OMG - our poor, poor Aja - she was failed by so many - this report is so disturbing. I am trying to put together a timeline for easier reference and I can't even get through a page without crying. This is unbelievable and must stop! The very system set up to protect our children, in this case our Aja, failed her on so many levels...here's just a snippet from the report: (I am only on pg 6 so this is in no way all inclusive and it's also been snipped to exclude some information I felt was not pertinent to the immediate failures, in an effort to save space).
From the death review document (http://www.okkids.org/):
The OKDHS documented nine referrals regarding the childs family within the past three years
March 22, 2007 -
The recommendations by the OKDHS in Lincoln County in its report to the Lincoln County court were: Aja and her sibling continue in OKDHS custody and remain in their current foster home placement
May 24, 2007 -
The OKDHS returned Aja and Sibling 1 to the Hobbs home for trial reunification on May 24, 2007. The children had been in foster home placement since July 28, 2006.
June 22, 2007 - The OKDHS in Lincoln County documented that during a worker visit, information was received that
Lester Hobbs had spanked Aja. The OKDHS documented explaining to the parents that they could not spank the children.
July 10, 2007 - The CHBS worker documented that Ajas mother reported that Lester Hobbs had been throwing lit firecrackers into Aja and Sibling 1s room to wake them in the morning. When
Lester Hobbs arrived home for lunch, the CHBS worker told him that he could not use firecrackers in the house as it was a fire hazard. Lester Hobbs did not respond. The worker further documented that when
discussing physical discipline, Lester Hobbs stated that he used a flexible ruler to spank the children and that he would continue to use the ruler because he had raised thirteen children and had never left a mark, and that spanking was the only thing that worked. The OKDHS documented
Lester Hobbs as saying that if DHS doesnt like the way that he disciplines his children, they can take them back and raise the children themselves.
July 11, 2007 - It was documented that
Lester Hobbs thought that the childs behaviors did warrant physical punishment. The OKDHS permanency planning worker of Lincoln County explained to Lester Hobbs that as a parent he had the right to spank Aja. The worker further explained to Lester Hobbs that when he started leaving bruises on Aja or Sibling 1, it would be a different situation. OKDHS documented that
Lester Hobbs stated to the OKDHS worker that if the DHS did not feel that he was able to take care of his children then DHS could come and get the children. The OKDHS documented that
Lester Hobbs later stated he did not mean what he had said and that he truly loved and cared for Aja and her sibling.
July 17, 2007 - The CHBS worker documented asking the mother if there were any weapons in the house, such as knives or guns. The documentation indicated the
mother denied there were any weapons in the home but that Aja had whispered to the worker that they did have guns in the closet.
July 20, 2007 documented problems in the home and OKDHS on way to meet LE and remove mom and children from home
CHBS worker took children to safe place
July 24, 2007 documented that
Ajas mother and children were back in the home with Lester Hobbs
July 31, 2007 - The
OKDHS recommended in its report to the Lincoln County court that Aja and Sibling 1 remain in OKDHS custody and that both children continue living in the home of the Hobbs home.
July 31, 2007 - The
court approved the permanency planning goal of reunification with the parents, with the estimated time of completion as October 30, 2007.
The court ordered that the children remain in OKDHS custody.
August 2, 2007 -
Ajas mother denied there were weapons in the home, stating that Lester Hobbs had given the guns that had been in the closet to a friend because Lester Hobbs was a felon and was not supposed to have a gun.
August 27, 2007 - documented discussion with the parents regarding the effects on Aja when the parents, in the childrens presence,
used derogatory names when speaking of Ajas biological father and the therapist or when the parents spoke negatively about Ajas father and the therapist. Lester Hobbs replied that it was his first amendment right to say what he wanted.
September 6, 2007 - The CHBS worker documented that
Aja told her that Lester Hobbs had used a knife to cut up all the new clothes her biological father had given her. It was also documented that
Lester Hobbs had gotten into a fight with a neighbor and that Lester Hobbs had threatened to stab the neighbor. When questioned about the bruises left on Aja at the end of June 2007, the CHBS worker documented that Lester Hobbs stated he had been angry at Aja and probably hit her too hard because of it. Also documented on this date was the information that Lester Hobbs had cut Ajas mattress and her sheets with a knife because he had gotten angry at her.
September 25, 2007 - First report of alleged abuse / neglect received by Lincoln County ...
alleged that four-year-old Aja had bruising on her back that was two or three inches wide and four inches long and was described by the reporter as pretty significant. The bruising was located in the
center of the childs back, just above her buttocks. It was unknown if there were any other bruises on the childs body. It was reported that the child first said that her stepfather (Lester Hobbs) had whipped her causing the bruises. The child then changed her story to say the dog had jumped on her causing the bruises. It was also reported that
Aja had drawn a picture described by the reporter as a man with a hairy groin. When the child was asked about the picture, she explained that the area was a hairy butt. Reportedly,
the child immediately became anxious and quickly began to erase the picture. The child reported that she had taken a lot of baths with her stepfather. The previous day, Aja had gotten into trouble for trying to hit other children, and there was a witness to the stepfather whipping Aja with his hand. Aja was reported to have one hundred or so insect bites all over her body.
September 26, 2007 - The OKDHS documented contact with Aja and interviewed both children, the childrens mother, Ajas biological father, Ajas stepfather (Lester Hobbs), and six collateral witnesses.
Worker observed bruising on Ajas buttocks and back on her left side. The OKDHS further documented the bruises were in the healing stage, brown and yellow in color, and one bruise was in a V-shape. The OKDHS also documented the
child appeared notably distressed while her bruises were being observed and photographed. The child stated to the worker that Lester Hobbs had told her not to let anyone see the bruises. The OKDHS further
documented Aja denied bathing with her stepfather. The OKDHS
documented that the OKDHS permanency planning worker of Lincoln County had personally warned this family against leaving any marks on the children, or the children could be removed again. The OKDHS further documented that the parents were resistant to change and to redirection, and insist on doing things their way regardless of the effect to the children. The OKDHS documented a request to the court for a redispositional hearing to address these issues in the parents individualized service plan.
September 26, 2007 - documented reports that
both parents had whipped Aja with a flexible ruler. The CHBS worker told the permanency planning worker she had specifically discussed with the parents that they were not to use a ruler to discipline the children. Trial reunification placement ended and Aja and Sibling 1 returned to foster care, due to the physical discipline of OKDHS custody children.
