9-3-2002
Dear Sirs/Madams:
On March 29th, 2002 - my reality was rewritten. In the last 5 months, I
have gone from a professional, talented, happily involved mother of 4 to finding
myself hunted, threatened, clinging to my remaining children and praying for
survival.
Everywhere I turn I find parents, good, loving, dedicated parents, clinging to
the same boat I am fighting to stay afloat with or, in many cases, they have
already given up and been swept away.
Everyone I share my story with has had one of two responses: 1) Yes, I've heard
about . . ., or know someone . . ., or I have been through the same thing or 2)
Wow, you only hear about these things in the movies . . .
I realize that the terrorist threat overseas is the big story . . . But PLEASE
somebody! Take a few minutes and look into the terrorists that are
kidnapping and selling our children - HERE - Sanctioned and paid for by our
government, day in, day out.
PLEASE! It may very well be to late to save my daughter but if you could
just let people know - they might be able to save their own children.
The following is a letter that I wrote to the Justice Department several months
ago. Their response was, typically: gosh, that's awful, we know these
things happen but it's not really our problem.
- - - -
I am a mother, trying desperately to find help for my daughter. She was
recently diagnosed with an emerging bi-polar related personality disorder
(nonspecific). In attempting to get her the counseling, medical and
emotional support she needed, I made my daughter my first priority and full time
job, spending hours every single day trying to line up resources for her.
I arranged for her to talk with counselors thru her school, a family therapist
(along with me and her siblings), a counselor thru the local Mental Health
clinic. I signed her up with a "peer group" thru our church as
well as one thru the local Women's Center. We started seeing our family
Dr. together, regularly, as he was very concerned about her emotional/mental
stability and wanted to "keep her on a short leash". All of
these support services (and more) I arranged for her, with no help and in some
cases, direct opposition from the local "Children's Services" Agency.
When I appealed to them directly, they told me it was not "under their
umbrella" and they had no services to offer me. Two months later, my
daughter was deteriorating to the point of alternately, attempting suicide and
violently attacking me and the baby. It was no longer safe for her to be
in my home.
Our family therapist arranged a community meeting at which time I found that
the "CSA" was required to find "appropriate placement" for
my daughter and provide the services they claimed they did not have.
Still, instead of providing any positive help for us, they then placed my
daughter in a completely inappropriate "shelter situation" from which
she then ran. She has since been "on the run" continually.
When she has been located and picked up - she has been "placed" in one
foul place after another only to run again.
My daughter was 14 when I signed up for "voluntary services" for her
with the "Children's Services Agency". Every single Health and
Mental Health professional that was in contact with our family and my daughter
is in unanimous support of my efforts and convinced that my daughter's problems
were treatable with the proper support, supervision and medication. Every
single one of them knows that she did not have a drug problem up to the day that
she left my home. She was not promiscuous, did not smoke or drink.
Now, according to the "CSA" reports she has now been found in "Meth
Houses", engaging in sex with much older men (often convicted felons), has
multiple body piercings and has begun smoking, drinking and using illegal drugs.
During the brief periods when the State of Oregon has managed to get
"custody" of her, I have not been allowed to see or even speak with
her.
The first week my daughter was gone, Social Worker, Tina Amela called me to tell
me they were coming over to pick up her things and talk to my children again.
When I told her I had not had a chance to talk to my attorney yet, she told me
she was only calling me "as a courtesy". She said she wasn't
asking me, she was telling me. When I asked where my daughter was and how
she was doing. She told me she was fine and doing much better away from
me.
When I asked to talk to her she said she was not "inclined to allow that". I told her I just wanted to tell her I loved her and wanted to know she was OK. Tina told me I was being "un-cooperative". Then, naively (stupidly?), I asked about my "parental rights".
Tina replied "Parental Rights? You don't have any rights here! We have all the "rights"! We can come into your house whenever we want. We don't need your permission - We can question your children, examine your children, search your house. We can be there anytime we want 24-7 and if you have a problem with that, we'll just take all of your kids away and you can "exercise your rights" all you want. Now, I was trying to be polite but you're just determined to be uncooperative. I don't know what you're hiding but we will be there, at 2:00 and I suggest you rethink you attitude before we get there."
