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My husband and I received a phone call from Florida Social Services stating that they had our niece (whom I had only briefly met once) in custody because her mother (my husbands sister) had a drug problem. They asked if we would be willing to adopt her - there was nothing wrong with her other than she hadn't been to school in a couple of years and needed a place to sleep and eat. My husband flew to Florida the next day and was told that Florida would not allow us to have temporary guardianship, temporary custody etc. - we had to adopt her lock, stock and barrel. To add insult to injury - we had to complete the adoption in 30 days or she would be lost forever. Anyone who knows about the Florida Social Service System knows about the kids "lost", abused and killed recently. After receiving heavy family pressure, we agreed to adopt her - despite having just gotten married and having premature twin babies (in addition to our other two from previous marriages). We had to jump through an absurd amount of hoops in thirty days - from getting an adoption lawyer, having papers signed, medical exams, verification of income, personal recommendations, not to mention emptying our savings account. During this time, we were allowed to bring our niece home with us. She was an angel....
Until the ink dried on the adoption papers. After the adoption was complete, the real story came out. Our niece had been committed to a mental institution, regularly cuts herself, dealt drugs, slept with anyone willing and regularly steals and lies. If we discipline her, she complains to her guy friends how we mistreat her. I know this is a normal teenage thing, but we're talking guys who could easily break into our house and harm our kids or us. I fully expect to wake up one night staring down the barrel of a gun because I didn't let our niece go out. We have tried grounding, reasoning, positive reinforcement, bribary, ignoring her etc. We tried to get her to a therapist. She went, remained silent and refuses medication. I can't afford to spend that amount of money on a child who stares out the window every session. We've had to take her to the emergency room twice because she was so out of control we had to get her tested for drugs (she was clean). She's failing school, we constantly get calls from school because she's in the office for wanting to "kick someone's ***". She's had detentions, referrals. We're going to lose our jobs because we have to take so much time off to go to school because someone "talked about her" or "looked at her wrong". She's already been through one school.
We went back to the adoption lawyer who told us we couldn't give her up/back to Florida - they won't take her. We may have to pay child support until she's 18 if we remand her to our states custody in addition to having an investigation done on our family/home because we are giving her up. We can't afford child support with four other kids and our home was perfect until she came here.
Funny enough, when we adopted our niece, the family who pressured us to adopt her "disappeared" and her biological father, who didn't want to pay child support for the past 14 years "reappeared". He likes to "hang out" with her, but wants nothing to do with her outside of that. Her mother still has drug (and maturity) issues.
I'm desperate at this point. I'm considering seperating from my husband so I can save what's left of our family. I'm ready to give up on the dream home we just had built a year ago. I need to preserve my little ones future at all costs. Please help!!
Wow.....I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I guess the first 30 days were the ever famous "honeymoon phase".
I don't really have any advice expect don't give up on your marriage. Of course, this is my own opinion since I am not living with the hell that you are right now. The niece might be testing both of you to see if you really want her. She saw that you did during the first 30 days - but now - life is boring - no more fighting for her - she is no longer the center of attention.
As for "giving her back" - I don't know what to say. It's always easy to be sitting at MY computer in MY home and say, "sorry honey, you adopted her - she is now yours - problems and all" - but.....I DON'T live your life. Can you "committ" her to a hospital of some sort for persons with these problems?
If your safety or the safety of the other children are at risk - then she would have to have another place to live. I don't know what the answers to your questions are - but I don't believe that ending your marriage is THE answer.
My thoughts and prayers will be with you. Please keep us current with your situation.
Christina
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Believe me, If we had known she had been committed etc., we would have never consented to the adoption. We are unprepared to provide that level of support. We're essentially treating our biological kids the way she's been treated in the past because we are investing so much energy in her alone. We don't want our kids to end up in that same situation.
I'm upset because Florida knew her history and convienently forgot to disclose it. We had to give them every detail of our life, but they never gave us the major details of hers. They lied to get another kid out of their system and now we're left trying to hold onto our family and what's left of our lives.
Sorry to hear about your situation. I do feel sorry for your niece in what she has had to go through. Her mom being on drugs...etc.. Can't you hire an Attorney since FL lied to you? Seems like you would have a good case..
I will say a prayer for everyone involved. It's a shame that you want to give her back to FL. But then again, I don't know all the details of what you are going through..
Hope things will work out with you and your hubby...
We have been where you are ... including being advised of mental illness/bi-polar birth family history (the one no we said loud and clear to in our homestudy) after placement and attachment by us ... so we understand.
