongoing police investigation and a county report says officials cannot be certain where the money went.

Meanwhile, donors are left to wonder whether their generosity ever helped buy Christmas gifts for those in need.

In one e-mail, a woman describes calling the county in 2007 to give $900 for single mothers at Christmas. The person who answered the phone told her to make a check payable to the worker’s sister.

The donor said she grew suspicious and made the check out to the county, but the idea that it may still have been misused is “like a kick in the stomach.”

In another e-mail, a founder of Second String Santa said he was concerned whether kids received the more than 50,000 toys his group had donated since 1989.

Will Miller said he believes some of the toys reached children, but he’s not sure about the rest.

“Will we ever know? Probably not,” he said.

Two commissioners said they have asked county administrators for a full accounting of what went wrong at DSS but have yet to receive answers. County officials have never explained who was responsible, they said.

“To fix it, you have to admit all the stuff that is messed up,” Commissioner Bill James said. “They don’t want to do too much digging.”

County administrators declined interview requests. Instead, a county spokesman released a prepared statement saying appropriate fiscal controls have been installed in response to an outside audit and an internal investigation.

“Our review of the e-mails we provided and your follow up questions did not reveal any new information that would suggest any change in the audit findings or in management’s response to those findings,” the statement said.

Some commissioners said they have been told that the employees involved have either left county government or been placed in new positions.

Unusual spending patterns

DSS spends $176 million annually and employs 1,200 workers to assist Mecklenburg’s poor and neglected. The agency administers everything from food stamps to foster care and child protection services.

Last spring, DSS Director Mary Wilson ordered financial audits following reports of suspicious spending.

Auditors looked at multiple spending programs and financial practices in the agency. They found a $10,000 check made out to an employee, missing and altered receipts and money for kids spent on office supplies.

County leaders responded by suspending the programs, putting DSS finance under direct county control, training workers on accounting procedures and ordering a review of financial procedures in each county agency.

The Observer reviewed e-mails dating from December 2008 to July 2009 for seven current and former county administrators, including Wilson, County Manager Harry Jones, County Finance Director Dena Diorio and Internal Auditor Cornita Spears.

E-mails show county officials noticed unusual spending patterns as early as last December but did not disclose problems to the public until March.

On New Year’s Eve, Wilson told staff she had suspended a voucher program the agency used to purchase clothes and other items for clients at local stores. She wrote that officials were worried about a lack of oversight and a spike in spending.

One monthly retail bill leapt from between $5,000 and $6,000 to more than $20,000 in October 2008, the e-mail says. Employees turned in receipts only 30 to 35 percent of the time, she wrote.

At one time or another, workers possessed or had access to numerous credit cards and gift cards, including some to Bath & Body Works, Bass Pro Shops, Macy’s, the Cheesecake Factory and Outback Steakhouse.

Outside auditors verified for county administrators that DSS workers possessed county-issued credit cards, including 10 credit cards for Sam’s Club, three for Harris Teeter and an online charge account with amazon.com.

In February, county officials asked internal auditors to look into questionable spending, including purchases of diamond earrings, leather coats and a DVD player.

An e-mail to one of the auditors from a human resources consultant said the purchases raise “many questions and concerns.”

According to the county’s statement, most gifts were typical children’s items such as toys, clothes and books. More expensive items such as diamond earrings and leather coats were approved purchases for foster children who reached special milestones like high school graduation, the statement says.

“Receiving a gift of some significant value was viewed as an incentive for other children who were in foster care to set goals and accomplish them,” the statement said.

Commissioner Harold Cogdell said he spent part of his early childhood in foster care and believes the gifts are a good idea.

“It makes sense to me to show the kids some love,” Cogdell said.

A new accountant

DSS has endured multiple management shakeups in recent years. The latest came when Wilson reorganized the agency after she was hired in July 2008.

She laid out the reasons to hire a new finance director in a February e-mail.

Wilson wrote that the senior fiscal administrator who managed DSS finances failed to provide reports about oversight, alienated staff and lacked the ability to conduct productive discussions with senior county executives. The e-mail does not name the senior fiscal administrator.

DSS later hired accountant Angela Hurlburt to oversee its finances.

James, the commissioner, said he has asked for the names and background information on Hurlburt’s predecessors. He wants them to answer questions from the Board of Commissioners’ Audit Review Committee, which investigated accounting lapses at DSS.

He said administrators have failed to respond to his requests and complained that officials “keep us in the dark.”

