Child Advocacy

Diane Sawyer and Sharyn Alfonsi to Report on the Overmedication of Children in the U.S. Foster Care System

2011-12-02T09:45:00.001-06:00

By David Ford

Nov 30, 2011 4:30pm

ABC News Investigation: Diane Sawyer and Sharyn Alfonsi to Report on the Overmedication of Children in the U.S. Foster Care System

Reports to Air Beginning Wednesday, November 30 on “World News with Diane Sawyer” and Concluding with In Depth Reporting on “20/20″ Friday, December 2

“ABC World News” anchor Diane Sawyer continues her reporting on the United States foster care system with a new series of reports – “Generation Meds.” Following a year-long investigation, Sawyer and Sharyn Alfonsi uncover a startling reality: many foster children, even as young as one-year olds, are being prescribed powerful mind-altering drugs at alarming rates — up to 13 times higher than that of other children. As part of its investigation ABC News was given a first look at a groundbreaking two-year study by the General Accounting Office (GAO) which finds that the federal government has not done enough to protect America’s foster children from being over medicated with these powerful drugs. Reports will air on “World News with Diane Sawyer” beginning on Wednesday, November 30 and will conclude with a special report on “20/20″ Friday, December 2 at 10:00 PM on the ABC Television Network.

Viewers will hear from a number of foster children across the country – like 11-year-old Ke’onte from Texas, who after suffering a childhood filled with neglect was bounced between six foster homes and hospitals over just four years. Ke’onte was put on at least 12 psychiatric medications while in foster care, up to four at the same time. While experts acknowledge children in foster care may have more emotional and behavioral issues, they do not believe this alone justifies the magnitude of the overuse of psychiatric medications. “I was on a whole lot of medicines that I should have not been on,” Ke’onte told Sawyer. Diane Sawyer goes looking for answers – starting in the nation’s capitol asking federal agencies in charge: What is being done to protect these children?

Plus, Sharyn Alfonsi confronts the doctors and asks are they too quick to pick up the prescription pad when dealing with damaged kids in the foster system, including a Florida doctor who prescribed a cocktail of psychiatric medication to a troubled little boy who then took his own life.

And, Sawyer revisits Maryhurst, a unique residential treatment program for kids with the toughest childhoods and deepest traumas; 75 percent enter the facility on these powerful drugs – when they leave, nearly three quarters are on a reduced number of medications or none at all.

This is the third series of reports from Sawyer on the foster care system. Sawyer’s first report, “For the Sake of the Children,” aired on “Primetime” in 2002. “Calling All Angels,” a special “Primetime” report which aired in 2006, cast a light on many of the young, fractured lives in foster care across the country and the ways those children can be saved. The report was recognized with the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.

read story here...

"The Joy of Hating"

2011-04-05T08:24:00.004-05:00

The Joy of Hating Five Minute Speeches - Anne Herbert

Hi. I'd like to share with you the story of Jonah. Jonah is the guy who lives in the Bible, about halfway between Elijah and Luke. A lot of you probably think Jonah is the story of a man and his whale. That's not actually true. Jonah is the story about the joy of hatred. Jonah is the story about that exhilarating feeling you get when you discover someone who is really morally more reprehensible than you are. Jonah discovered that joy, and Jonah's basic thing was hating Ninevites. Ninevites lived far away from him, and he'd never met any of them, but he had a lot of data about them.

Now, hating Ninevites was not like hating Jews, Catholics, Black people, etc. Hating Ninevites was like hating American Nazis, builders of nuclear reactors, and tuna fishermen. It was a rational, well-researched hatred based on the actual behavior of the hatees. Jonah had a lot of data on Ninevites, and he was building a career on them. He had just had a story about the relationship of Ninevites, the Mobil Oil Corporation, and saccharine on the cover of Mother Jones. He was hitting the junior college circuit with a speech about Ninevites, and he was hoping to make the Ivy League soon.

So he was not surprised when one day God came to him to talk to him about the Ninevites, He had never spoken to God before, and he wasn't really a God groupie, but he figured God knew who the expert was, right? So God came to Jonah, and said, "Jonah, I'm going to destroy all the Ninevites." And Jonah -said, "Wow, you must have read my article." And God said, "Before I destroy them I want to warn them. It seems only fair. Since you know so much about them, I want you to go to Nineveh and tell them I'm going to destroy them, so they'll have a chance to change their ways and save themselves." And Jonah said, "No way in hell. I don't want to go there, they're creepy people, and besides that, what if they change?" So Jonah took off. He took the Greyhound bus to the most distant point available, only it wasn't a Greyhound bus at that point in time, it was a boat. He got on the boat, and thought he would skip town, and all would be cool. He did not know he was dealing with a Whole Earth God.

God followed him in the boat and started a very large sea storm. The captain of the boat was extremely upset about the sea storm. He was an experienced captain who knew a theological sea storm when he saw it. So he said, "Someone on this boat is not on speaking terms with God. Let's draw lots and see who." Jonah said, "Ah, we don't need to do that, I'm the one, I'll jump overboard because it seems like the only way that I'm going to win." Now it turned out that God knew, as well as any civil rights legislator knows, that the only way to overcome hatred is with brute force. And God doesn't give up easy. So when Jonah jumped over the side of the boat, God had a whale there to catch him. Jonah landed in the whale, stayed in the whale with the rotting fish and the whale digestive juices for three days. Jonah was a stubborn man of principle � it took 72 hours of an unusual smell for him to change his mind, but finally he said, "Oh heck, God, I'll go to Nineveh." So the whale barfed him up on shore near Nineveh and he headed for the world capital of badness.

Now, when he got to Nineveh, he was pleased to see that everything that he'd ever thought about Nineveh was true. I mean they were right there on the streets using sweat shop labor to run a nuclear reactor that powered an ITT plant that made neutron bombs, whale trawlers, and saccharin. He was naturally appalled. So he got into his street-beggar mode, which he had once used to support his Ninevite research, and he started saying things in a way that not very many people would hear them. He shuffled down the street, leaned against the walls and muttered, "Repent. Repent. In 40 days you will be destroyed if you don't repent." You had to be walking right by him to hear him but the very first person who happened to walk by him happened to be bored with his job as a nuclear reactor janitor and he said, "Wow, you're right, this is really awful, let's all repent."

