VA - Aveion Lewis, 2, Roanoke, 14 January 2010 #2

Calliope said:

Lewis, however, said he never trusted Brandon Lockett.

"The way Brandon was, it just seemed like he wanted to get to me," Lewis said.

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Calliope said:

Lewis, however, said he never trusted Brandon Lockett.

"The way Brandon was, it just seemed like he wanted to get to me," Lewis said.

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everyoneneedsavoice said:

Looks like this is new...re: Bio dad and paternal grandmother

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/234025

Toddler's dad speaks about losing his son

...says things changed after the boy's mother met Brandon Lockett.

The two would have confrontations during court hearings...

He recalled several times that he tried to see them, such as on Aveion's first birthday, when he said Morgan Lockett wouldn't answer the door.

"grandmother" also said she had to go to court to get visitation rights and, even then, found herself knocking on a door that wouldn't open.

"How many times can you get your heart broke?" Mason said.

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JLMcKenna83 said:

I've been thinking of the right words to say that wouldn't get me a TO... and quite honestly I haven't come up with much. We all pretty much had an inkling of where this was headed.. and I have been sitting here thinking about how sad it is that we as a collective hardly ever believe the parents anymore because we know what the eventual outcome almost always is.

I'm heartbroken that beautiful little Aveion never had a chance living with these two pigs. He's starving to death while they look like they're ready to have an apple stuffed in their mouth while they roast. He's being hurt and abused while they're enjoying their green leafy substance while talking on their 5 cell phones and using their 2 laptops.

What really happened in that house that day or the days leading up to it? Has Aveion been gone for a while, and someone started asking questions so they decided to report him as kidnapped? What did they think would happen when the "kidnappers" left a "ransom" note and never called? What were they thinking when even Aveion's Uncle said it just isn't right?

I know this tragedy could have been prevented.. but in all honesty it is 100% his mother's fault. BL is not Aveion's daddy. If he was being abused by BL, she should have left or called the police. Plain and simple. Since when is a warm body and some **** more important than your babies? I'm tired of these mother's choosing their men over their children. And this will never stop!! I don't believe Aveion had any problems with Failure To Thrive.. I am 100% thinking that it was just abuse and neglect. There needs to be tougher laws, and closer scrutiny regarding children like Aveion. CHILD ABUSE CANNOT BE TOLERATED!!!!

I'm sick. Just plain sick thinking about what could have happened to this beautiful little baby.. what torture he suffered at the hands of these pigs.. because let's face it.. if BL was doing it, and Aveion's "mother" (I use this term very loosely) didn't step in to stop it.. then she is guilty too. And if she is pregnant.. I hope they remove the child immediately after it is born. (of course she's pregnant.. why wouldn't she be? She needs a new baby to replace Aveion asap so that she won't loose some of those benefits...)



arrrrggghhhhh!!! :banghead:
jmo as always...

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Salem said:

I don't know how many times you can get your heart broken - how many times does a child have to be starved? burned? neglected, abused?

I'm sorry, but this whole story breaks my heart for this little guy and for his mother to still be out of jail is a disgrace!!!!!

Taking a break,

Salem

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everyoneneedsavoice said:

Looks like this is new...re: Bio dad and paternal grandmother

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/234025

Toddler's dad speaks about losing his son

...says things changed after the boy's mother met Brandon Lockett.

The two would have confrontations during court hearings...

He recalled several times that he tried to see them, such as on Aveion's first birthday, when he said Morgan Lockett wouldn't answer the door.

"grandmother" also said she had to go to court to get visitation rights and, even then, found herself knocking on a door that wouldn't open.

"How many times can you get your heart broke?" Mason said.

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Texas Mist said:

I think they made up the 'abduction' story because Aveion's birthday is coming up next Tuesday....they've probably been denying the family visits, and knew they'd be back for sure just like they did on his first birthday......ch*t was about to hit the fan again legally, IMO, so the 'abduction' was a just a CYA story....and BL is arrogant enough to think he could tell LE & rest of the world his 'story' and everyone would buy it, then he'd have Aveion's family who cared off his back.

No telling how long little Aveion's been gone.

