Georgia - Fulton County
We have permission from Rachel Bortz to post her story on this website.
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Are you a: Person with CPS case
When was your case finalized? Current (not finalized yet)
How long was your case open? Pending (still open)
Give a brief description of your case, including the current status and/or outcome: Our 4yr old son was taken after his 5 month old brother was rushed to the hospital after being found not breathing. A subsequent CT scan found a skull fracture, which DFCS promptly proclaimed shaken baby syndrome, and snatched our 4 yr old, first from his home, then again 4 days later from his grandparents home. The doctor initially told us our 5 month old had passed away from SIDS, and never asked us if he had ever had any accidents or injuries. In fact, I had accidentally dropped him in the kitchen five days prior to him being found not breathing, and an autopsy was performed after his death and the skull fracture was at least a few days old.
DFCS refuses to acknowledge our explanation, and has publically slandered us by stating that this was intentional and that it was shaken baby syndrome, even though the medical examiner stated that he had completely ruled out shaken baby syndrome. Our son was finally returned to us by the Judge at our adjudicatory hearing, however there is a protective order in which DFCS gets to check in once a month. We hope to have this order removed soon.
Please give a list of your main criticisms:
What should be done to reform CPS? I don't know that they can be reformed. Hiding behind the title of "child saver," they can do what they please.
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Are you a: Person with CPS case
When was your case finalized? Current (not finalized yet)
How long was your case open? Pending (still open)
Give a brief description of your case, including the current status and/or outcome: Our 4yr old son was taken after his 5 month old brother was rushed to the hospital after being found not breathing. A subsequent CT scan found a skull fracture, which DFCS promptly proclaimed shaken baby syndrome, and snatched our 4 yr old, first from his home, then again 4 days later from his grandparents home. The doctor initially told us our 5 month old had passed away from SIDS, and never asked us if he had ever had any accidents or injuries. In fact, I had accidentally dropped him in the kitchen five days prior to him being found not breathing, and an autopsy was performed after his death and the skull fracture was at least a few days old.
DFCS refuses to acknowledge our explanation, and has publically slandered us by stating that this was intentional and that it was shaken baby syndrome, even though the medical examiner stated that he had completely ruled out shaken baby syndrome. Our son was finally returned to us by the Judge at our adjudicatory hearing, however there is a protective order in which DFCS gets to check in once a month. We hope to have this order removed soon.
Please give a list of your main criticisms:
- The audacity of the employees of this agency. The fact that they lie through their teeth, and it doesn't matter, that they do not know, let alone follow their own manuals, and the fact that they do not respect the laws of the constitution, there is no due process.
- The CPS caseworker lied in her reports and in our panel review. I have audio taped phone conversations to prove it. She also claimed she had a new court order when they took our 4 yr old from his grandparents home, which was untrue, and than lied about it during our panel review. We have six adult witnesses to prove this.
- This DFCS policy of removing all children when there is an serious injury or death. In our case, there was no evidence of abuse, only suspicions by the social worker and CPS. They never could produce any evidence that abuse occurred (which of course they couldn't, because it never did), yet they traumatize a child and keep him from his parents for weeks just because they can.
What should be done to reform CPS? I don't know that they can be reformed. Hiding behind the title of "child saver," they can do what they please.
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