abused children

**sumas** · April-21-14, 08:43 PM

This is a Detroit issue. We try very hard to do projects with area kids. Can't do it 24/7. Lately we have two sisters who never leave. Guessing some home issues. We are not exciting people but I guess our home is calm and quiet.

Just now I checked to make sure all doors and windows were closed down. Our front yard is well lighted and I see I have a kid sitting on my steps. My dogs are not fond of kids so I secured them and came back. She was gone. I know who she is and walked to the street. It sounded like she was being beaten with a belt. My vision is poor but my hearing is just fine.

It is such a dilemma for me, foster care sucks but if there is real abuse I should do something. I just don't know what! I wish she had knocked on the door. I would have taken her in and called authorities. Very conflicted!

**Danny** · April-22-14, 12:45 PM

BUMP! Need more sources to state your reason.

**Jimaz** · April-22-14, 01:57 PM

Michigan Department of Human Services > Abuse & Neglect

**TheUsualSuspect** · April-22-14, 02:06 PM

You've got a good heart sumas.

A phone call to Human Services...so they can pay a visit and investigate would be the right thing to do. Pretty certain it can be made anonomously.

Childhood beatings mess human beings up for a long time...

C

**Dan Wesson** · April-22-14, 03:12 PM

The road to hell is paved with good intentions because good intentions often go awry.

Tread lightly...

**sumas** · April-22-14, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by TheUsualSuspect

You've got a good heart sumas.

A phone call to Human Services...so they can pay a visit and investigate would be the right thing to do. Pretty certain it can be made anonomously.

Childhood beatings mess human beings up for a long time...

C

Like Dan said, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" my husband tells me I wear my heart on my sleeve. I can't ignore this. My husband said call the school. It's Easter break so I can wait. They have the skills and ability to assess this situation. I know I do not. For what it is worth it is a known drug house.

**sumas** · April-22-14, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by Dan Wesson

The road to hell is paved with good intentions because good intentions often go awry.

Tread lightly...

Good advice but I plow ahead with my heart. Children being abused? That Cannot be ignored. I am not certain on facts so I will tread lightly but kids that want to hang at an old fart house does trigger some alarms. Frankly they are afraid to go home. I am so saddened. Hopefully they are both now at Grandmas who does not live far away. Baby Mama is now pregnant again so maybe she doesn't care anymore. Who knows?

**Dumpling** · April-23-14, 06:20 PM

I know parents sometimes hit their children only because they are tired and
stressed - even though they love their children - and that often Child Protective Services goes overboard and takes children away from a disorderly environment out of an abundance of caution. Still it's probably good if you
contact them but you may have a little wiggle room beforehand to consult others in your village to see how they feel or if anyone has already been
contacted. Studies show that, overall, hitting children does not help them.

**Jimaz** · April-23-14, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by Dumpling

... but you may have a little wiggle room beforehand to consult others in your village to see how they feel or if anyone has already been
contacted....

... which might jeopardize your anonymity if not done discreetly.

Act if you must but beware of weirdos.

**sumas** · April-23-14, 09:59 PM

Diamond says her issues were with a boyfriend. Good lord she is only 13. The kids come to eat and hang out. I am not at my best at the moment, I took a nap on my couch, wake up to find they were on line exchanging insults to school associations. So not cool. My fault.

**Dumpling** · April-24-14, 03:57 PM

http://content.time.com/time/magazin...040212,00.html

I don't know if the above will make a link. There is an organization in St.
Louis featured in Time in 2011 that does "extreme adoptions". The concept
was based on the popular "extreme home makeover" idea. Essentially,
private investigators are hired to check into all of a foster child's extended
family so as to hopefully find a new situation with what is hopefully a beloved
if somewhat distant relative. Sounds like your case doesn't need this idea,
fortunately, but in case it does, here it is.

**Dumpling** · April-24-14, 04:55 PM

Bless you and Happy Birthday To You, Sumas.

One of my teachers had a saying posted that children appreciate all
you've done for them. They may not say so at the time, but they
remember, and they appreciate it.

Calling CPS is totally a tough call [[that some people have to make
sometimes), glad you didn't have to do that for your birthday.

**sumas** · April-24-14, 06:39 PM

Here is the latest. They show up. We needed to run errands and they wanted to go with us. We never take kids anywhere without adult permission. They got that. We went to the new Parkway and half way through our shopping trip I get a huge hug and kiss. Maybe they never get to a real store? We are not affluent but did purchase real food for them to take home.

They are nice kids. One is going to Grandmas this weekend. The other asked if we would take her to church Sunday, she doesn't want to be home alone. Just heart breaking!

**Dumpling** · May-01-14, 04:55 PM

"I really thank whoever called CPS on me and my brother. I thank them."

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/inde...incart_best-of

[[not sure it will link, but it is a current mlive story on children in
Genesee County)

**sumas** · May-01-14, 06:55 PM

Thank you all for your links. I am not at my best at the moment but surely I can't ignore this for long. These are great kids. After going to church, they want to to be baptized now. This is a religious community. No problem in my church with baptism, so shocking more and more kids are coming to say baptize me too. Our neighbor is a preacher with a very active kids group so we talked and I am happy to arrange a mass baptism, give the kids a party and the whole nine yards. He is going to pick up the slack and get kids to his church. The average age in mine is 90 plus, not much for kids.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-02-14, 07:59 AM

Sumas
Are you going to Baptise these kids without parental consent or are the parents involved in your churches religious activities as well? From what you've posted sounds like these kids have been left to fend for themselves or are reluctant to be home. Are these young kids, tweens or teenagers. I know when my kids were baptized at St Ambrose my wife and I had to attend a sacraments class prior to the Baptism. You might want to seek out the parents before you go get them baptized.

**sumas** · May-02-14, 06:04 PM

[QUOTE=EASTSIDE CAT 67-83;433449]Sumas
Are you going to Baptise these kids without parental consent or are the parents involved in your churches religious activities as well? From what you've posted sounds like these kids have been left to fend for themselves or are reluctant to be home. Are these young kids, tweens or teenagers. I know when my kids were baptized at St Ambrose my wife and I had to attend a sacraments class prior to the Baptism. You might want to seek out the parents before you go get them baptized.[/QUOTE
I did post I do nothing without parental consent. Mostly tweens and teenagers. UCC requires no classes for baptism. If they wanted to be confirmed, whole different story. But a different church is picking up that slack. Someone probably damned them to hell and they are concerned.Honestly, these are great kids I do what I can but stick to the letter of the law.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-02-14, 07:13 PM

SUMAS
Nice to see some mentoring and positive influence, these kids will remember this years to come.

**sumas** · May-03-14, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

SUMAS
Nice to see some mentoring and positive influence, these kids will remember this years to come.

Thank you but I must say loads of adults in my neighborhood work with our kids. I adore them all but not all the time. Glad that this is a community that pitches in. Just a short list, Miss Maria, Miss Grace, Lord Larry, Mr Sam, Miss Steward, Miss Daisy, Mr Blair, Miss Crook, sometime Kiley. Loads more contribute but I get tired of listing.

I am buying a cheapy pool. But will only open it up a few days a week. Parents need to send written letters of approval. My yard is well locked down with 10 ft fencing so I doubt I'll get sneaks coming in. That and my dogs really don't like kids.