SC - John & Connie Oliver accused of starving kids, 2006

Parents accused of starving kids win custody

Adopted kids looked like they ‘hadn't been fed in months,’ sergeant says



COLUMBIA, S.C. - A couple accused of starving their two adopted children were awarded custody by a Family Court judge Wednesday, the parents’ attorney said.

John and Connie Oliver’s children were taken into state custody Sept. 23 after police found the 12-year-old girl and her then-10-year-old brother unattended at a church playground.

The girl weighed just 40 pounds at the time, and her brother weighed 45 pounds.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16191439/

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How does this happen?? They are awarded custody?

Granted, they only gained about 3 lbs while in state custody, but this last sentence bothers me:

“They stated to me that they had been beat on by the mother,” former Sgt. Lisa Hyder said.

As if this is enough:

"The Olivers will undergo mental evaluations and attend parenting classes as part of an agreement approved by a Family Court judge"

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/16233662.htm

Judge's name is not listed in article but maybe it will come out. sometimes public pressure helps!

At first glance I thought maybe celiac disease was found to be a diagnosis and that is why she gave them back. It causes most people to not be able to hold on weight and become malnutritioned and severely underweight.

But with the statement of how she beat them just sickens me! What chance do we have of these children ever coming forward again since the judge dismissed their accusations and they will probably get "punished" for this! They probably figure no one cares.

This ruling is along the lines of that crazy judge that refused to sentence a convicted child molester to prison because he was "too short" for prison.

What is wrong with the judge in this case?

This happened not far from where I live. I was irate when I read this in the paper. A few months ago these kids were found locked out of their home; at age 10 and 12 they weighed 45 and 40 pounds. My 10 year old is almost twice that, and people say she's skinny! So social services investigated and "couldn't find any evidence of abuse"??? How about that the kids are not fed properly? How about that they're locked out of their home? Neighbors say it is not uncommon for the parents to leave the home, leaving the kids locked out and on their own.

This is ridiculous. If something happens to those kids, it will be social services who is at fault.

Mr. E said:

This happened not far from where I live. I was irate when I read this in the paper. A few months ago these kids were found locked out of their home; at age 10 and 12 they weighed 45 and 40 pounds. My 10 year old is almost twice that, and people say she's skinny! So social services investigated and "couldn't find any evidence of abuse"??? How about that the kids are not fed properly? How about that they're locked out of their home? Neighbors say it is not uncommon for the parents to leave the home, leaving the kids locked out and on their own.

This is ridiculous. If something happens to those kids, it will be social services who is at fault.

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Don't forget about the judge.......

Mr. E said:

This happened not far from where I live. I was irate when I read this in the paper. A few months ago these kids were found locked out of their home; at age 10 and 12 they weighed 45 and 40 pounds. My 10 year old is almost twice that, and people say she's skinny! So social services investigated and "couldn't find any evidence of abuse"??? How about that the kids are not fed properly? How about that they're locked out of their home? Neighbors say it is not uncommon for the parents to leave the home, leaving the kids locked out and on their own.

This is ridiculous. If something happens to those kids, it will be social services who is at fault.

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I believe they said the kids only gained 3 lbs in custody, which leads me to believe that they were not neglectful there.

Can't speak about the rest though.

I think it's horrible the kids didn't have a set of keys if this was a common occurance. But I don't think it's unusual for them to be left home alone for short periods of time. (The again, my idea of short is 1/2 or less, lol!).

As far as the girl saying she was beat on. I don't know what to think there. I would think any child truly "beat on" would have some marks to show.

These are ADHD children who are vicitms of fetal alcohol syndrome from another country. I have NO doubts in believing that it is possible some of the children's comments were either guided or non-factual. Ever had some 1 on 1 contact with CYS? My sis was put through heck by them when she became wheelchair bound with a small child. Big ballooned egos there. They don't like to be wrong either.

IE - My ADHD son once said that I'm always hitting him and putting him down. When his stepdad asked when do I do this my sons response was..."Well she always threatens to whoop my butt and says I'm behaving like a 5 year old."

Far cry from always hitting and putting him down. Emotionally charged kids can overstate the severity of a situation, especially one that suffers from a bad case of ADHD. They also don't understand the severity of comments like that. Mine didn't. (On a side note, my son is 13, 225 lbs. and 6'1". When this arguement happened I was 7 months into a high risk pregnancy). And when his stepdad explained it to him he was extremely distraught.

I've also seen friends who have been threatened by an out of control child that they were gonna call the cops and tell them they were getting hit.

Not saying this is the case for them. Just a different take on the situation. A bit of food for thought, if you will, lol!

I was discussing this with a colleague, and she had read that the children were/are under the care of a physician because of their small stature. Not only are they thin, they are short, too. In fact, one article apparantly stated that the children had been to this physician the Friday before they were taken to social services.

However, according to the paper, neighbors are reporting that the children are often left alone outside. I suppose if social services investigated this, they found no reason to keep the kids in foster care. And I thought the children stated that they had been beaten by the mother? However, here in the South "beaten on" can mean a pop on the butt, a trip to the woodshed with a switch, a slap across the mouth -- anything.