Other commissioners disagreed.

Chairman Jennifer Roberts and Commissioner Dumont Clarke said county leaders have already put in place reforms that will protect taxpayer and donor money.

“The highest priority” is implementing new financial controls, Clarke said.

Shifting the finances

Auditors from Cherry, Bekaert & Holland reviewed DSS and found that Mecklenburg officials responded appropriately. The county’s Audit Review Committee came to the same conclusion.

But DSS Director Wilson bristled at one of the major reforms.

Leaders put DSS finance under the direct control of the county’s main finance department after allegations of misspending surfaced.

In April, Wilson sent an e-mail to County General Manager Michelle Lancaster to complain. Calling the decision “premature” and “shortsighted,” Wilson said there are emergencies when DSS workers must write checks immediately, including occasions when the agency takes children in custody who need clothes, toiletries and school supplies.

“I understand the urgency at the time, but there was a reason DSS had check writing capability and I think we threw the baby out with the bathwater instead of fixing the underlying issue, which is documentation and accountability,” Wilson wrote.

Donors left with questions

Past supporters of the DSS Christmas charity include Young Lawyers, employees of Wachovia and Bank of America, and Project Joy, the holiday fund drive initiated by Observer columnist Tommy Tomlinson. The Christmas charity, known as the Giving Tree, is now run by the Salvation Army.

The donor who gave $900 e-mailed the county in July after learning about accounting failures from news accounts. She attached a picture of the check copy she made around Christmas in 2007.

She wrote that she did not remember the name of the woman she spoke with on the phone.

The donor said she and her family all pitched in to raise the money so she could assist women like her who had struggled as single mothers.

When she heard there were allegations of misspending in a DSS charity program, “It’s like your stomach just drops.” Staff reporter April Bethea contributed.

Fred Clasen-Kelly: 704 358-5027

 

Crowdsourcing: Help us review e-mails

 

 

http://obspapertrail.blogspot.com/2009/11/crowdsourcing-help-us-review-e-mails.html

We examined some 1,100 emails from public officials to report our story on misspending at the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services.

Now you can, too.

Use the links below to view emails sent by top administrators related to DSS.

Let us know if you spot something that you think deserves further scrutiny. You can leave a comment below or send an e-mail.

The buzzword for this is “crowdsourcing.”

But the concept is as old as the notion that two heads are better than one.

(Collective wisdom is illustrated this way by author James Surowiecki: On the game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” the lifeline to an expert friend yielded the correct answer about 65 percent of the time, while the studio audience was right 91 percent of the time.)

Here are the links:

Click here for County Manager Harry Jones.

Click here for DSS Director Mary Wilson.

Click here for Finance Director Dena Diorio.

Click here for auditor Cornita Spears.

Click here for administrator Beverly Hinson.

Click here for supervisor Cindy Brady.

Here’s a link  to an e-mail highlighted in our story, in which Wilson says a senior fiscal administrator has left directors “frustrated with her inability to explain the simplest concepts of revenue and expenses.”

- Doug Miller

 

Man’s e-mail about DSS sent to his employer

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/408/story/1044223.html

By Fred Clasen-Kelly

frkelly@charlotteobserver.com

Posted: Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

As news spread about possible missing money from the Department of Social Services Christmas charity, Harry Lomax and other donors contacted Mecklenburg County leaders to complain.

“I feel duped,” Lomax wrote in an e-mail to county commissioners and top administrators.

But Lomax likely did not anticipate County Manager Harry Jones’ response.

Jones forwarded the e-mail to Lomax’s employer, Bank of America, and wrote, “Do you know Harry Lomax.”

A Bank of America vice president replied to Jones about one hour later, writing that she was “embarrassed” by Lomax’s e-mail.

“I am tracking it down. I don’t know him – I have alerted charles. Will be back to you,” she wrote.

Some commissioners and ethics experts now say the actions by Jones and the bank official were improper because they could stifle free speech and blur the lines between employment and citizenship.

It’s unclear how Jones knew Lomax worked at Bank of America. Lomax sent his message from a personal account and did not mention the bank by name.

“It is not appropriate,” said Diane Swanson, a professor of business ethics at Kansas State University. “If this happened all the time, what kind of world would we have?”

The Observer obtained the e-mails from the county through an open records request. They provide a glimpse into how top Mecklenburg administrators reacted to reports of misspending and accounting lapses at the Department of Social Services.