And that guy started yelling Jonah's message and it turned out that a lot of people were bored with their jobs as neutron bombadiers and saccharin cane cutters and they went to the president of the country and said, "We've been gross and awful, and we're going to repent and you have to, too." They put on sackcloth and ashes, they turned their nuclear reactor into a solar generator and they all planted organic gardens and Jonah was pissed. He was just furious and he said, "OK, God, are you gonna be conned by these hypocrites, do you think that just because they're behaving different they're better?" And God said, " 'Fraid so. Behavior counts. You lose."

So Jonah stomped to a hill outside of town and sat under a tree praying for the Ninevites to show their true nature and for God to fry them alive. And all that happened was that God destroyed the tree Jonah Was sitting under so he got a sunburn. Jonah said, "God, how come you destroyed.this tree? This tree never did nothing." He did a ten minute rap about the tree and how trees are important and you can't just destroy them for no reason. And God said, "How come, Jonah, how come, wherefore why is it, that you care so much about that tree, when you have no pity at all for Nineveh, a city that has a whole lot of folks in it, and some children and animals and you wanted me to kill them all? How come you didn't care about them?" And that's the end of the book in the Bible. You're left there with the question., You never know what Jonah said, And you find out the question is for you. What are you going to do? Can you live without hatred?

Today is a big day for my family and I. At least, I hope so. I am hoping the doctor doesn't give me, "Well, everything looks fine. You have retinal vasculitis, yes you've lost permanent vision.......Then the dreaded, but we don't know why." I've never fared well with unknowns and no plans. I guess it's a control problem lol :)

Anyway, I've been 'reprioritizing' items, people and works in my life lately. The important things seem to instantly find their way to the top of the list when disease is looming in the background. However, as I was beating myself up about not having solicited hard enough for an organization to sponsor and move the Heart Gallery forward......God sent me......the story of Jonah??!!

It seems my anger that I had obediently followed God's prompting in January ended with no tangible results. I know, without a doubt, that I had obediently and discreetly (protecting names etc.) followed his prompting. However, why now, did I feel so apathetic concerning my work with the LOVED Project and Heart Gallery?

God made it plain to me that, like Jonah, I didn't truly want 'change' for the children.....I wanted 'justice'.

Thank you, Lord, for the changes you made in the hearts of those involved. Whether change or justice is ever 'physically visible and/or tangible', help me to know that Your will is perfect. Following You obediently is all that is asked of me. Help me remember that 'my outcome' is not always the reward for following and saying, "yes Lord."

CASA Everyday Heroes

2011-02-26T12:17:00.000-06:00

CASA Child, Susie's, Poem

2011-02-07T09:18:00.001-06:00

This poem was written by a child who is assigned a Sacramento Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). The child is 14 years of age.

KARK4 "....case sent to prosecuting attorney."

2011-01-17T16:54:00.001-06:00

No Criminal Charges in Jonesboro Foster Kids Gift Exchange

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Reported by: Newsroom Solutions

Monday, January 17 2011

Jonesboro Police say it may have been immoral or unethical, but what Department of Children and Family Services employees did with donated Christmas gifts for foster kids was not criminal.

Folks who had bought gifts from the wish lists of foster children in Craighead County found some of those gifts were returned to the stores and exchanged for cash before Christmas.

DCFS workers said they were trying to "even out" what the children received.

No written reports were kept on the returns or exchanges, and no record was kept of the money received.

Still, Jonesboro police investigators say they've forwarded the entire file to the judicial prosecutor.

Craighead County DCFS-perfecting the art of taking candy from a baby?

2011-01-17T07:46:00.002-06:00

Craighead County DCFS — perfecting the art of taking candy from a baby?

By: Ethan C. Nobles 9 January 2011 8 Comments

Here’s a story just brimming with bad behavior and outrageous conduct — a Jonesboro woman claims employees at the Craighead County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) took Christmas presents contributed for orphans, cashed them in and used the money on themselves.

That’s right — read that again a couple of times and see how angry you get. The lady making that claim is Dia Sawyer and you can read all about it here on her blog. Sawyer said she purchased $500 for a couple of orphaned children for clothes, comforters, a digital camera and a remote controlled helicopter. Sawyer, suspicious of monkey business based on past conduct of Craighead County DCFS workers, kept her receipts.

She claims she has evidence the items she bought for the children were returned to the stores from whence they came and exchanged for cash. She further claims the DCFS workers at issue swiped that money and bought personal items for themselves and their families.

KAIT-8 in Jonesboro reports Sawyer’s evidence and allegations were enough to raise eyebrows at the Jonesboro Police Department. According to KAIT, the matter is under investigation by Jonesboro police. The KAIT story states Jonesboro police know the gifts were exchanged for cash and are trying to figure out what, exactly, happened to the money received.

Of course, we at First Arkansas News will let you folks know how that investigation turns out and whether charges are filed. Should Sawyer’s claims be proven, it might be time to consider creating the First Arkansas News Grinch Award to be given away during every Christmas season to those who made the news for behaving badly and generally being jerks.

Now, there’s an idea…

White Collar Villiains: Arkansas DCFS

2011-01-17T07:43:00.001-06:00

White Collar Villains: Arkansas DCFS Accused of Cashing In Orphans Xmas Gifts For Their Own Gain

http://www.truecrimereport.com/2011/01/white_collar_villains_arkansas.php#

By Chris Parker in Corruption, Lists, fraud

Friday, Jan. 14 2011 @ 9:00AM

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From idling road crews to indifferent paper-shuffling bureaucrats, we're used to the government robbing us, but not the kids. Department of Children and Family Services employees in Jonesboro, AR are accused of returning gifts bound for orphans and using the gift cards on themselves. It heads White Collar Villains...

3. Henry Tyler

Children can offer a good cover for stealing, at least that's what 39-year old Henry Tyler apparently thought. He was indicted earlier this month of embezzling $196,000 intended to provide free breakfasts, lunches and snacks for low income children. Tyler did so as head administrator of the L.E.A.D.E.R. Institute, a now defunct Milwaukee, Wisconsin private school that took part in the state's school voucher system. Tyler inflated the number of students allegedly receiving meals.