She hung up. I
frantically called the attorney I had been "appointed" and quickly
found out that for all practical purposes, Tina was correct. I had no
rights. He advised me not to "talk" to them until we had a
chance to talk but above all "bend over backwards to be cooperative!".
I certainly did "change my attitude". I was terrified.
They showed up at 2:00, removed my daughter's clothes and possessions along with
her Easter Basket and Easter drawing/"note" from the 2 year old.
They searched the house for the second (but certainly not the last) time,
questioned the two boys for over an hour, without me or an attorney. I did
ask for a phone number or some kind of contact with my daughter but Tina told me
very coldly that, clearly that was not a good idea. Over the next 30 days,
I tried several times to find out where my daughter was and how she was doing.
I hit a brick wall at every turn.
At the Disposition Hearing on April
29th, I first found out that my daughter had been "misplaced".
I contacted the local Legal Aid Office who, after I had signed releases,
investigated our "case" and then asked that I sign a retainer for them
to represent me in legal action against the local "CSA". The
local "CSA" office was notified on May 17th that I was contemplating a
Tort Claim against them and then on May 20th they received a written Notice of
that.
May 21st Tina arrived at my home with local police officers to take my other three children. Luckily, I was at my neighbors home as they stormed up the walk and watched in disbelief as the drama unfolded. A local Pastor actually helped us escape out the basement around 11pm that night and we have not been "home" since.
The local "CSA"
immediately launched an all-out attack on my character and my remaining
children:
They started by canvassing this small town and telling my neighbors, friends,
Pastor, etc that I was mentally unbalanced, a dangerous, vicious person who
would not hesitate to kill her own children if I felt wronged. They
continued filing blatantly false statements with the courts re: me and my
children. They claimed I did not want my daughter, had never wanted her
and did not want her to have a father figure because I said she would sleep with
him. They claimed I had threatened to kill her, the CSA
"workers" who had taken her, my other children, etc. They
brought armed police by the house on several occasions to take my other three
children. They contacted my estranged family and told my father I was
filing charges of sexual abuse against him, they contacted my ex-husband and
arranged extensive unsupervised visitation, against my expressed wishes, against
the strong advise of the counselors and therapists who knew my daughter and
against numerous court orders. They told me unless I started cooperating
immediately I would never see any of my children again.
In Astoria, Oregon pop 9,000, the "CPS" and "Welfare Office"
are not only in the same building but they use the same cubicles/office, report
to the same Supervisors and illegally interfere in each others business.
When I refused to "cooperate with CPS" they terminated all of my
"benefits": Food Stamps, medical coverage, rent stabilization, daycare
etc. for my other three children.
At "CSA's behest, the Astoria Police Department followed and harassed me,
my Pastor, neighbors and friends. APD broke into my home (without a
warrant) and stole documentation pertinent to my case. They tapped phone
lines of friends, neighbors and our Pastor in their attempt to "obtain
custody" of my other 3 children. They made numerous threats trying to
locate us and blatantly lied about having a "Federal Warrant" for my
arrest. The had my car impounded and when I was able to have a judge order
it released back to me, the officer that had towed it, took possession of it
himself. APD told me that they would no longer honor the Protection Order
I had obtained against my ex-husband and then, when I still "would not
cooperate", they told him (against the Court Order) where/how to find us.
By the time I contacted the local Women's Center for help, the
"advocate" had already been lied to by Tina and immediately called her
to tell her where I had called from and where she could pick up my children.
Again, we were able to escape, barely.
The attorney that was appointed for me, told me he would not be able to
represent me adequately because of the retribution the CPS workers routinely
take on his other clients. (He used to be the DA for this county - he is
in a position to know.)
Oregon's Judicial Watch and Oregon Family Rights can tell you, Clatsop
County is well know for their corruption and criminal abduction of our children.
Patrick Harned's parents tried to get help for him from the very same people who
are bent on destroying my family (Patrick is the 16 year old who murdered Ashley
(4 yo) a block from the Clatsop County Courthouse)
Edgar Steele, attorney for Brian and Ruth Christine, advised me to run as fast and as far as I could.
