Update -

[kyburg]

On the stand Friday, Sieferman recounted being hospitalized in June because of fears she might harm herself and her daughters. She'd lost a job in May, she said, part of a spiral that began in 2004 when she was laid off from the Guidant Corp. (now Boston Scientific).

61 years old, educated to the gills - two daughters from China - and she's now signing her parental rights away (her kids are going to be adopted by a relative) and entering the penal system for at least 11 years.

The kids survived and are doing well - according to the report.

...

Everyone has a breaking point. It's 2009 - and struggling since 2004? I'd have to say the breaking point was passed and ignored - wouldn't you?

The real bitch I have with this? I found this on one of my PAP mailing lists - and the poster was all gushy about 'oh, I'm so glad the kids are okay, I was so worried about them!'

(Uh, how many kids in the domestic foster care system right now?)

Ghad, no wonder then. Mother didn't matter, did she? (And wouldn't a hospitalization for depression trigger SOME set of services? Hul-LO?)

Relative is taking the kids. Yay for being an adult in your majority and untouchable until you actually Do Something Bad. That's the only thing my head will allow that there is a relative able to adopt the kids, but couldn't do a damn thing prior to prevent this from happening in the first place.

Just saying.

Everyone lives. Everyone gets a second chance. Rocks didn't fall, everyone didn't die.

*kicks*

Comments

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

Mental health services? Ha. Not even in this lotus-eating state, sister, not even when someone with dependents self-admits and begs for it. Not unless you've got gold star insurance, and even then you've got to be damn lucky.

Yes, there should be. But there really isn't.

What about all the damn social services and adoption people? She made it through all that effort and then nobody checked afterwards?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

After the first year, and re-adoption - you're done. Nobody ever looks at you again.

Unless you re-enter the system again, somehow - like this.

There are groups that our agency recommends, like Families with Children from China - that I also heartily recommend. This provides a number of things, besides keeping eyes on things. A social network. People doing what you're doing, going through what you're going through. Families that look like yours. Picnics. Playgroups. Support.

But that's not required. We joined a year ago when we got our referral, long before we picked up Xander in Taiwan.

I seriously doubt she even knew about them, mores the pity. Or if she did, didn't interact because she was too ashamed of being a drunk and a loser. She knew. That was the whole point of dropping the insanity defense, right?

Breaking point. The wise people always know their own limits.