Further, officials say it owed nearly $500,000 for improperly cashed checks, claimed summer school payments, past payroll payments and other debts when in early 2006 Wisconsin kicked it out of its school choice program for insolvency despite receiving more than $1 million from the state over two years. (Yes, private enterprise can run schools worse than the government does.)

After L.E.A.D.E.R. closed, Tyler moved to Nevada and ran for the state senate last year. Though he won the Republican primary, he was in a heavily Democratic district, and was beaten handily. (Scandal averted!) Charged with mail fraud and money laundering, Tyler faces up to 30 years in prison for the combined charges.

2. Chris Barringer

Possessing a high school photo like this is reason enough to never commit a crime. However, the picture perhaps does offer some clues as to real origin of the trouble Bairdstown, Ohio Mayor Chris Barringer got into with his cellphone, a magic marker and his penis.

The amateur puppeteer did his own rendition of Kukla Fran and Ollie as performed by The Bishop and His Coconuts, after he'd used the marker to draw a big smile on The Bishop. The he took a photo of the intrepid trio with his cell phone and texted it to the teenage children of a couple acquaintances, with the caption, "It's a penis with a smiley face -- and do you want a smiley face on yours?"

He has admitted to doing it, but says it was a joke. The only joke is that picture, apparently provided by an unhappy constituent, courtesy his 1978 yearbook. This is what they mean when they tell you something ends up in your permanent record. Barringer will only face a pair of misdemeanor charges for his pervitude, with a maximum (and very unlikely) sentence of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. A mother of one of the juvenile boys to receive the texts is hoping to have him removed from office, though that may be difficult on misdemeanor charges.

1. Arkansas DCFS

Each year the Department of Children and Family Services in Craighead County Arkansas encourages local volunteers to fulfill the Christmas wishlists of kids residing with Child Youth Services. Dia Sawyer has been participating for years, with her husband, three birth and three adopted children. But her eldest (adopted) son told her they never received the quality or kind of gifts that she was buying, something that troubled Sawyer. So she took a picture of the item and the receipt before wrapping the gifts with the receipt inside, should the family need to take it back for a different size or such. She then took in gifts for 10 children.

One of Sawyer's friends told her about some questionable behavior inside the DCFS offices, where they were putting aside gifts with receipts in piles according to the retailer. When Sawyer's called retailers and had them check the transaction numbers on the receipts she'd cannily photographed, she discovered all of her gifts had been taken back and (because they were bought on credit card) exchanged by DCRFS employees for gift cards which were then used shortly after on things like photo frames, throw pillows, decorative art and accent furniture.

She reported it to the Jonesboro police who are now investigating. Another individual commenting on the story noted that their office used to give to the Craighead County branch. They got a list of kids to sponsor and filled their lists, then asked for more kids. When they got the list some kids' and their lists were repeated. They inquired and were allegedly told -- "we like extra gifts" -- even though each wishlist was specific to the kid, down to the size and color they wanted.

There's another report of similar behavior in Sebastian County, where Arkansas, DCFS officials are accused of pulling aside the expensive gifts provided by Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). The group, which works on behalf of abused and neglected children, had followed up with the children to discover some gifts had never arrived.

Everyone wants -- it's a nature of life, but it's an extremely small person who will, in the season of goodwill and kinship, make off with the charity offered to the least of us, kids who have no one to watch out for them, and must rely on the kindness, quite literally, of strangers. These people should be marched naked through town, because they clearly have no shame.

"Voice Your Complaints" Contact List

2011-01-10T14:11:00.002-06:00

Help give children in foster care a voice of their own. Send your complaints by email to the contacts below. Make your voice heard!

Scott Ellington, Prosecuting Attorney for the case

ellington@yourprosecutor.org

William Grimm, attorney at National Center for Youth Law (NCYL)

bgrimm@youthlaw.org

Arkansas Senator, Paul Bookout

bookoutp@arkleg.state.ar.us

Arkansas Representative, Homer Lenderman

homerlenderman@hotmail.com

Arkansas Representative, Jon Hubbard

hubbard_jon@yahoo.com

Arkansas Representative, Butch Wilkins

butch.wilkins@arkansashouse.org

Below are the contacts for Arkansas state government. However, their response to the case has been that if charges are filed, they must defend their department (DCFS) in court.

Arkansas Attorney General, Dustin McDaniel

http://www.arkansasag.gov/contact_us_form.html

Arkansas Governor, Mike Beebe's contact form

http://governor.arkansas.gov/contact/index.php

John Selig, Arkansas Director of Department of Human Services (DHS)

John.Selig@arkansas.gov

Cecile Blucker, Arkansas Director of Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) cecile.blucker@arkansas.gov

Detective Mike Branscum, Investigator for the case - if you are a foster parent wanting to report what your foster child received or if you are a person who donated gifts and would like to email Mike an account of what you purchased or received.

mike.branscum@jonesboro.org

Arkansas DCFS in Sebastian County, AR

2011-01-09T22:34:00.003-06:00

The news source, "The City Wire" published the story below. It seems that Arkansas DCFS has been allowed, once again, to justify working in their "shade of gray" that is above the law and under the radar of public knowledge. Thank you, Sebastian County CASA for bringing this to our attention. Dia Sawyer

CASA alleges state workers ‘misappropriated’ Christmas gifts for children

Submitted by The City Wire staff on Wed, 01/05/2011 - 10:34pm.

http://www.thecitywire.com/?q=node%2F13417

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) officials in Sebastian County and Arkansas are angry about Christmas gifts they purchased for children being allegedly “misappropriated” by state employees of the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS).

Late Wednesday (Jan. 5) afternoon, The City Wire received an e-mail documenting the allegations and demands by CASA officials to correct the situation.

CASA is a volunteer program created in 1977 to ensure that abused and neglected children have a voice in court. CASA volunteer advocates search for information, review records, and talk with parents, relatives, teachers, health care workers, and the child whose case they are assigned. They identify needed services, available resources and placement options. It doesn’t just stop there. They monitor the court-ordered services to see that they are carried out in a timely manner. They must also appear in court at each hearing with a report outlining concerns and recommendations to help the judge make decisions in the best interest of the child.

On Jan. 4, Sebastian County CASA Executive Director Glenda Evans learned that some CASA children did not receive all the gifts that volunteers purchased and trusted that DCFS — a department of the Arkansas Department of Health & Human Services — would deliver.