Worried donors wrote to commissioners and county executives after auditors disclosed that they could not account for tens of thousands of dollars from a charity designed to buy Christmas presents for needy children.

Some county commissioners said they do not understand why Jones forwarded the e-mail from Lomax to his employer when he was speaking as a citizen and not on behalf of the company. They said they would question Jones about it.

Public officials publish their phone numbers and e-mail addresses to allow constituents to voice concerns and ask questions. They also set aside time during public meetings to listen to comments from constituents.

“Citizens are able to vent frustrations without thinking that (county) management will get their employer to engage in some retribution,” Commissioner Bill James said. “This makes the county look bad. It makes Harry look vindictive. It makes Bank of America look like the county’s hatchet man.”

Jones did not respond to interview requests from the Observer. A county spokesman referred a reporter to a statement the county released, but it does not directly address questions about Lomax’s e-mail.

Nicole Nastacie, a spokeswoman for Bank of America, said “on their personal time, employees are free to express personal opinions” to government officials about any issue that is not related to the company.

Betty Turner, the bank’s government liaison who responded to Jones, suspected that Lomax’s e-mail involved issues related to the bank and appropriately looked into the situation, Nastacie said. When she determined Lomax was speaking as a private citizen, there were no further discussions, Nastacie said.

Lomax declined to comment.

The e-mail

On July 7, Lomax sent his e-mail to commissioners, Jones, DSS Director Mary Wilson and County Finance Director Dena Diorio. He wrote that he had planned to speak during a commissioners meeting the same day at the urging of Commissioner Neil Cooksey.

Lomax wrote that he left before speaking and decided to e-mail his comments.

The e-mail criticizes county management for failing to prevent accounting failures and accuses some commissioners of a “flippant, hands-off response” to the issue. “There seems to be a need for a wholesale cleanup of many county agencies, and I think that starts from the top down,” Lomax wrote.

A week after receiving the e-mail, Jones forwarded it to Turner.

Commissioners respond

Commissioner Karen Bentley said Jones should not have sent the e-mail to Bank of America.

“It should have no bearing on his job,” Bentley said. “That’s his right.”

Commissioner Dumont Clarke called the move “unusual.”

Clarke and some other commissioners said they would need more information to judge whether Jones acted appropriately.

“It’s not a good practice for the manager to do,” Clarke said.

Commissioner Chairman Jennifer Roberts said she would try to contact Lomax to speak with him. “I don’t read anything into this,” Roberts said. “Maybe Harry was trying to make sure Bank of America didn’t feel duped.”

Four business and government professors reviewed the e-mails for the Observer. Three said Jones did not have a valid reason to forward Lomax’s e-mail since he did not mention his employer by name or present himself as a representative of the company.

“Given these circumstances, one would expect a public official to respond directly to Mr. Lomax and not contact his employer,” said Denis Arnold, a professor of business ethics at UNC Charlotte.

Winthrop professor Marilyn Smith disagreed.

Considering public outcry over alleged misspending in DSS, Smith said it understandable that Jones would contact Bank of America. The bank also reacted appropriately, she said.

“To a certain extent, we represent our employers 24/7,” said Smith, a professor of management. “We like to think it’s my own personal opinion. Companies are judged by how their employees behave, fair or not.”

Fred Clasen-Kelly: 704 358-5027

THINK IT IS NOT ABOUT MONEY-THE CASE OF JACK AND KATHY STRATTON

 

http://defeatdcs.blogspot.com/2009/11/think-it-is-not-about-money-case-of.html

 

The following was taken from the excellent http://www.couldyoubenext.com/website.

 

Jack and Kathy Stratton’s nine children have proved to be a veritable cash cow for the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services. The Stratton children have been in foster care for nearly two years, ever since the DSS removed them from their home on charges of neglect. The Strattons have steadfastly denied the charges, and have been fighting to regain custody.During that time, the DSS, through federal funding, has been receiving $9,971.73 per month for the Stratton children, while paying out only $3,600. Net profit: $6,372 per month.

The rest of this story can be read at:

Defeat Children’s Services http://defeatdcs.blogspot.com/2009/11/think-it-is-not-about-money-case-of.html

2 LOSE VOTE ON AUDIT REVIEW

 

Commissioners feared officials’ involvement might undermine public confidence in DSS investigation.

