GUILTY OH - Marcus Fiesel, 3, Union Township, 4 August 2006

[mysteriew]

The agency that placed the children with the foster parents was a contract agency. Butler Co. is now opening an investigation into the agency and into all other foster homes in that county from that agency. The Children's services director says they should have been notified when the foster father was arrested for domestic violence, and they weren't. They also want to know if the contract agency was aware of the severity of the foster mother's illness.
Of the placements the contract agency has made in that county- so far 8 of the foster children have been removed from their foster homes, since the info about Marcus' foster family became known.
http://www.channelcincinnati.com/news/9715065/detail.html

http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/08/22/childrens.html


BTW, in the home were 4 biological children, plus the 2 foster children, plus an unknown number of day care children.

 

[californiacarrie]

Does anyone know if the biological parents are notified when this type of things happens? I'm not talking about being questioned as a suspect, I'm talking notified because even if one is in foster care, unless TPR has occured, aren't they still the legal parents?

Late reply to your question, but supposedly the biological family must be notified, unless all parental rights have been taken away permanently (which is rare). Also, no information is supposed to go to the media unless the biological family has been notified and has given permission.

 

[Gmommy]

As much as i think a lot of parents who are bipolar are perfectly capable of handling their own children I'm not so sure I would place any foster child in the care of such a parent-and I am such a parent who is bipolar with two of my own kids. Foster children quite often come with all sorts of baggage and problems that make them a bit more difficult to care for, especially in those first few weeks of getting to know eachother.

When my children are older my husband and I have talked about becoming foster parents-but not until my children are quite a bit older, right now at 3 and 5 they need a lot more focus from me. Factoring in another parent in the household with a serious health issue really boggles my mind that that household could quality as a foster family.

I'm not sure where I stand on this one, I think it is possible she had four children with her and possible that people just don't remember seeing her with four children-I know I don't memorize everyone at the park when I go. Hopefully somebody will come forward for her sake and remember seeing her. I definitely think her doing a press conference in the same clothing and hairstyle is a smart idea-though the press will really eat away at anything they even perceive to be a hole in the story.

I hope this little guy is found soon.

 

[californiacarrie]

So the foster mother has a heart condition and her husband is Bi Polar. How did they ever get a license for foster care!

Her heart condition was "under control" and bi-polar is hardly a life threatening condition. Everyone is bi-polar these days - its the new ADHD.

Isn't it strange how these little ones just keep disappearing. This is the second one now that was in foster care. There is also the little girl that is around 2 yrs old that the foster parent said unlocked the door in the middle of the night. Then there was little Ricky Holland who was an adopted foster child.

Its not that these things are new occurances, its just that they've been less publicized. A foster agency and any county will go way out of their way to cover up or hide something like this occurring.

I'll bet that little boy was never at the park. Someone would have seen him. I would think that someone would have noticed a woman with 4 kids under 3 yrs old. I'm surprised that more people haven't come forward. One person said she didn't see 4 kids...but she saw 3 with the foster mom. That is probably the truth.

The thing about Autistic children is that they confine themselves to thier own little worlds. It is quite possible that, if the boy was left to be on his own out there, he did not appear to be "with" the family. And he likely would not come running if someone were to have called out "Who's mom is this?" In fact, he may have ignored the whole situation and wander off unnoticed in all the commotion. It happens very easily with Autistic kids - I know, I have one.

Hopfully someone will find this little guy. I wonder what really happened to him and which one did it.

I really hope they figure out what happened to him too. I don't mean to sound like I nitpicked your post Bobbisangel - you just made some good statements that I felt needed counter-stating!

 

[californiacarrie]

I will also add that anyone with an autistic child in their care certainly should not have had more than one or two other children to keep track of unless there was help available.

 

[Gmommy]

Everyone is bi-polar these days - its the new ADHD.

Forgive me for taking offense at this but I am sure if somebody had said "everyone has a kid with autism nowadays" you would've been offended. I do not personally know anybody who is bipolar and I have struggled with it since I was ten years old-I am now pushing 40 so it's been a lifetime of dealing with insensitive comments. I know you mean well, just remember to choose your words wisely.