When Evans asked DCFS employee Tonya Prickett about the gifts that weren’t delivered, Prickett provided this response: “It ended up going to another child in need. We did not feel that this was a gift that was appropriate for him in his current placement.”

After receiving Prickett’s response, Evans noted in an e-mail to other CASA officials: “Keep in mind, my volunteers bought these gifts with their own money specifically for their CASA child. And we did check with their placements to make sure they were ok with it and they were. DHS wanted us to bring all our presents to them unwrapped, where they could be ‘logged in.’ I am livid! We have been doing this for years, but this is the first time I actually checked on it.”

Evans wouldn’t comment on the situation, but did refer The City Wire to Julian Holloway, director of the Arkansas State CASA Association. Holloway confirmed that information in the e-mail received by The City Wire was accurate, but said she is waiting on a response from DCFS before commenting. Holloway advised The City Wire to call to DCFS Director Cecile Blucker. Around 4:15 p.m., a receptionist in Blucker’s office said Blucker was on the phone but would return the call before the end of the working day. Blucker did not call. (The City Wire will update this story or post a second story when and if Blucker returns the call and explains the DHS and DCFS perspective on the issue.)

On Jan. 5, Holloway sent the following message to Blucker.
“Cecile, this is simply not acceptable.

“The CASA advocates from Sebastian County purchased gifts for the children they advocate for, with their own money. They checked with the placements, who determined that the gifts the children asked for were acceptable and they were deemed appropriate.

“It is unclear to me how and why your staff would make the decision that a gift purchased for a particular kid with someone else's money, was ‘inappropriate in his current placement,’ when it had already been cleared with the placement.

“Upon reviewing DHS policy, I find no language which indicates DCFS staff members may sift through gifts given to children in foster care, who may then determine whether the gift should end out ‘going to another child in need.’ Is this also the case with birthday gifts, or any other presents given to kids in care?

“At the very least, I would think your staff would consult with the CASAs on this decision.

“My expectation is that the CASA volunteers whose gifts were misappropriated will be reimbursed in full immediately. I will ask Glenda Evans to provide me a list of each gift purchased by the advocates and to whom each gift was supposed to go. My hope is that this isn't DCFS's normal practice and that the gifts purchased for specific children were given to those children. Should this be the case with other advocates' gifts, I will expect that they be fully reimbursed, as well.

“As a professional courtesy, I am advising you that unless there is immediate restitution and a reasonable explanation for this, CASA will file a formal complaint against those involved in this decision. Please also know I will be advising our programs to make other arrangements for distribution of gifts to children in foster care, as this, coupled with the recent misappropriation of Christmas gift cards by other DCFS staff, is terribly troubling.

“Please call me to discuss this.”

Evans’ note to local CASA volunteers noted: “I am not sure where these presents have gone to, but it seems that the gifts missing are the expensive ones. I can assure you that I will never send any sort of gift to dhs to deliver to our kids. I am so sorry this has happened and will continue to have the dept. make it right with our kids. I cannot imagine anything lower than taking away a Christmas present from our children that have nothing else.”

Dia Sawyer "My hope is that one day every child in foster care will have a voice."

2011-01-08T08:58:00.012-06:00

This is an account of my experience, that will hopefully clarify, why I questioned if Craighead County foster children received the gifts that were purchased specifically for them by members of our community.

In 2008 my husband and I decided to sponsor 20 Craighead County DCFS foster children for Christmas. My husband's office all rallied together to help us purchases gifts off Christmas wish lists provided by Craighead County DCFS in Jonesboro. DCFS asked that we spend approximately $100 per child. As DCFS also requested, we purchased and individually wrapped each gift and placed them in bags with the child's name and Christmas wishlist attached to the outside of the bag. We loaded them into my husband's truck and took our 5 children with us to deliver the gifts. We wanted our children to experience the joy of giving and sharing of blessings, especially at Christmas time. After we made many trips to the truck delivering the 20 bags of sorted gifts, we left DCFS without a 'thank you' of any kind. We finally dismissed it as a lack of professionalism and rudeness. We left DCFS with a sinking feeling that no one cared if we had sponsored these children or not.

The following Christmas we finalized our most recent adoption of a then 16 year old child. In his honor that Christmas we decided to sponsor 10 children. We listened as a family as DCFS employees made desperate pleas for volunteers to sponsor children because they were having a difficult time finding sponsors in the economic crisis. I took all 6 of my children shopping and my oldest and I wrapped and sorted all the gifts. After experiencing 4 years of foster care himself before moving into our home, he continually made the statement, "I can't believe you're buying all this stuff." We never got anything off our Christmas wish lists. Sometimes our gifts would be delivered 2 or 3 weeks after Christmas. It was always random stuff like a 'scooby doo hat' or 'lion t-shirt' or something weird. We never got anything like this." I put his statements out of my mind in hopes that maybe his gifts had just 'fallen through the cracks' or his wishlist not sponsored. We loaded all the kids and bags into the truck and delivered them to DCFS, all the while my oldest stating, "they don't care if you buy this stuff or not......they just take home what they want." I told him that, "there is no way that is true because why would they ask that the gifts be wrapped?" When we delivered our gifts we were told to just put them down in the hall. Again, no one said thank you or even asked our names. Again, we left with the sinking feeling that no one really cared if the gifts were ever donated or ever delivered to the needy children.

This Christmas I took only my oldest, now 17 years old, to shop for 2 children we had sponsored as a family, through Craighead County DCFS. I asked all my facebook friends and church members to sponsor a child as well. After calling DCFS to inquire if I needed to find more community members to donate, I was told that all the children had been sponsored this year. What a blessing that was to hear!

We had sponsored a 15 year old boy who resided in a foster home (per the info at the top of the Christmas wishlist provided by DCFS) and a 17 year old boy residing at CYS (Child Youth Services) facility in Jonesboro, AR. We shopped off of the boy's handwritten wishlists, filled out by them. I found it odd that a 15 year old boy, that could ask for anything he wanted, would ask for a jacket and comforter set for a full size bed. However, my oldest stated, "he's probably sharing a room and using a 'hand me down kiddie' bedspread. This brought back memories of shopping with my oldest when he was so excited to pick out decor and bedding for his own new room after he moved into our home. So we purchased a nice jacket, teen comforter set and remote control helicopter (all on his wish list) all from Kohl's in Jonesboro, AR.