I'm not sure how to feel about it, except that if the children are thin and sickly and have ADHD and FAS, they don't need to be left alone like their mother is doing.

Remember this judge at election time. Get him off the bench.

Social services really does not surprise me anymore.

If the kids only gained 3 lbs in state custody, something tells me there is a health issue going on. Still it seems the foster parents are abusive and neglectful, and the kids should be placed in another home.

My cousins son is 14 and small and slightly underweight. He eats like a horse, and his 13 year old sister is almost his height. He was born an extreme preemie, lucky to have even survived without long term health problems and DR's say he is still trying to catch up. He is obviously late in his growth spurt, and he has not hit puberty yet either. His voice still sounds like a girl.

Mr. E said:

However, here in the South "beaten on" can mean a pop on the butt, a trip to the woodshed with a switch, a slap across the mouth -- anything.

I'm not sure how to feel about it, except that if the children are thin and sickly and have ADHD and FAS, they don't need to be left alone like their mother is doing.

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I'm not sure how I feel either. But I definitely believe that a parent can be painted as a monster when CYS is desperate.

We are quick to view these people as monsters even though we have no real proof other than a comment from a scared 12-year-old with apparent medical issues.

Parenting classes. Continued supervision. Wrap Around Services (anyone familiar with these? My sis has them now and they are a wonderful resource). Psychiatric help from people well versed in ADHD and FAS (since I'm sure they play off each other).

Any indication of physical abuse then immediate removal from the home.

And I complete agree E. Mom and Dad need to understand these children should never be left to their own accord given their medical/emotional issues. Maybe this was a good thing for them. Possibly they may have not have prepared adequately for the issues that can arise from oversea adoptions and found themselves overwhelmed trying to hold onto normalcy.

Now that they are court active they will get the services they need immediately without having to meet each program's guidelines. I believe if Wrap Around services are offered this will help resolve the hopelessness it sounds like their all feeling.

Mr. E said:

I was discussing this with a colleague, and she had read that the children were/are under the care of a physician because of their small stature. Not only are they thin, they are short, too. In fact, one article apparantly stated that the children had been to this physician the Friday before they were taken to social services.

However, according to the paper, neighbors are reporting that the children are often left alone outside. I suppose if social services investigated this, they found no reason to keep the kids in foster care. And I thought the children stated that they had been beaten by the mother? However, here in the South "beaten on" can mean a pop on the butt, a trip to the woodshed with a switch, a slap across the mouth -- anything.

I'm not sure how to feel about it, except that if the children are thin and sickly and have ADHD and FAS, they don't need to be left alone like their mother is doing.

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If these children are sickly I hope they are receiving medical care on a regular basis...You would think if they had documentation to back up that the children have some sort of disorder and receive medical attention they would not have been put in foster care.
I have an Autistic child w/ADHD & Epilepsy and was called by HRS when a single bruise was found on her arm while she was at school. She was taken in, photo'd, etc....the works. They discovered that she receives regular medical attn from several docs, received records and understood that she took meds that makes her bruise easy and that she climbs over, under, through everything...this answered lots of questions.
IMO, if there were medical records then why foster care?

What are Wrap Around Services?

Regarding the short stature it could still be celiac disease. There is no medical treatment for it except adhering to a gluten free diet. It is a largely misunderstood disorder without good testing. It's very hard to get a diagnosis. It took me from the age of 15 years old to 34 years old of suffering with it including a host of autoimmune disorders and epilepsy which occured from eating gluten before they realized what it was. It also has a very strong genetic link. Im lucky my damage was reversible. Some individuals are so badly damaged that its not reversible and they die. Joe C from kid rock's group had it and died at 26 years old.

Leaving them outside for a long time is also an issue with me but many parents have done it. Its neglect in my opinion. I hope they receive counseling to see if the beating claims are accurate for the children.

Autumn2004 said:

Regarding the short stature it could still be celiac disease. There is no medical treatment for it except adhering to a gluten free diet. It is a largely misunderstood disorder without good testing. It's very hard to get a diagnosis. It took me from the age of 15 years old to 34 years old of suffering with it including a host of autoimmune disorders and epilepsy which occured from eating gluten before they realized what it was. It also has a very strong genetic link. Im lucky my damage was reversible. Some individuals are so badly damaged that its not reversible and they die. Joe C from kid rock's group had it and died at 26 years old.

Leaving them outside for a long time is also an issue with me but many parents have done it. Its neglect in my opinion. I hope they receive counseling to see if the beating claims are accurate for the children.

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Autumn, did you have problem with weight as well? Does the disease manifest with different symptoms (as to why it is so hard to dx?) Being as small as these children were I hope the parents were concerned enough to get them medical attention (documented). But IMO the children being locked out of the house (especially in this age and time) is not an acceptable thing to do.... I just keep my fingers crossed that these children will be safe.

I had a problem with weight gain when I was younger, I could not keep it on then it switched to being very obese even though I was severely malnutritioned. I lost over 2/3 of my hair over the last two years. I also have osteoporosis even though I'm not in menopause, I take my vitamins, and Im very overweight but have lost half of my weight since going gluten free. Im also only 34.