My brother works with autistic adults in a group home-and he only has one autistic person to deal with yet he says if he turns his back or he has to go use the restroom he really has to let the other caseworkers know it or his charge would try to wander. They have security measures but any parent of an autistic child can tell you that they are very intelligent, focused and determined so if they really want out they will find a way.

 

[californiacarrie]

Forgive me for taking offense at this but I am sure if somebody had said "everyone has a kid with autism nowadays" you would've been offended. I do not personally know anybody who is bipolar and I have struggled with it since I was ten years old-I am now pushing 40 so it's been a lifetime of dealing with insensitive comments. I know you mean well, just remember to choose your words wisely.

No, actually you could say Autism is the new ADHD too! I'm sorry for offending you though. It was a light hearted comment.

My brother works with autistic adults in a group home-and he only has one autistic person to deal with yet he says if he turns his back or he has to go use the restroom he really has to let the other caseworkers know it or his charge would try to wander. They have security measures but any parent of an autistic child can tell you that they are very intelligent, focused and determined so if they really want out they will find a way.

You can say that again!!!

 

[Gmommy]

No, actually you could say Autism is the new ADHD too! I'm sorry for offending you though. It was a light hearted comment.

You can say that again!!!

No problem. Apologies for jumping on your comment. I only recently got diagnosed bipolar, it was a straight severe depression diagnosis for a long time, just the last couple of years have I ever had both ends of the spectrum. I think I read the thread at one of my sensitive times-and having my monthly visitor isn't helping any even if I had no mental health issues I'm just glad to have some upswings now-finally.

I always find it funny when people assume that autistic children are not smart-if anything they seem to be too smart for their own good-and their own parents or caregivers mental health

Just hoping for Marcus' safe return-the longer this takes for a child his age the worse it looks yet I want to remain hopeful, maybe need to remain hopeful-and miracles do happen.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I don't believe the foster mother. She did something to him.

 

[californiacarrie]

No problem. Apologies for jumping on your comment. I only recently got diagnosed bipolar, it was a straight severe depression diagnosis for a long time, just the last couple of years have I ever had both ends of the spectrum. I think I read the thread at one of my sensitive times-and having my monthly visitor isn't helping any even if I had no mental health issues I'm just glad to have some upswings now-finally.

I have been surrounded by bi-polar folks my whole life so I know exactly what you are saying. I'm just glad you feel better about it now. And I'm still sorry.

I always find it funny when people assume that autistic children are not smart-if anything they seem to be too smart for their own good-and their own parents or caregivers mental health

So very, very true!

Just hoping for Marcus' safe return-the longer this takes for a child his age the worse it looks yet I want to remain hopeful, maybe need to remain hopeful-and miracles do happen.

The whole thing breaks my heart - to know what really happened would be nice. But then, there's a lot of things that would be really nice to know...

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Her heart condition was "under control" and bi-polar is hardly a life threatening condition. Everyone is bi-polar these days - its the new ADHD.

I think you're right. People are trying to use being "pi-polar" as the excuse of the day. Unfortunately, they're doing more harm to those who actually do have mental illnesses. Its already an unnecessary "stigma" and people who should be seeking treatment are not because they don't want to be labeled. People who don't have the disease and are merely using it as an excuse should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Gmommy]

But Bipolar sounds so chic Like bi-coastal. I wish i was merely bicoastal, although I cannot imagine trying to care for two houses and all the travel required to get to both instead of just the one house/no travel situation I'm in now.

 

[mysteriew]

I don't believe the foster mother. She did something to him.

Many people including me are believing that also. And I am usually one of the last holdouts on believing that a parent could harm a child. I know they can and do- I just don't want to believe it.

 

[mysteriew]

Timeline and more details
http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060823/NEWS01/608230320

More pictures of Marcus
http://www.wcpo.com/news/2006/local/08/23/photos.html

Unclear when Marcus was last seen by anyone outside of the family (foster mother now says he was also ADD).
http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060823/NEWS01/608230811/1058/Local

 

[Bobbisangel]

I will also add that anyone with an autistic child in their care certainly should not have had more than one or two other children to keep track of unless there was help available.

I wasn't aware that the little boy is autistic. I had just read that he was developmentally disabled and thinks like a 1 yr old. I would think with just the one little boy the foster mother would have had her hands full.