We then went to TJ Maxx to shop for the 17 year old boy residing at CYS. He was the same age as my son and asked for everything my son had asked for Christmas. He wanted Ralph Lauren shirts. So I bought him the same things I had bought my own son. We picked out three nice Ralph Lauren pullovers in his size and two packages of Ralph Lauren socks. We also purchased another remote control helicopter at TJ Maxx for him as well to fly around on the CYS basketball courts.

After bringing the gifts home we wrapped and sorted the gifts and attached their names. My son again made the statement, "I NEVER got anything like this!" So I told him that I would take a picture of the gifts and receipts with my phone not sure what I would do with them at that time. We placed the receipts in the gifts, like we had always done in previous years, so that if the child or foster family needed to exchange/ return the gifts they would be able to do so.

That same afternoon I received a phone call from a person who had just dropped off donation items at the Craighead County DCFS offiice. She proceeded to tell me what she had witnessed.

She was dropping of her donations when she heard voices coming from the 'wrapping room.' She walked down and saw two DCFS employees sorting through gifts. After she stood and talked a while one employee began to unwrap gifts and exclaim, "Where is XXXX ever going to wear this? He's going to return to his biological family as soon as he turns 18 years old." Then she unwrapped another of his gifts and stated, "I don't think this is his color." And she then became excited when she realized the gifts also came with the receipt. She placed all his gifts into a pile to be returned. She then grabbed two brownish colored shirts and wrapped them and placed them into a carry bag to be delivered to him. She then grabbed a flash light and batteries, wrapping them and tossing them into the carry bag stating, "he'll need these." This child is a child I have known for many years. He had been placed on my Adoption Coalition Heart Gallery for several years in hopes of being adopted. He was never adopted and decided to enter the ILP (Independent Living Program) and I removed him from the Heart Gallery. I also knew that he resided at CYS and had no siblings there.

At this point, the other DCFS employee in the room, was sorting through gifts on a table and scanning them with her iphone 'tag scanning application' and placing them into piles. After scanning items that had come from TJ Maxx she asked if they should go into the return pile as well. The other employee said, "no just find a child's bag to put them in."

At this point an unknown woman entered the room and the employees were very excited to see her. She carried an empty Bed, Bath and Beyond bag and a gift card wrapped in a return receipt. They asked her how much she got and she said five hundred and something dollars. The employees were very excited and exclaimed, "great!"

Another unknown woman from the community entered the room to deliver her donated gifts. She carried three bags filled with gifts with a child's Christmas wish list attached to the outside of each bag. After the woman left, she witnessed the employees open each gift inside the bag and continue to sort the items and place them into piles. She then realized that there was a Wal Mart box overflowing with what she understood to be return items. At which point she said her goodbyes and left. She then called me from her vehicle crying as she headed home.

The next day I couldn't get the thought out of my mind of our former Heart Gallery child not having what he wanted for his last Christmas in foster care. He would soon turn 18 and be on his own trying to navigate life. I went to Wal Mart and purchased a $193.32 digital camera. I placed the receipt inside the digital camera box and wrapped the gift. I attached his name and CYS to the outside of the gift. I took another photo of my receipt and hoped and prayed that he would receive the gift. I hoped that if he didn't want the digital camera he could return it for an ipod or something else he wanted.

All the gifts were delivered on Monday afternoon, December 20th. On Tuesday, December 28th, I called Walmart to track the TC# (transaction control number) located at the bottom of my original receipt. They then faxed me a copy of a return receipt that had been signed by the same employee unwrapping gifts on December 17th. She had received $193.32 cash for the digital camera return on Wednesday, December 22nd, two days after I had dropped the gifts off at DCFS.

I then called Kohl's to track the number at the bottom of the receipt. I had purchased the Kohl's items for the 15 year old who requested the comforter, jacket and R/C Helicopter. They gave me copies of a return receipt signed by the same employee that had signed for the return at Wal Mart. The return had been made at 6pm on the December 20th, the same day I dropped the gifts off at DCFS. She had been given a gift card for $221.37 since the purchase had been made on a credit card that she couldn't provide. They then gave me copies of the itemized list of what she had purchased with the gift card.
Approximately 1 hour after the return she purchased:
clothing
decorative art
photo frame
2 decorative pillows
boxed calendars

She returned on December 27th and used the remainder of the giftcard to purchase accent furniture.

I then called TJ Maxx to check the number at the bottom of that receipt. The 3 Ralph Lauren shirts, 2 packages of Ralph Lauren socks and R/C helicopter had all been returned on Wednesday, December 22nd by a DCFS caseworker who had signed for the return. She was issued a gift card because again, I had used my credit card and she couldn't provide it for the return. TJ Maxx was able to track the giftcard to show that she had used a portion of the funds 30 minutes after the return. The remainder of the giftcard was spent that evening around 6pm.

On the same day that I discovered that every single item for every single child I had sponsored had been returned I called the police. The next day, Wednesday December 29th, I took my receipts and return receipts with me and gave my account of events to detectives at the police department.

The investigation is currently ongoing and no charges have been made. As is standard practice in my dealings with Arkansas DCFS, they are allowed to operate in a 'shade of gray' and hide behind their 'confidentiality policy and procedures' which usually places them above the law and under the radar of public knoweledge. Never have I known of an agency, person or business that is allowed to use it's 'policy and procedure' manual to operate in this fashion on an as needed basis. I do not expect charges to be made in this case. I expect DCFS to continue to work under their guise of 'confidentiality' until someone can hold them accountable for their actions, departmentally and personally. The statement they have given, "we were trying to 'level the playing field' for siblings does not justify why my three sponsored children didn't receive their appropriate gifts. They had no siblings placed with them, both being at CYS.

I hope that others will take a stand when they see injustice occurring, not turning a blind eye. I have placed myself in the public eye for scrutiny only in hopes that one day every child in foster care will finally have a voice.