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/922161.html

By Fred Clasen-Kelly

frkelly@charlotteobserver.com

Posted: Wednesday, Sep. 02, 2009

 

Reacting to complaints about possible conflicts of interest, Mecklenburg County commissioners voted Tuesday to remove County Manager Harry Jones and one of his top lieutenants as voting members of a committee that looks into alleged misspending.

The move means Jones and County General Manager John McGillicuddy can serve only as ex-officio members of the county board’s Audit Review Committee.

Their roles have come under scrutiny since the committee began evaluating county management’s response to recently revealed accounting failures at the Department of Social Services.

Some commissioners said the arrangement could undermine public confidence in an ongoing investigation because Jones and McGillicuddy would, in effect, judge their own performance.

On Tuesday, the county board agreed to add commissioners Dumont Clarke and Karen Bentley to the committee. Two members of county management will provide information to the panel.

“There was an obvious conflict of interest on some issues,” Commissioner Dan Murrey said.

In their final act as voting committee members, Jones and McGillicuddy voted last month to remove themselves from the panel.

County officials established the Audit Review Committee in 1999 to oversee financial audits and make recommendations to the commissioners. They took action following the indictment of former county elections director Bill Culp, who pleaded guilty to taking $134,000 in bribes and kickbacks.

The original committee included two commissioners, two county administrators and a community member.

The committee has helped lead a county investigation into why officials cannot account for tens of thousands of dollars that were supposed to help needy children. The issues include a $10,000 check that was made out to a county employee.

Complaints about the makeup of the committee surfaced in July after it issued a report that endorses reforms county managers implemented to correct problems found by auditors.

Counties such as Guilford, Wake, Durham and Forsyth have audit review committees and none allows staff to sit on the panel.

Fred Clasen-Kelly: 704-358-5027

SOCIAL WORKER’S CONDUCT WENT UNREPORTED

 

State lawmaker alleges coverup; wants attorney general to investigate

 

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/55971877.html

By Crocker Stephenson of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Aug. 28, 2009

Officials responsible for reporting to the state that a Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare social worker had impregnated a bureau client did not report the incident until Thursday, months later than required by law and only after being contacted by the Journal Sentinel.

A state lawmaker, alleging that child welfare officials may have been involved in a coverup, called on Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to investigate.

The Journal Sentinel reported Friday that Peter J. Nelsen, 56, was sent by the bureau to investigate an allegation of child abuse and later impregnated the child’s emotionally troubled mother, Theola Nealy. Nelsen kept the pregnancy secret, even as the bureau investigated allegations that Nealy abused her 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son.

The bureau has removed both children from Nealy’s home. The bureau has also removed the child born to Nelsen and Nealy and placed her in Nelsen’s home.

Nelsen, a 12-year-veteran of the bureau, was allowed to resign April 15, according to bureau documents.

Under state law, the bureau, a part of the state Department of Children and Families, was required to report Nelsen to the Department of Regulation and Licensing within 30 days of his departure.

On Thursday, there seemed to be some contradiction about whether a report on Nelsen had been filed.

The licensing department said it had not received anything, but Angela Russell, a spokeswoman for the bureau, contended a report had been filed. She did not say when it had been filed, and later sent an e-mail to the newspaper saying no more information on Nelsen would be released because of laws governing employee confidentiality.

On Friday, David Carlson, a spokesman for the licensing department, said that Nelsen’s report was faxed to the department on Thursday – just as the newspaper was investigating the story.

The Journal Sentinel has formally requested access to Nelsen’s employment file.

“It would appear that a coverup of Mr. Nelsen’s conduct may have been undertaken by state agency officials in violation of state law,” Rep. Stephen Nass (R-Whitewater) wrote Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen.

Nass also asked the attorney general to investigate Nelsen.

“There is ample basis for the Wisconsin Department of Justice to review Mr. Nelsen’s conduct to determine if he abused his governmental powers and violated Wisconsin law,” the letter says.

Further, the letter says, “The Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare may have used its powers to assist Mr. Nelsen in obtaining custody of the child he fathered with Nealy.”

“The failure of the department to take appropriate action against Mr. Nelsen, and the potential abuse of legal authority to take custody of children requires a thorough review by the Department of Justice for misconduct by public officials,” it says.

Noting that Nealy’s treatment of her children may have given the bureau reason to remove them “does not authorize the blatant abuse of power that appears to have occurred by both a social worker and a state agency that has a solemn duty to protect children.”

Asked whether the Department of Justice was investigating Nelsen or the child welfare agencies, spokesman William Cosh said: “We don’t comment on ongoing investigations.”

