Let's Catch Up, Shall We?

Hey peeps, I'm back for the moment.  I was in need of a break from all of what was going on.  So much!  More cases of unethical adopters popping up, the Hodgin/McCaul case taking some more devious turns, a few current cases taking some low blows from the industry and the entitled kidnappers who want their children.  It blows my mind that some of these cases have fallen under national news radar.  Outside of the local outlets or first hand accounts from those up against those in power, there's not been a single whisper about these cases.

Let's start with the failed foster parents, Dave and Kim Hodgin.  I will admit, a lot has happened.  They have once again filed a petition to TPR Mr McCaul so they can adopt SM.  Sadly, instead of throwing the case out, the judge involved with this part actually put things on hold until another court date.  Given TN laws, the legal thing to do would be to throw the TPR petition out.  In order to apply to adopt, the potential family has to have custody of the child and have them in their custody for at least six months, if I remember correctly.  The Hodgins have neither.  SM is still in the custody of her father and has been since January.

The Hodgins have also fired their lawyer and hired.....check this out....AN ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER.  This case should have ended last month but now due to a change in legal representation, they were given several weeks to get their new lawyer up to speed.  He has no experience in dependency law or child custody.  Word through the grapevine is things did go rather well for SM and her father so far.  I don't know the details, but apparently this entertainment lawyer bit off more than he can chew taking on a case he has absolutely ZERO experience in.

The hate group, Christian Alliance for Indian Child Welfare, run by a Lisa Morris, are in a tizzy now over the Department of Justice getting involved with the South Dakota cases of native children being taken out of homes by social services and placed or adopted out to non native families, trampling all over ICWA as if it meant nothing.  Yes, folks, the federal government is now eye balling the blatant federal violations by South Dakota social services against the Lakota people and numerous others.  Do not be fooled by this Morris broad.  She firmly believes anyone of Christian faith should be allowed to adopt a child of their choice, even if it violates federal and state laws.  She believes native rights are discriminatory against whites and the Christian religion.  Her hate group was part of the driving force of support to the Capobianco kidnappers.  She continues to push for laws that make it easy pickins' on native children.

And now thanks to the Supreme Court's disgustingly narrow ruling against Dusten and his daughter (the existing Indian family portion of ICWA), a few non native potential adopters are trying to use this in an effort to adopt native children elsewhere.  Out of California, there is a dependency case involving a Choctaw child in foster care.  Due to all the nonsense Childrens Services has placed on the father, he finally threw in the towel with reunification efforts and requested, per federal law, that his son go to next of kin.  The fosters, even though they knew the little boy would only be in their care temporarily, decided they deserve the child more and are now fighting to keep the child from being taken from them.  An appeals court more or less told them they had zero rights to the child and ICWA stands.  They even blasted the Supreme Court's interpretation of that portion of the law.  My understanding, sadly, is that California is a very pro adoption state, so it's hard to say how this will turn out.  The appelate court kicked the case back down to the lower courts but also made it clear that federal law had to be followed.  Reckon we'll see how this pans out.

Another case has a young man pitted against kidnappers who actually work for the court and the judge overseeing the case is a FRIEND OF THEIRS.  From what has been gathered, things are not going in this man's favor and honestly, given the massive conflict of interest, should be enough to get a change of venue and judge.  From my understanding, he has done everything required of him per state law to establish his rights and because the kidnappers are in places of power and are connected to the judge overseeing the case, he is the proverbial David against the more powerful Goliath.  Most of the information here was gleaned from support pages and a few other posts when the Dad tried to speak out.  Sadly, a gag order has been placed on him to keep him from speaking out against the injustices happening against him and his child and much of this information is no longer available now.  He is not allowed to speak about what is happening to him and his son.  Typical actions when a court and entitled kidnappers want to keep their crimes secret.

Another case has been going on for a period of time involving an adoption agency and a mother manipulated and strong armed into giving her son up for adoption.  The agency involved has refused to return her son, even as their ability to place him with another family grows slimmer and slimmer.  The agency, Adoption by Gentle Care, is so determined to keep her son, they have been watching the mother's every move online and even following a few blogs that highlighted the story when it first came out.  The public outcry has become a public relations nightmare for the agency.  Every ill thing said by her supporters is being used against her, from what I understand.  

I honestly cannot say much more about this case.  I am afraid my sailor tongue will come through and I have an awful lot to say about this agency, but I just cannot.  Given the details I am aware of, much like everyone else, I am imploring Adoption by Gentle Care to find it in their heart to give the mother back her son.  You got your glory, AGC.  Now do what's right and what you know is right and give her back her son.  He needs his Momma more than ever and you know this.  We get that you're upset about the backlash this case has caused and are wanting to make an example out of the mother, but in the end the only ones that will be hurt are that baby and whichever family you are able to place him with.  There are numerous other children you can work with placing, children who need families.  This baby needs to go back home to his mother, where he belongs.

I will update more in a later entry as more public information comes through about the above mentioned cases.  This is just a run down of what is taking place across the country.