I know that foster care pay goes way up if you are willing to take special needs children. That may be one reason why this couple took this little boy.
Her heart problem must not be totally under control or she wouldn't have passed out in the park. Even if this little boy hadn't disappeared while the foster mother was out cold she still had 4 very young children with her and any one of them could have wandered off never to be seen again.

I'm not saying anything against the foster mother except that she does have those fainting spells and should never be alone in a park with 4 little kids under 3 years old. I know that a lot of people are Bi Polar and medication can help keep it under control. I would think with 3 or 4 children of their own that would be enough children to watch with their health problems.

It isn't just foster children that are disappearing these days but the children in foster care that have disappeared haven't fared well and it seems that the foster parents end up being involved. It seems that all at once there are 4-5 little kids under 3 missing. Ages seem to go in spirts.

I hope this mother isn't involved and that the little guy just wandered off. Above all I hope he is safe somewhere.

 

[Bobbisangel]

No problem. Apologies for jumping on your comment. I only recently got diagnosed bipolar, it was a straight severe depression diagnosis for a long time, just the last couple of years have I ever had both ends of the spectrum. I think I read the thread at one of my sensitive times-and having my monthly visitor isn't helping any even if I had no mental health issues I'm just glad to have some upswings now-finally.

I always find it funny when people assume that autistic children are not smart-if anything they seem to be too smart for their own good-and their own parents or caregivers mental health

Just hoping for Marcus' safe return-the longer this takes for a child his age the worse it looks yet I want to remain hopeful, maybe need to remain hopeful-and miracles do happen.

Have you ever read the book by Patty Duke...actress...called "My Name Is Anna" or "Call Me Anna?" I can't remember which the title is. Patty Duke became an actress when she was really young and still does a lot of TV movies. She has been Bi Polar since she was young but nobody could figure out what was wrong. When she was a adult she was finally diagnoised and she said it was such a relief just to be able to put a name to her problems. Her book is about her life and it is really excellant. I've read it a couple of times and always learn something new. I think she has a couple books out and a TV movie about her life. She really had some rough times because of her illness. She is a wonderful advocate for mental illness and to help people understand it and not to be afraid of it. She takes her meds and has been stable for quite a while now. I would advise anyone who wants an understanding of Bi Polar to read her book. Her life as an actress while dealing with this illness is really worth reading about too.

 

[Sundayrain]

I wasn't aware that the little boy is autistic. I had just read that he was developmentally disabled and thinks like a 1 yr old. I would think with just the one little boy the foster mother would have had her hands full.

I know that foster care pay goes way up if you are willing to take special needs children. That may be one reason why this couple took this little boy.
Her heart problem must not be totally under control or she wouldn't have passed out in the park. Even if this little boy hadn't disappeared while the foster mother was out cold she still had 4 very young children with her and any one of them could have wandered off never to be seen again.

I'm not saying anything against the foster mother except that she does have those fainting spells and should never be alone in a park with 4 little kids under 3 years old. I know that a lot of people are Bi Polar and medication can help keep it under control. I would think with 3 or 4 children of their own that would be enough children to watch with their health problems.

It isn't just foster children that are disappearing these days but the children in foster care that have disappeared haven't fared well and it seems that the foster parents end up being involved. It seems that all at once there are 4-5 little kids under 3 missing. Ages seem to go in spirts.

I hope this mother isn't involved and that the little guy just wandered off. Above all I hope he is safe somewhere.

Me too, Bobbi......I hope he just wandered off. Your right, an awful lot of little ones going missing right now. It is so frightening.....what else can we do? I want to put chips in any offenders......first offense!..no chances!....we can't take chances with the children of our nation. Its been going on steadily for too long.
(and by the way welcome back BobbisAngel)....Sunday

 

[Bobbisangel]

If I had seen that little boy at the park I would never have forgotten his beautiful blue eyes. They just stand out. He really is a cutie.

 

[Shadow205]

I want to put a chip in my Grandchildren.They are never and will never be beyond the watchful eye of a family member but children are being stolen right out of their homes. We have better resources for finding pets than we do children.

 

[californiacarrie]

I want to put a chip in my Grandchildren.They are never and will never be beyond the watchful eye of a family member but children are being stolen right out of their homes. We have better resources for finding pets than we do children.

I'll second that!