Asked if his statement meant there was an ongoing investigation, Cosh repeated the statement.

Also Friday, an injunction hearing on a temporary restraining order Nealy filed against Nelsen earlier this month was adjourned to Sept. 11. Family Court Commissioner Ana M. Berrios warned Nelsen that the restraining order remained in effect and ordered him to have no contact with Nealy.

 

Woman Says She Got Pregnant By Social Worker; He Has Child

 

State Representative Calls For Investigation

 

http://www.wisn.com/news/20606268/detail.html

MILWAUKEE — A social worker who was supposed to be helping a Milwaukee woman got her pregnant instead, the woman said. Now, she’s fighting to get her daughter back.

The baby’s father was assigned to investigate a child neglect complaint about the woman’s other children.

The agency said the social worker broke rules by having sex with a client and but then placed the child with him after they removed the baby from her mother’s home.

“I missed her birthday. He had her,” Theola Nealy said.

Nealy’s daughter, Melina, turned 1 year old in the custody of her former child welfare worker, who is also the baby’s father.

“He started coming over, and it evolved into sex, and I told him I did not want to have sex,” Nealy said.

Nealy said she had sex with the social worker to make sure Child Protective Services would let her keep her kids. She said when she became pregnant, he told her to have an abortion. After she refused, Protective Services soon removed her kids from her home.

“He’s paying me back for one not having an abortion, and two, he took her just to get me back because he knows that’s what hurts me the most,” Nealy said.

Professional rules forbid sexual relationships with current and formal clients. The Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare said the social worker no longer works there.

“Any serious violation of professional licensing rules or standards would preclude continued employment at the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare.” according to the agency.

WISN 12 News found Melina in the arms of her father and the former social worker. Child welfare placed her with Peter Nelsen after they removed Nealy’s children from her home.

“Well, certainly my relationship was inappropriate. I admit that. I’m sure,” Nelsen said.

Nelsen is headed to court to fight for permanent custody of Melina.

“She’s the love of our lives. She means everything to us,” Nelsen said.

“Do you think it was a crime what you did?” WISN 12 News reporter Colleen Henry asked.

“State statutes I suppose would say so,” Nelsen said.

“Do you think you’re going to go to prison?” Henry asked.

“I would certainly hope not. It’s been 11 months,” Nelsen said.

The District Attorney’s Office told 12 News it will not file criminal charges against Nelsen because the sex was consensual, and it’s not a crime for a social worker to have sex with a client. That news devastated Nealy.

“He should go to jail,” Nealy said.

The agency said it reported Nelsen to licensing regulators. It won’t answer questions about why Melina and her brother and sister were removed from their mother’s home, or given the circumstances, whether placement with her father is appropriate.

The case has prompted a request to Wisconsin’s attorney general to investigate. Whitewater state Rep. Steve Nass said an impartial investigation is necessary.

NOBLELY LAWSON: PARENTS UPSET AFTER DSS WON’T LET HEALED BABY GO HOME WITH THEM

more about “Parents upset after DSS won’t let hea…“, posted with vodpod

 

 

Mecklenburg DSS has Prevented Noblely Lawson, who is finally well enough after almost being killed, from going home with her parents.

Noblely’s parents have done everything in their power to make sure that they had a suitable place to live for when Noblely was released from the hospital, but apparently, Mecklenburg DSS wants this baby no matter what. You can see the full story here.

Picture From http://angiemedia.com/?p=4130

These parents almost lost their daughter through the carelessness of someone else.  For the last month and a half, they have had to watch Noblely suffer in agony on a daily basis.  They have had to endure what no parent should ever have to, their child in pain, while they stand hopelessly by and watch. 

Any parent who has ever had an injured child knows this agony, the overwhelming fear, the sense of helplessness that occurs in this situation.  You long to be able to trade places with your child, if you could, you would gladly suffer the pain for them.  You live each and everyday wishing you really could kiss away the boo boos and make it all better, you live each and everyday wondering if your child will ever be the same again and the quality of life they will  have now.

…and now after these parents, Shane Lawson and Summer Brown, who were also struck by this car, have lived through the fear of loosing their child, the unknown results of this horrible accident, spent countless nights and days by their daughter side watching helplessly her struggle to survive…DSS has taken custody of this child and refuses to let her go home with her obviously loving parents.  

WHY?