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Cubby said:

<snip>

Is she for real? I'm serious. CHIP recommended this child NOT be returned to the biological mother. CPS recommended this child NOT be returned to the biological mother. The biological mother was denying access to her childs biological father and paternal grandmother who had to seek visitation rights. There was visitation interference to the bio fathers side. Morgan quit cooperating with CHIP once she regained legal custody. A man was living in the house with a CRIMINAL BACKGROUND FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. He is a drug user. I don't know if BL or ML were ever required to take random drug tests as part of their regaining legal custody.

If Jane Conlin did not CLEARLY SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL HERE. Her license needs to be reviewed and possibly revoked. And I will be damned if I am not going to see to it there is an investigation regarding her license. I know someone who knows some of the top MSW for state licensing in New Jersey. I know at least two names, and while I don't know them personally, I know someone who does. I am going to seek permission to contact these two people on the state licensing board for NJ and see what contacts I can find out regarding VA...... (or will contact them myself with the name of our mutual friend, who has worked with them) and request some direction with this. Ms. Conlin, while she did not force BL's hand, nor did she force ML's hand, clearly missed or ignored the requests of other professionals who worked with this family and this child. What were Jane Conlins reasonings for ignoring or over riding the requests of other professionals? And even if she was not directly involved with this case, as Director of Social Services she IS responsible for what the employees under her do. What were her recommendations to the judge? Remember, previous media indicate it was the 'department' of social services who recommended to the judge this child be returned to his bio mother.

<snip>

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Aveion remained in a foster home placement until March 31, 2009. During this time, the Department coordinated services in a plan approved, and periodically reviewed, by the court. These services included obtaining information to assist in an assessment of the family&#8217;s needs, which led to the provision of an 18-week domestic violence alternatives program for Mr. Lockett, which he completed, and a parenting education class for both parents, also completed. Aveion received various medical and rehabilitative services during his time in foster care. He had supervised visitation with Mr. and Mrs. Lockett. As a result of the Locketts&#8217; compliance with the service plan, extended visitation in their home was initiated with a clinical in-home therapist in December 2008. The therapist was in the home for 20 to 30 hours per month observing the Locketts&#8217; parenting, reinforcing and teaching good parenting practices, as well as observing Aveion&#8217;s adjustment. On March 31, 2009, Aveion was returned to Mr. and Mrs. Lockett&#8217;s full-time care while the Department retained legal custody. The in-home therapy continued throughout this trial placement. Additionally, Aveion&#8217;s foster care social worker continued to make regular visits to the home, both announced and unannounced, to observe how the child was adjusting, and to ascertain that Aveion continued to be healthy and have his medical and nutritional needs met. This trial return home placement was continued for six months, and on Sept. 19, 2009, upon recommendation by the Department, the court returned legal custody of Aveion to Mrs. Lockett.

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Cubby said:

This did it, this news article was the link that broke the flood gates. The tears poured.

I think I am sorting this out a bit more in my mind.

From the link provided by everyoneneedsavoice above:

Jane Conlin, director of Social Services in Roanoke, said Friday that the responsibility for what happened to Aveion does not rest with her department.
"The person who is responsible for this is not the social worker," she said. "I think we need to keep in mind that social workers aren't mind readers. We work with the best knowledge and information we have and within the law. Nobody can, with 100 percent accuracy, predict the behavior of another person."

Is she for real? I'm serious. CHIP recommended this child NOT be returned to the biological mother. CPS recommended this child NOT be returned to the biological mother. The biological mother was denying access to her childs biological father and paternal grandmother who had to seek visitation rights. There was visitation interference to the bio fathers side. Morgan quit cooperating with CHIP once she regained legal custody. A man was living in the house with a CRIMINAL BACKGROUND FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. He is a drug user. I don't know if BL or ML were ever required to take random drug tests as part of their regaining legal custody.

