Strollerderby
Toddler Killed Months After Being Returned To Abusive Parents
It’s sad and frustrating and tragic when Child Protective Services drops the ball or fails to follow up and a child ends up dead. But at least in those cases, there’s a lesson to be learned, a motivation to shore up the system so maybe the next case will have a happier ending.
But how much more sad and frustrating and tragic is it when Child Protective Services does everything right, and a child still ends up dead? What kind of lesson can be learned from a case like that?
In February, 2007, 21-month-old Christopher Barcenas and his two siblings were removed from the home of their parents, 21-year-old Elizabeth Arellano and 22-year-old Sergio Barcenas, due to reports of “domestic violence and neglect.” The parents cooperated fully with CPS, enrolling in months of parenting classes and undergoing psychological evaluations. Once the kids were reunited with their parents in December, CPS performed monthly home visits until April, when caseworkers determined there was no need for further monitoring.
Now, Christopher is dead. He was rushed to the hospital by his mother, who claimed he had choked on a chicken nugget. Doctors, however, determined that Christopher had actually died from blunt force trauma to the head. His parents, 21-year-old Elizabeth Arellano and 22-year-old Sergio Barcenas, claim they have no idea what happened to Christopher. Or his twin brother, for that matter – whom CPS found had also suffered “significant injuries.”
So, do we just have to accept that there are some children who just can’t be saved? Or maybe we just have to accept that there are some parents who can’t be saved, and whose parental rights must be permanently terminated to protect their children. But how do you identify those parents? It would seem that a willingness to take classes, a substantial effort to regain custody, would indicate a commitment by the parents to do better by their kids. But how can we write policy when there’s no way to really know what’s in people’s hearts?
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6 Comments
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amget a life
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amI have seen foster parents beat and abuse of their children, it happened to one of my friends i knew these people and they were good to their kids, get a life or do something else and quit talking about people if u really do not know what happened as far as i know no one has been charged, why? because maybe it was an accident.
Manjari commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amI agree with Cassie too (which is rare for me). I don’t think parents who do serious harm to their children should have second chances. These two were bad parents before their son was returned to them, and now they are murderers. I hope their remaining children will be permanently removed, and that they will rot in jail.
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amas much as I believe in second chances, I have to agree with you Cassie. To do serious harm to child requires the mind of mental state that cannot be “fixed” with a few classes ans counceling sessions. We should err on the side of caution when it comes to the life of a child.
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amAs a social worker, I can tell you it wasn’t a social worker’s decision that the child return to her family. All decisions are made by judges. The goal is always to keep families together.
Anonymous commented on Jan 01 70 at 12:00 amThere was a case down here of a 16 months old was given back to her teen mom and they killed her the next week. The kid was in the hospital with a broken arm and leg. Can you imagine how hard she was beaten to have those injuries. Social worker let her leave the hospital with her mom. I am an adoptive mom and biological mom. When my daughter was abandoned on a street corner the government of her country declared her an orphan. No one left on a street as a newborn has parents as far as thier laws go. No second chance for them. I think they have it right. I think if you child is sufficiently neglected or abused, even once, so that they are in danger the parents should get no second chance. I;m talkign broken bones, starvation, concussions not little things. Our system tries to reunite the families and spends millions of our tax dollars doing it. Why? Because it is cheaper than going to court, foster care and care by the state. Money kills these kids. Remember your tax dollars provided the traing for that family that killed their son.
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