Why would they do this?  Is this some kind of sick sadistic game that Mecklenburg DSS is playing?  What does Mecklenburg DSS do, sit in their director’s $20, 000 office and decided how to make a families life’s more hell then it all ready is?  These parents and this child have been through enough!  Noblely almost died and instead of reaching out a helping hand to these parents, Mecklenburg DSS decides to kick them while they are down.  There was no reason to take this child…no evidence of abuse or neglect, if anything, these parents have went above and beyond DSS’s minimal requirements of care.   Mecklenburg DSS is way out of line with the removal or Nobely Lawson from her parents!

Everyone who reads this story needs to contact the media in Charlotte, as well as Lanier Cansler the Secretary of North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Governor Bev Perdue, complain about  the treatment this family has received, complain about the corrupt actions of the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services.  I have listed the contact information at the end of this story.

Let me just say that DSS that work in glass offices should not throw stones…

DSS Director Mary E. Wilson glass filled $20,000 office

Earlier this month I published on this blog a story about Mecklenburg DSS , in that story it was stated that Mecklenburg DSS Director Mary E. Wilson had spent $20,000 redoing her office, money that I felt could have been better spent on the Lawson family or some other families in this community.  I stated then and I still stand by what I said, “Look at this office…my living room doesn’t even look like this…do you know how many people she could have helped with all of the money she spent redoing her office…This is a prime example of why they have no money and are always requesting more funds…this just proves…they have the money, but they don’t use it to help children or the community!”

VIDEO: DSS director spends $20,000 renovating office

http://www.wcnc.com/video/?nvid=305319&shu=1

Not only did Mecklenburg County DSS spend $20,000 dollars on the Directors elaborate office with plasma screen T.V., they also spent $20,000 dollars on their annual holiday party, below is the video for this story.

While most workplaces are scaling back their holiday parties, one local government agency doubled their budget

http://www.wcnc.com/video/?nvid=314488&shu=1

That is a grand total of $40,000 dollars that they spent on themselves.  Less then most of their “clients” make in a year!!!  And they spent this amount of money on two things…the directors comfort and a party that they refused to allow the media to attend.  On my earlier blog I stated, “DSS could have used the $40,000 dollars that they spent on themselves on this family so Nobely and her family could have a place to live that would accommodate the equipment she now needs to survive.  Instead of using funds to help families like the Lawson’s, Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services blows thousands of dollars on themselves and then uses lack of funds to tear families apart or as an excuse not to help because of “lack of funds”.

They also use the excuse of lack of funds when they fail to protect a child from child abuse, “we are short staffed, we don’t have enough funds”…how many times have we heard this excuse as to why children died, why the child was not monitored closely enough…I, for one, am tired of their shitty excuses.  They are spending money left and right, misappropriating funds, stealing from the very people who need it the most…and where do you think this money comes from in the first place???  The taxpayer wallet…this is our money that they are blowing!  These are our children, neighbors, friends, and follow Americans that they are failing…if you step back and look…you will find one person, one child, one family member, or one friend that DSS has failed that you personally know….enough is enough…the time has come to speak out against this corruption.”

I stand by my earlier statement and add that the time to speak out is now, we cannot continue to allow these corrupt Department’s of Social Services to get away with their illegal, unethical, and corrupt behavior. 

There is currently a huge audit occurring at the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services,

 Among the findings:

• Mecklenburg County officials cannot account for $162,000 in donations meant to buy gifts for needy children. That includes a $10,000 check made out to an employee.
• Of the 840 receipts inspected for that program, 799 had problems, including receipts that were altered, whited out or omitted in photocopying. (This to me is a nice way of saying falsified, forged receipts were found.)
•  In a separate year-round program, auditors said, money meant to help foster families buy clothes and other necessities for children was spent on office supplies. (would that include, plasma T.V.’s, Queen Anne Desk and matching table, window treatments)

You can read the full story at: Spending probe spreads at DSS

And did you know that Mecklenburg County has been under a firing freeze, but apparently that can be lifted so long as the new employee has political connections.

Who did they hire??

• The I-Team found that even though the county Department of Human Services was under a hiring freeze, Director Mary E. Wilson hired a friend and former co-worker who is the wife of an at-large city councilman.
• Wilson hired Samara Foxx, wife of councilman and mayoral candidate Anthony Foxx, last July after posting the position for only one day, according to a DSS spokeswoman. (To read Mrs. Foxx’s statement to the I team, clickSamaraFoxxResponse.)
• DSS hired the daughter of CMPD Chief Rodney Monroe in January
• and the daughter of Superior Court Judge Yvonne Mims-Evans in February.

