Legal System Fails Child in Horrible Abuse Case

by Fatherofeight | More from this Blogger

31 Dec 2006 03:01 PM

The legal system has failed to protect a 15 month old girl, who had the misfortune to be born into an abusive home. State investigators were first in her home in late July in response to reports of injuries to her five year old brother. His most serious injury was a broken ankle. Authorities took no action because the child insisted that he had sustained the injury while skateboarding.

On October 4, police were called to the hospital when his sister, A'Anya Cantley, was brought in by her mother's boyfriend with second degree burns to her face and torso. The boyfriend said that she had pulled a pot of boiling water down on herself. Doctors were worried because she also had old injuries including bruises from belt marks and a broken thumb. Both children were put into foster care.

In Child Protective Services abuse cases in Texas, an attorney is appointed by the judge to represent the child and see that her best interests are protected. State law mandates that the attorney for the child shall know the facts of the case and interview all parties including investigators. In many cases, the attorney merely reads the CPS affidavit to prepare for the case.

In this case, the attorney did not interview the state investigator or the police officer. Moments before the case, she asked to meet the mother and talked to her for a few minutes. She now relates that the mother said that the problem was the boyfriend and that he would not be with her children again.

The officer and the CPS investigator opposed returning the children to their mother. The child's attorney had become sympathetic to the mother and defended her and recommended that the child be returned to the home. She promised that the boyfriend would not be allowed back.

By November 17, it was reported that the boyfriend was back in the home. State investigators tried to find the family without success on a number of occasions. On November 26, A'Anya was dead at a local hospital with a lacerated liver, severe internal bleeding, and various bruises. Her mother said that a rocking chair had fallen on her.

She has been charged with murder. Our legal system is also to blame for this little girl's death. Child Protective Services is understaffed and can not give any one case the time it deserves. The ultimate problem was that no one involved in the case cared enough to prevent this child's death.

Related Blog:

Child Left With Caretaker is Dead

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Linda Hansen (1796) 31 Dec 2006 07:21 PM

I don't know which emotion I am feeling right now is more prevelant. Anger or sadness. Art

Crickett (272) 31 Dec 2006 09:23 PM

It often seems that what is in the child's best interest is drowned out by the agendas of others.

Fatherofeight (2475) 31 Dec 2006 10:33 PM

I'm angry that this happened and sad that the system is the way it is.

In the system, everyone is worried about a lot of things, like covering their backsides, but not enough are actually worried about THE CHILDREN.

I hope to be able to use this forum to raise awareness that change needs to happen. The legislature is supposedly concerned and working on it, we will see.

Lisa P (24013) 01 Jan 2007 08:28 AM

I had a 16-year old friend, Becky, who had been sexually abused for years by her mother's boyfriend. After a difficult court battle, the man was supposedly out of their lives. Sadly, when Becky's mother (Bad Mom) discovered she was pregnant with the man's child, she informed Becky that she would have to leave her home (and her little sister) and live with her father because the boyfriend was moving back in and Bad Mom and boyfriend would be raising their child together. This woman effectively chose her boyfriend over her own child's safety.

Shortly after 16-year-old abused Becky received her eviction orders, she put a bullet in her own head and died.

The system doesn't work.

Fatherofeight (2475) 01 Jan 2007 03:51 PM

Lisa, so many of the really bad abuse cases go this way, it was the boyfriend's fault, so the judge is promised that the boyfriend won't be allowed back, the child goes back to the home, then serious injury or death of the child occurs because the boyfriend came right back. It happens over and over and over. You are right on point, bad Moms choose a boyfriend without regard for the child's safety.

PATTI (580) 03 Jan 2007 08:22 AM

Dear Ed, These less than humans that hurt children should remember that what goes around comes around. They will be judged probably later rather than sooner and lest these subhumans forget, IT WILL HAPPEN. PATTI

Fatherofeight (2475) 03 Jan 2007 08:31 AM

You have to get a license to drive, you have to register to vote, but anyone can have a baby. It is my hope that this lady does not have more chidren.