You can get assistance but it takes alot of backbone on the parents so be prepared. Determine if a Child in Need of Asisstance (CINA OR CINS in some states) is filed through your juvenile or family court system and file it ... some states you have to identify to Child Protective Services that you cannot meet the child's needs (which effects a "neglect" case against yourself but opens the door to action) for this hearing to be ordered and scheduled but if she needs the services she does and you want to hold onto your family - you will do what it takes.
They can take the 'care and custody' of the child (thus placing them in foster care or more restrictive if determined necessary (i.e., drug rehab)) while you retain legal rights and process through the different branches of assistance and determine if she can return home ... again not easy. Child support enforcement will be processed whether you do this or not (and can require legal proceedings to if unfair ... we are there at this point) as it sounds as if this situation will escalate and result in forced proceedings - better initiated by you! ... and if reunification of her into the family is deemed impossible, then permanency plan step are initiated (i.e., long-term foster care or term of rights for re-adoption, etc.).
Hope this helps - and do vent here - it does help!
Thank you so much for the help and understanding everyone! It's been a rough day. The school has called and said they are to the point of expelling her from the 8th grade (she's almost 16 now) - and she has just 6 days to go to get out of middle school finally! I just recieved another call from her counselor saying she wanted to call her biological father (which I have no problem with) and then they informed me that she told them she decided not to come home today. I guess we'll see when we get home.....
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Thank you so much for your concern - it's always nice to hear a friendly voice. The lawyer basically told us - "You adopted her, its your responsibility now". Yeah, that helped. We wouldn't turn her back to Florida regardless. We are Maryland residents and she would go back into the Maryland system. I could never send her back to Florida's system - I've seen, read etc. too many bad things about that place! Thanks again! :)
I first wanted to congratulate you both for doing what you felt was going to be in the best interests of your niece. It was unfair and Blatantly apparent that you guys were wronged somewhere down the line, especially since everywhere you turn, they seem to be turning a blind eye to any issues she needs dealt with now.
So, she's 16 in the 8th grade. Are there undiagnosed learning disabilities? Has the school at least referred her for testing for special education services and research an alternative learning environment that would meet her needs? What happens when she turns 18? Will she be a legal minor even though at that point she would be in the 10th grade?
I have no advice but this seems awfully crazy to me that no one is available to help you all out. It seems as though once she was adopted, you guys were completely left on your own. I do agree that it isn't fair for anyone involved here, but I am really concerned about all the time and attention you are giving her and sacrificing the time and attention that the rest of the kids need. Has she said what she really wants to do? I mean if counseling and fighting in school is her idea of the good life, then what would she do if she had the choice?
I also second the opinion of NOT leaving your husband. I believe that would be the worst thing to do. You both should be on a united front. I believe that she is truly hurting and also taking advantage of you guys. There may be some really serious issues and she sees you all as the enemies.
Hang in there. I haven't been in your shoes but we are all here to listen and to at least be there for you. I might try at the school level first and then take the recommendations of a previous poster who has been there. That's a good start. If the worst case scenario is paying childsupport until she's 18 then that's 2 years worth. It might be worth it to save your family AND get her the help she needs. Good luck! :)
Most counties do have a voluntary placement into foster care program ... which you would not hear about directly from social services ... it was hush hush until the last minute in our situation ... they lead you to believe that if you have to turn her over to state custody and care (different than legal rights) that you will be charged with and processed for abandonment ... which they can do ... but don't have to.
Pm me if you would prefer than identify your locatin publicly.
We are also in Maryland and the other poster is right you CAN do a voluntary relinquishment into fostercare.. they have to take her.. she sounds like she needs an RTC and MD can provide that.
I have seen many cases where social serivces tried to say you would be charged with neglect or abandonment but when it got to court the judge agreed that the child needed to be in the RTC or fostercare. The parents remained "involved" to some extent, but they were cared for my the system.
What county are you in?
Mandy
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Wow! Thanks guys. Our daughter ran away last night. We contacted the police, social services and department of juvenile services. Sure enough, they told us they would charge us with child neglect if we turned her over to the state and then they said they would remove our other children too!! What a way to railroad us! Can you fill me in on an "RTC"? What does it stand for? I want to be prepared when I call social services back. Oh and I live in Anne Arundel County. The only other alternative was to have her committed. We've explored that possibility in the past, but it was a 30 day temporary measure. If you can fill me in, I'm going to start the steps. Thank you again!!!!
I sent you a private email, but Brooklane in Hagerstown is a private residential center that has a treatment residential school. If you have decent insurance it may be a great place for her. It has teens from all over the country.
Sorry.. for some reason I did not get the updates on thsi post..
There are also residential centers in catonsville for girls..
DSS may threaten to do all that they have said.. but you can request the 30 day commitment and then request a court date to go in front of a judge to ask for her to go to an RTC.. also your insurance may help cover it..
feel free to email me privatly as well.
Let me know how things are going..
Mandy