To see the full story, visit the following link:

‘Cronyism’ investigated in DSS hiring

 

My earlier blog post about Noblely Lawson and the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services can be found at the following links:

MECKLENBURG DSS AUDIT/SPENDING HABITS/MISAPPROPRIATION OF FUNDS

DSS THREATENS TO DESTROY FAMILY INJURED BY CAR CRASH

MORE ON NOBLELY LAWSON’S STORY:

Father Describes Moment Car Hit Baby’s Stroller

Parents may lose custody of child who survived crash

As young girl recovers, family’s future is in question

Parents may lose custody of injured baby

What Can You Do To Help The Lawson Family?  (From http://angiemedia.com/?p=4130)

What Can You Do To Help The Lawson Family?

The Lawsons don’t have the money or political connections to fight DSS. They need the help of people around the world who are willing to fight abusive government.

Here’s what you can do to help them:

1. Pass around this story and others linked below about DSS harming this family. Help put pressure on DSS to leave this family alone.

 

2. If you’re in the Charlotte, North Carolina area and have room to spare in your home and room in your heart to help out an abused family, consider offering space for the Lawson family to live while they recover from the car accident and the DSS threats.

 

3. If you have some spare money for a good cause, consider donating to help the Lawson family protect their child from DSS and pay for her medical care:Donations may be made to the “Noblely Yvonne Lawson Assistance Fund” at any branch of Wachovia bank or they can be mailed to:Wachovia Bank, NA
   Attn: Noblely Yvonne Lawson Assistance Fund
   PO Box 26090
   Richmond, VA 23260-6090Please make checks payable to the Noblely Yvonne Lawson Assistance Fund c/o the fund’s administrator, David B. Pevney, Attorney at Law, PLLC.

 

4. If you know the Charlotte, North Carolina, DSS personnel involved in the abuses against the Lawson family, spread their names and contact information around to as many people as you can. Encourage people to contact these DSS staff to make them personally accountable for their abusive conduct. Telephone them, email them, and fax them to let them know that you do not appreciate their abusive and corrupt behaviors.Director Mary E. Wilson
   email: Mary.Wilson@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov
   704-336-2472 (main)
   704-336-6279 (direct)
   704-336-5887 (fax)

 

5. Tell everyone you know about DSS being a corrupt and abusive organization that wastes taxpayer dollars and trains its employees to abuse children and families for the financial benefit of DSS.

 

6. If you live in Mecklenburg County, vote out the current county supervisors. Talk with your neighbors about the rampant corruption, illicit hiring practices that smack of nepotism and benefit those in power, irresponsible spending, financial “controls” that can’t account for hundreds of thousands of dollars in missing money, and targeting of families like the Lawsons for abuse to obtain financial gain for DSS.

CONTACTS:

 

Charlotte Media:

*NewsChannel 36
1001 Wood Ridge Center Drive
Charlotte, North Carolina 28217-1901
Phone: 704-329-3636

Send us a story
If you see news breaking, call us:
704-329-3600

*WBTV News Channel 3

News Tips:  To report breaking news, call 704-374-3691 or email assignmentdesk@wbtv.com.

Consumer stories:  To send suggestions for a consumer-related story, email kmiranda@wbtv.com.

PSI Charlotte:  Got a story you want our Problem Solvers Investigators to look into?  Call 704-374-3511 or email problemsolvers@wbtv.com.

More contacts at WBTV…

Address: 

WBTV TELEVISION

 1 Julian Price Place
 Charlotte, NC 28208 

Main phone:  704-374-3500, ext 1

 

*WSOC-TV channel 9

Phone: 704-338-9999 (Main switchboard) Phone: 704-335-4871 (Newsroom) Street address: 1901 N. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28206 Mailing address: P.O. Box 34665, Charlotte, NC 28234*NEWS 14 CAROLINA   316 E. Morehead Street Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28202 (704) 973-5800 Lanier Cansler Lanier M. Cansler, Secretary 919-733-4534; fax: 919-715-4645 2001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2001 Location: Adams Building, 101 Blair Drive, Raleigh   Governor Bev Perdue Citizen and Community Services Office The Citizen and Community Services Office responds to requests and questions that the Governor’s Office receives from citizens throughout North Carolina. (800) 662-7952 (919) 733-2391