Dia Sawyer
1/8/11

Fox 16 News Little Rock, AR Jonesboro police probing return of foster kids' gifts

2011-01-07T16:32:00.001-06:00

Jonesboro police probing return of foster kids' gifts

Print Story

Published: 8:14 am

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Updated: 8:14 am

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — A detective for the Jonesboro Police Department says officers are investigating a woman's complaint that gifts she bought for foster children in Craighead County were all returned to the stores where she bought them by employees of the state Division of Children and Family Services.

Diaz Sawyer told Jonesboro television station KAIT that the gifts she bought for three foster children were all returned for their purchase price without being delivered to the children. She said the items were on wish-lists made out by the children, including clothing, a comforter, a camera and a remote-controlled helicopter.

Detective Mike Branscum said the big question is what the motive was for returning the gifts to the stores. He said he wants to hear from others who bought such gifts for foster kids.

Jonesboro police probing return of foster kids' gifts - todaysthv.com | KTHV | Little Rock, AR

2011-01-07T16:28:00.001-06:00

Jonesboro police probing return of foster kids' gifts - todaysthv.com | KTHV | Little Rock, AR

A detective for the Jonesboro Police Department says officers are investigating a complaint that gifts bought for foster children in Craighead County were all returned to the stores.

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) -- A detective for the Jonesboro Police Department says officers are investigating a woman's complaint that gifts she bought for foster children in Craighead County were all returned to the stores where she bought them by employees of the state Division of Children and Family Services.

Detective Mike Branscum said the big question is what the motive was for returning the gifts to the stores. He said he wants to hear from others who bought such gifts for foster kids.

DHS under investigation for missing gifts

2011-01-06T19:34:00.003-06:00

DHS under investigation for missing gifts:

"AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY BY THE JONESBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS WRONG-DOING BY INDIVIDUALS WHOSE JOB IS TO PROTECT, CARE AND FIND PERMANENT FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN IN STATE CUSTODY."

New Year 1/1/11

2011-01-03T19:05:00.002-06:00

Team Sawyer had a fabulous Christmas. We had wonderful family time, love, admiration for each other and time to bond closer together. We are geared up and ready for 2011. The trials and tribulations that the new year holds will hopefully be used by God to draw us closer to Him.

LOVED Project

2010-05-07T10:28:00.001-05:00

Good Morning! I hope this email finds you well and extremely blessed this Mother's Day weekend!

The LOVED Project is working hard to promote it's mentoring project throughout the month of May. National Foster Care Awareness month is in full swing! If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a mentor for a child in fostercare, please visit our website at www.LOVEDProject.com

We have an exciting adoption picnic planned for June 6th 1-4pm at Frierson State Park Pavilion, We are in desperate need of volunteers to supervise children during activities at the picnic. We are also looking for food items and monetary donations to secure the 'bouncy obstacle course'.

Not everyone is called to adopt, not even everyone is called to foster, but everyone is called to care. If you would like to help with any of the above items, please email Amy Harris asap at amy@lovedproject.com
870-919-1910
Amy will send you a form that will give you clearance to attend and voluntee the day of the picnic if you will be working with the children. If you can't attend but want to donate, please contact Amy today!

Please, feel free to forward this email to anyone you think may be interested. Visit our website at www.LOVEDProject.com

Serving with you to better the lives of the most vulnerable in our community,

Dia Sawyer
www.diasawyer.com

New Family Pics!

2009-11-24T11:34:00.002-06:00

Needless to say.......I'm WAY past WAY behind!! We have taken new family pics and if you'll notice we have a new member of Team Sawyer! We have fallen head over heals in love with Caleb Carmine Sawyer! (Watch for a post all about the name change.....it's a great story!!) We are the 'very green' parents of a teenager now!! Talk about being broken into crazy teen life in one summer!!

Middle East Cuisine in Dubai

2009-06-17T07:27:00.014-05:00

Our FAVORITE FOOD EVER!

Indian Chicken Curry!
NO FORKS!

They watched us eat like we were crazy!
Finally, at the end of them meal they asked if we wanted a SPOON!
We said, "Oh no, we've got it now!" LOL

Belly Dancing Dinner entertainment!

YUM

Cushion & Rug Dining

7 Star dining at the Burg Al Arab

Bottled cokes.....cute!

Beautiful food presentations!
Hand painted chocolate squares in the mango cup dessert on the left!

Just beautiful plated presentations!
At our resort,The Jumeirah

My Fav! Curry!

Bottled water was EVERYWHERE!
HUGE family size bottles too!

How Cool!
Fun, Fun, Fun!

Middle East Henna Painting in Dubai

2009-06-15T06:26:00.006-05:00

BEAUTIFUL!!!!

One of my FAVORITE things in Dubai!
Henna Painting

Elliette got a beautiful flower painted on her palm.

There are Arab and Indian styles of Henna.
I think we got Indian.......??

LOVE IT!!!
It lasted about 2 week!

Jumeirah Beach Hotel "Wild Wadi Waterpark" in Dubai

2009-06-14T07:01:00.005-05:00

The kids had a blast at the waterpark at our resort.

It was SO HOT! I laid there watching them ride the rides and swim
for about 2 hours. How this Arabic woman sat in 110 heat in this......
I have NO IDEA!

Fun, Fun, Fun!

Wild Wadi....here come the Sawyers!

Chillaxin' and swimming up for a bite to eat! LOL

Cool 'what nots' at the Jumeirah!

2009-05-31T21:11:00.010-05:00

Fencing around the resort LOL

The Wild Wadi Waterpark at the resort

Godiva chocolates on the pillows in the shape of the hotel LOL!!

Lobby had a bridge and 'river'

Chess on the patio

View out the living room

View out the bedroom
(how I stayed 'connected' while gone.....
Coffee and laptop LOL!

Cool cars in the parking lot!

The handpainted camels were all around the resort?????

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

2009-05-30T20:37:00.009-05:00

We stayed at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai

It was a beautiful hotel.

We had a spectacular view from our bedroom.

Fresh Flowers in the room!

Flowers in the kitchen!!

Flowers in the bathroom.

Awesome Suite!

We had booked a 1 room small hotel room.......
when we got there they upgraded us to a corner suite!
AWESOME! Thank you Lord!
We had 2 bathrooms, kitchen, living room & master bedroom.
Balcony w/ view of Dubai and bedroom view of the Burg Al Arab:~)

Dubai by way of Amsterdam

2009-05-30T00:18:00.008-05:00

Our layover in Amsterdam was only 2 hours
so we didn't have time to venture out!

