I wonder if Shirley was recieving "kinship care" subsidies from the gov't for having the kids. The gov't will pay a relative MORE to keep a kid than they will to the original parent.
Some parents will give the kids over to relatives to get (and split) "kinship care" money. Kinship care is supposed to help children stay within families, to help relatives care for children that they love but might not be able to support on their own and the govt sees the importance of keeping kids within the family rather than putting them in foster care.
Unfortunately there are some who scam the system and I do indeed wonder what kind of financial rewards Shirl got for having the kids and did she give kickbacks or suport to Jerice from her ill gotten gains.
Jhessye was a beautiful little girl who was cherished and loved by her relatives who raised her. How awful to remove her from that and put her in the living hell of her mother's "care".
I taught for many years in the inner city,( my students were about Jhessye's age) and I see Jhessye and think of all of my sweet little girl students, their cute ways, their pretty little hairdos that they came to school with bows, barettes and ponytails, done with love by someone who obviously loved them and cared for them.
You can clearly see in Jhessye's pictures how much she was loved and cherished by her relatives who raised her.I cannot imagine the grief that the relatives who raised her are feeling now. How heartbreaking for them.
I never see a butterfly without thinking of Jhessye.
Bumping it up for Jhesssye and wishing I lived close enough to go and help look for her, because I surely would.