I did.
I have always had Full Custody of my daughter, I have never been arrested in my
life, never had a drug or alcohol problem, never abused or neglected any of my
children. I have consistently arranged counseling, contact with family
therapists, counselors to be sure I was doing the best I could for my children.
My daughter (all of my children) have been lavished with love and attention,
good food, nice clothes, nice homes, ballet classes, trips to Disneyland and
camping, everything they could need.
However, because I "fled", the courts in Oregon State will most likely rule against me in all matters pertaining to the daughter they have kept there, if/when they find her. The "CSA" is already petitioning the same court to grant them custody and a federal "pick up order" for my other children.
Last week, I was notified that the "CSA" has already arranged placement of all 4 of my children with a "wonderful adopting mother" who has agreed to take on my "difficult teenager" as long as she is guaranteed an uncontested adoption of my 2 babies.
Are you still with me? This IS the United States of America we are talking
about her - Our church recently hosted a missionary from Bangladesh, she says
"they have nothing like this there. . . Children are not bought and
sold" . . .
I am now working to re-establish my "reduced" family and I have
welcomed the local Mental Health and Children's Services Agencies to observe and
critique our family and me. I again have the full support of MH
professionals and
our community.
The local courts have assured me that based on the entire court record up to the
day I left (May 22nd), the OR courts do not have jurisdiction over my other
children. The local courts and law enforcement have assured me that they
will not allow Oregon to "dictate" to them. They (not
surprisingly) have had similar cases fleeing from Oregon and they did not allow
Oregon to come and remove children in those cases either. Although this
situation could change at any moment, especially if OR allows an Order to pick
up my children, I believe we are as safe as we can be for now. (OFR
note- Turns out Utah rolled over like cowards before Oregon's corrupt system and
sent the Utah police to pick them up in late November, 2002 to haul them all
back to the Oregon meatgrinder. Taylor had to go back in hiding)
However, the same can not be said for my daughter.
I realize that the Department of Justice has very little say in how individual
States "run their business". But . . . As I have begun to
find so many people with similar stories - so many children destroyed . . .
Can you offer me any advice? Is there anyone to turn to?
My understanding is that "Oregon's Children's Plan" derives 85% of
their funding, in one way or another from the Department of Justice.
JUSTICE! Is there any one in a position to review how those millions of
dollars are being used? Is there anyone in a position to encourage
accountability that might possibly be willing to do so? Is there any help
for my family? Is there any hope for my daughter?
Please take the few minutes to look at our situation. Please.
- - - - -
I ask you as well, PLEASE look at the overwhelming evidence of an Agency with
too much power and definitely using it for evil!
Look at the websites: adoptuskids.com, adoptablekids.com, etc. My kids
aren't listed yet, but many kids who "aren't legally available yet . . .
" ARE! "TPR scheduled for July 2002!"
Please look over: oregonfamilyrights.com, help4kids.com,
standupagain.com,
pacificjustice.com, childprotectionreform.org
Maybe my story isn't tragic enough to gain your attention YET - I've just lost
my home, car, career and one child - for the moment I still have my other three
children but PLEASE look at all of the people and children who have lost
everything!
I do not have the resources to fight this forever. Parent's across this
country are being bankrupted by their fights to keep or regain their children.
CSA's across the country are being paid to further this agenda.
The legislators and agencies don't want to change the system. They depend
on the Federal funding to stay afloat. They know these stories.
Senator Gordon had arranged a task force to look into a similar story out of
Astoria but no action was taken based on their report.
They only hope I can see for a true change is you, the Media. You can
shine a light on this. You can show people that this does happen in the
good ole US of A. You can put a spot light on Astoria, Oregon and the
corruption that is separating children from loving parents at an amazing rate.
Beautiful and historic Astoria, Oregon, where you truly have NO RIGHTS.
Please don't stand by and ignore this. If you won't help me and my
children. PLEASE help the children who will be ripped from their homes
tomorrow.
Sincerely and hopefully,
Taylor McLaren