I did get to snap some cute pics in the giftshop at the airport though!
LOL

We would have loved to have seen this in person!

I asked Justus and Elliette to find
their favorite thing in the store......
Elliette picked a little ceramic windmill.

Justus picked some cheese from the many varieties on display!
Dubai or bust here we come!!

TUTU Cute!

2009-05-10T20:04:00.010-05:00

Lola Angelina Ballerina

Goofballs!

Best Ballerina Pose!

Too CUTE!

At Elliette's Performance

On the stage post performance
(check out the laces LOL!!)

Ballerina Princess!

"Miracle Worker" Opening Night

2009-05-07T18:26:00.006-05:00

Elliette had a blast being in the Foundation of Arts performance of the "Miracle Worker"
Her daddy brought her flowers and a bear following opening night.
She made many friends during the play and the first pic is her with "Helen Keller" and the next is her buddy C.J. who played "Jimmie" in the play.
Congrats Elliette!

Puddle Jumpin'

2009-05-06T21:06:00.006-05:00

We had a blast playing in a puddle in our front driveway.
I let the kids just 'go for it!'
They had a blast!

Eva's 3rd Birthday Party!

2009-05-06T07:44:00.005-05:00

Eva's Super Duper Barbie Cake!

What a big girl on her new bike!

A helmet to match!

Family Gang!

John and Caleb putting Eva's kitchen together
(sorry I forgot to ask until RIGHT BEFORE the party!)

Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat

2009-05-06T07:35:00.003-05:00

We took the kids to see their FAVORITE musical last week.
Josheph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat
I'm so happy their finally old enough to sit through a production ALL TOGETHER!
It was a nice family outing at Nettleton Performing Arts Center

Piano Recital Spring 09'

2009-05-04T09:39:00.007-05:00

What a group!

Elliette Maree

Justus

Aria, Lola & Eva
(patiently waiting for awards to be given)

Weather Watcher

2009-05-01T22:46:00.002-05:00

You guys know how I love weather & weather pics........
This was taken toward the beginning of this week, isn't it cool?!

Helicopter Ridin'

2009-04-30T22:08:00.003-05:00

Our friend, Mickey, invited Justus and Elliette to take a ride in his helicopter yesterday!
Needless to say......they LOVED it! Thank you Mickey!

PRC Banquet 2009

2009-04-28T20:32:00.003-05:00

Stephanie and John

Herb, Sharon & Amy

What a blessing it has been to be a part of the PRC, Pregnancy Resource Center becoming 'Medical' over the past year! What blessings the gift of ultrasound has been to many unborn babies who's mothers chose life! Praise God!

Easter at MeeMee and Grandpa's

2009-04-19T15:46:00.004-05:00

Hunting Eggs at MeeMee's

Annual Egg Dying Event.........what were we thinking??!!

Karaoke with 7 adults and 7 kids!!! Priceless!

Easter at Papa C and Nana's

2009-04-17T21:38:00.005-05:00

Nana's annual 'bunny cake'!

Eva's girlfriend came to church on Easter morning!
We've been missing Mrs. Vedith this winter!
So glad it's warmed up and she's back!

Ah....ham, potato salad, rolls etc........

'Over the Top' Egg Hunt!

2009-04-17T10:46:00.003-05:00

Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt

Can you get any more 'over the top' than dropping the eggs from a helicopter?!
The kids were loving every minute of it.
The helicopter flew away and they let the kids run!

Big Happy Family by Mary Pride

2009-03-29T22:18:00.001-05:00

About a year ago I read the BEST article about large families! It stated very simply all the things I've been unable to express about having a large family. When an exhausted mother of two asks, "How do you do it with so many children? I'm dying with two!" This article by Mary Pride answers the question to a "T". I've been unable to find this article online so.........I'm retyping it. Ignore any typos as they are by me!

BIG HAPPY FAMILY

Easier by the Dozen by Mary Pride

When my children were younger, it was common to meet total strangers who could not help but comment on my family's size.

"Nine children!" You sure must have your hands full!" was one typical comment.

Another comment I heard frequently was, "I don't know how you do it! I only have two, and I'm overwhelmed!"

I am now going to share with you my amazing secret.

It's not that I'm a radiant saint, as anyone who knows me will be happy to ageree!

I also don't have some special "gift" of motherhood. (In fact, right up until the day of my marriage and for months beyond I kep insisting that I never would have children!)

I've also never been indepently wealthy...never had a nanny, housekeeper, or maid...and, thanks to a sluggish thyroid, I actually need more sleep than the average mom.

Here's the big, amazing secret (shhhh, let's keep our voices down):

The first two kids are harder to handle than the next dozen.

Why 1+1= Almost Impossible to Handle

Let's explore what happens when you have your first child or two and they are under age 5.

At least one of them likely is not toilet-trained.

You have to feed them and/or clean up huge food messes.

The supply of dirty laundry is never-ending.

They don't know how to amuse themselves or each other, so you have to be "on call" as the play buddy all day long.

They have no sense of personal safety, so you also have to live in a state of constant paranoia, anticipating every crazy and unsafe move they might make in order to protect them.

They can't be ignored, no matter how tired you are. When that wail goes off, you have to get going even if you just fell asleep for the first time in days.

Clearly, if this state of things persisted, and just got worse with children 3, 4 and 5, no human being could handle the job.

This is why so many young parents give up and get themselves sterilized after the birth of their second child.

Here's what they don't know:

Once the oldest turns 4 or 5, it all starts getting better.

Sibling Power

We hear so much about 'sibling rivalry" these days. To my mind, serious sibling rivalry is a cry for the parents to do a better job. Sibling snootiness, a much more common condition, is a direct result of the age-segregated public school, where older sibs learn to avoid contact with their younger brothers and sisters for fear of contaminating their social standing.

If you start training your children to support each other and to help each other at the earliest possible age, and if you homeschool them, even your young children can start being a blessing, rather than a burden.

Older brothers and sisters just naturally love the new baby to pieces. I have always encouraged our children to hold the baby, with upervision, and in a safe, sitting position. This way, they start bonding from the start.