If Jane Conlin did not CLEARLY SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL HERE. Her license needs to be reviewed and possibly revoked. And I will be damned if I am not going to see to it there is an investigation regarding her license. I know someone who knows some of the top MSW for state licensing in New Jersey. I know at least two names, and while I don't know them personally, I know someone who does. I am going to seek permission to contact these two people on the state licensing board for NJ and see what contacts I can find out regarding VA...... (or will contact them myself with the name of our mutual friend, who has worked with them) and request some direction with this. Ms. Conlin, while she did not force BL's hand, nor did she force ML's hand, clearly missed or ignored the requests of other professionals who worked with this family and this child. What were Jane Conlins reasonings for ignoring or over riding the requests of other professionals? And even if she was not directly involved with this case, as Director of Social Services she IS responsible for what the employees under her do. What were her recommendations to the judge? Remember, previous media indicate it was the 'department' of social services who recommended to the judge this child be returned to his bio mother.

Yes, Ms. Conlin, I am requesting an investigation be done on YOU with regards to your license and decisions on why this child should have been placed back with his family! I will be contacting these people first thing Monday morning.

Oh man I am on a mission! :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious: :furious:

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Calliope said:

Just to clarify, CPS is part of the city department of social services; they removed him from the home, and after the parents had jumped through the hoops and passed a trial period where he was returned to them yet CPS retained legal custody, they then recommended he be returned. While it was a damned stupid thing for her to say, I understand (at least in part) where she was coming from. If by all accounts the parents are doing what they are supposed to do in order to regain custody, and it is (apparently) verified by announced and unannounced visits by the case worker, what is CPS to do? If the law doesn't provide that every child who is removed from their home is never to be returned, their hands were tied; as I understand it, it's geared toward doing what it can to allow families to get back together. I think that's what she means by they 'aren't mind-readers'. But my God... it was incredibly stupid of her to go into CYA mode like this. There's enough blame to go around, INCLUDING the fact that CPS placed him back with those monsters. I've also read nothing about if they'd investigated the condition and treatment of the three other children in the home, especially the 4 year old, who was Aveion's sister.



http://static.mgnetwork.com/sls/extras/ALewis1-22-10.pdf

Perhaps the law needs to be changed so that in certain cases, under specific criteria, children who are taken from their homes are removed permanently, and CPS is under no obligation to attempt to rehabilitate the parents and reunite the family.

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Calliope said:

BTW, either here or in one of the articles or comments on this story, it was said that CPS workers were turned away (after full custody returned to parents). I don't know if that is true, or a rumor; nothing was said about that in the above news release. IF that is true, the CPS is certainly liable for not moving to remove him from the home again.

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Cubby said:

Sorry to quote myself, but considering the other agencies released documents supporting their statement, I am very curious as to why Jane Conlin simply released such a short statement and why there is no supporting documentation to support this portion of her statement:
"We work with the best knowledge and information we have and within the law." If in fact, the Social Workers 'hands were tied' based on how the law is written, we need to see how the law is currently written to support the above statement from Ms. Conlin. Where was the failure? with the department of social services or the way the current laws are written?

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Cubby said:

I agree, however from the link:
This trial return home placement was continued for six months, and on Sept. 19, 2009, upon recommendation by the Department, the court returned legal custody of Aveion to Mrs. Lockett.

I would really like to know what the determining factors where which led the department to return legal custody of Aveion to his mother. All the judge could do was make a decision based on evidence provided to him. Clearly not ALL agencies involved in working this this child agreed he should be returned to his bio mom, because he was thriving in his foster care environment.

Did the judge hear from ALL agencies involved, or did the department of social workers disregard the information provided to them from CHIP. I don't know what the heirarchy is here with regards to all the agencies involved. Perhaps, when snoelle sees this she can help explain.

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Cubby said:

Thanks Calliope. I know some of this is the discretion of the courts.... and I do know of someone from another forum, in another state, who had her parental rights terminated based on a DV situation in less than 2 months time. So I know it does and can happen quickly when a child or children are in danger. Someone, somewhere determined Aveion was not in danger, when clearly he was. The system failed somewhere, and where the current system failed needs to be uncovered so it can not continue to happen to other children.

JMO

C.H.I.P was mentioned earlier as as some kind of organization which assists low income families and families in 'crisis' with medical support etc. (paraphrasing from what I recall).

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