Symptoms are very different with everyone except it leads to cancer, osteoporosis, nerve damage, severe nutritional deficiencies, glaucoma,autoimmune disorders, and of course early death.

Its hard because its even in most cleaning products, paper towels, soaps, shampoos you name it and many brands have it in it. Its even in playdoh, envelopes, and some stickers.

Some people have so much neurological damage you end up in wheelchairs. Common misdiagnosis's are chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgis, and ibs (which is a joke diagnosis it just means they have no idea what is wrong with you.) The testing is horribly inaccurate and has only been around since the 1960's and not been updated at all. Right now genetic testing through enterolab is going before the fda to get approval, I already had mine through there and Im getting my daughter tested. www.celiac.com is a good resource for information on it. Dr's are not properly trained in it either. I went to the top gastro dr in this area and he told me I couldnt have it because I was fat (completely outdated information) I paid $350 to have my genetics tested and proudly returned with the results. I felt like I was going crazy, I couldnt find an answer and with diarrhea everyday for three years I finally had an answer and could get treatment. Not everyone though has diarrhea it took me years to get to that point.

Sorry for the long post its a complicated disorder that is very misunderstood still, even by the medical community.

Autumn2004 said:

I had a problem with weight gain when I was younger, I could not keep it on then it switched to being very obese even though I was severely malnutritioned. I lost over 2/3 of my hair over the last two years. I also have osteoporosis even though I'm not in menopause, I take my vitamins, and Im very overweight but have lost half of my weight since going gluten free. Im also only 34.

Symptoms are very different with everyone except it leads to cancer, osteoporosis, nerve damage, severe nutritional deficiencies, glaucoma,autoimmune disorders, and of course early death.

Its hard because its even in most cleaning products, paper towels, soaps, shampoos you name it and many brands have it in it. Its even in playdoh, envelopes, and some stickers.

Some people have so much neurological damage you end up in wheelchairs. Common misdiagnosis's are chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgis, and ibs (which is a joke diagnosis it just means they have no idea what is wrong with you.) The testing is horribly inaccurate and has only been around since the 1960's and not been updated at all. Right now genetic testing through enterolab is going before the fda to get approval, I already had mine through there and Im getting my daughter tested. www.celiac.com is a good resource for information on it. Dr's are not properly trained in it either. I went to the top gastro dr in this area and he told me I couldnt have it because I was fat (completely outdated information) I paid $350 to have my genetics tested and proudly returned with the results. I felt like I was going crazy, I couldnt find an answer and with diarrhea everyday for three years I finally had an answer and could get treatment. Not everyone though has diarrhea it took me years to get to that point.

Sorry for the long post its a complicated disorder that is very misunderstood still, even by the medical community.

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Autumn~ Wow, sounds like you've been through a lot..I hope with your dx you are feeling better and taking good care of yourself. I have heard of the disease (I watch Discovery Health channel every night) but never encountered anyone with it. Thanks for enlightening us on it!!
I wonder what the odds are of having 2 children with the disease in the same family?
I guess my point with this case is I wonder if the parents were seeking medical help like you had. If not, why?

Mr. E said:

What are Wrap Around Services?

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Wrap Around Services is a program that is offered by the state for families with special needs.

Depending on the county/state the program can offer different benefits.

For my sister, she recieved a counselor (affiliated with the mental health facility they attend for psychiatric treatment) that comes to the house to address issues that can not be effectively resolved in a clinical environment.

This woman observes the house and how they interact within it and offer help in addressing issues (such as homework, chores, and quality time interaction).

Unlike CYS, who would come 1x a month, this woman is there every week and she has become connected and invested in my sis and her daughter's success. She works with their psychiatrist and the services are paid for by the state.

She often understands "the system" and knows the various agencies available and is able to guide my sister with things she never knew existed. (For example, my sister's washer/dryer broke and the woman referred her to an agency that was able to help her get a used one for free).

And there are emergency services. One time my niece became very distraught over the changes and ran out of the house. My sis called the emergency number and her counselor actually came to the house and helped resolve the issue. Where as before the police would be called, CYS would get involved...cycle cycle cycle. Nothing got fixed.

Things are getting fixed now. But the service is only good as the people involved in it. Giving and receiving.

For my sister the issue was truancy. My sis is wheelchair bound and my niece is bipolar. But as far as CYS was concerned. My sister was a monster because her house was a mess and the kid didn't go to school.

Now my sister has wrap around services and THEY see the day-to-day truth that CYS never was willing to see. My sister FINALLY has someone with authority in her corner.

CYS said straighten up or lose your daughter. Wrap Around came in and evaluted and the next thing you know my sister has home care services. They help clean, organize, and run small chores. They helped her get an electric wheelchair and wheels on meals. Now my niece can no longer run the house like a tryant and my sis is back in control. CYS left me feeling depressed. Many times CYS has big egos with little hearts. There are geniune times people are just in overwhelming situations and need to know there are better ways to resolve the issues.

Not sure with this family. But I hope this is another case of parents who are overwhelmed and not truly abusive.