While you are nearby, a kindergartner can play games with the baby in his crib: shaking a rattle, rolling a ball for him to roll back, making funny faces, dancing for the baby.

Gawky preteens feel "cool" while demonstrating their art and science skills to the awestruck younger set.

Lordly teens can babysit, help with diapering and feeding, take little ones on a walk, and correct their homework.

I'm not suggesting the children do you entire job for you. The point here is twofold: (1) to instill "family spirit" and (2) to train our children in preparation for the day when they will have their own families.

Many of you reading this are already doing all this. I've heard many times from vendors, museum staff, and others that "you can always spot the homeschooled kids because the older ones are helping the younger one."

Younger parents, take heart. The day will come when your children will gladly amuse and help each other. Your 24/7 shifts as "amusement park director" won't last forever!

Chore Power

I remember how whocked I was when, at my very first homeschool meeting, the speaker said she never vacuumed her house. "The children do it," she said, "so I can have the time to teach them."

I was raised by a mom who felt it was her mission to do ALL the housework...with the sole exception of the dishes, as we got older. My childhood memories are of my mom looking exhausted as she singlehandedly looked after each baby, did all the housecleaning, plus volunteered for various church, community, and alumni activities. The spectacle of her dedication sadly is what made me decide as a young teen that I was NEVER going to have children. I didn't think I could manage the workload!

Another factor was that, thanks to the New England public-school culture of "cutting" each other down, I and my six siblings didn't get along that well with each other or our parents. It was the Sixties and early Seventies, and youthful snottiness was in the air. Common sense dictated that I wanted no part of having kids who were like me at that age!

It's true that raising a gaggle of lazy, entitled slackers who show you no respect is a thankless job. But it doesn't have to be that way.

As Italian educator Maria Montessori dicovered long ago, children are bor empathetic (wanting others to be happy and feeling sad when they aren't) and with a desire to work and feel needed. She came up with a method of education which included small household chores for even the littlest ones.

It turns out that young children don't feel oppressed when asked to help your-they feel empowered.

Of course, the wise mom will usher her children gently into the world of work with chores that are more like games. Tossing sock balls into the laundry basket and putting away the pots and pans on low shelves are two popular "beginner" chores. You can buy tiny mops and brooms from Montessori uppliers, or wait until they are just old enough to handle the vacuum (boys especially love machines that make loud noises!). Even the littlest tot can "fetch" things for Mom and Dad (who would be smart to share how thrilled they are with the help)> Kids tall enough to reach all items safely can set and clear the table. Older children can do the dishes and their own laundry.

As much as you can, put on a "happy face" while doing your own chores. Children pick up their parents' attitudes, and if you do housework wit a "woe is me" attitude, you'll soon hear it echoed back at you. On the other hand, if you work cheerfully, you can expect the same from the small ones trailing after you.

For some reason, interviewers always want to know how large families manage to do their laundry. We love the mothod where each family member has his or her own laundry bag to gradually fill up with dirty laundry. This way nothing ever has to be sorted!

The truth is that many hands DO make light work. The more kids, the more hands...once they are old enough to understand what they're doing, of course!

No More Baby Talk (Well, Maybe Just a Little)

Another common concern young moms have is that they will literally "lose their minds." This is often expressed as, "I'm afraid if I spend all day with my small children, I'll forget how to talk to adults!"

Some thoughts here. First, ALL your children won't be THAT small once you get past the first two. Second, if you talk to your children in as grown-up a manner as possible, you will soon find you have reflective little friends with excellent vocabularies.

I'm not suggesting that you should NEVER enjoy cooing to a baby. Across all cultures "baby talk" is natural. But there's no reason to settle for a sole diet of "ooey gooey Baby Snookums" talk

Reading aloud is an excellent way to build a child's vocabulary. I don't have to tell you to do this- many homeschool parents are so anxious to get started on reading aloud that they begin while the first baby still is in the womb! (It's doubtful that unborn babies are actually soaking up any of that Shakespeare, as they are in the position of someone listening to a conversation while they are underwater AND inside a thin, flexible container. So no guilt feelings if you wait until they're born and a few months old before beginning the bedtime tales.)

The point to remember her is:

The conversation quality in your house improves dramatically after the oldest child learns to read

Once again, a library card is the homeschooler's best friend. Even at an early age, you and your children ccan develop shared interests via the world of books.

Beloved literary classics are only part of the story. Once of the great joys of parenthood is that tingle you feel when one of your children expresses interest in on of YOUR intrests.

A Family Culture

You will find, as your children grow older, that you are developing a "family culture." You have read the same books, watched the same movies, and engaged in amny of the same activities (even if they were "just" homeschool projects). And as with most cultures, teh more contributors, the richer the culture.

The years when all your children are under age 5 are as tough as it gets. These are the years when you, the parents, are laying the groundwork for your family culture of love, support, and shared interests. It's a ton of work. But it doesn't last forever. As your children start growing up, they can contribute more and more.

When you only have one or two very young children, it may be hard to imagine...but chidlren really ARE easier by the dozen.

Mary Pride is the publisher of Practical Homeschooling.

Easter Pics

2009-03-26T16:45:00.002-05:00

My posts are coming fewer and farther in between! However, I've been working on a new project and hope to have wonderful things to announce soon! We had Easter pics taken yesterday! Lulu and Luigi even got in on the action!
Love to all,
Dia

February Snow

2009-03-06T22:04:00.009-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2009-02-20T13:41:00.009-06:00

I made the girl's tutu's to match their Valentine's Day outfits

Jude's favorite shirt/jacket "Transformers"

Lola LOVED her Valentine's Day outfit!

Eva's hat & flower to match

Justus is too cool for all this!!

The 'boys' table at the church Valentine's dinner. The kids had their own room to dine in while the adults had Strawberry's BBQ in the hall w/ games and karaoke too!

Ice Damage and Ice Beauty

2009-02-12T15:32:00.009-06:00

Those who know me well know that I LOVE taking weather pics! Thunderstorm clouds, sunrises, sunsets, ice....I love it all! I couldn't wait to get outside EARLY the next morning to take pics. There were branches falling and cracking ALL around while I was out there. I didn't go under any trees.....mom!

Our neighbors received LOTS of damage to their trees, they couldn't even leave their driveway. (They did however have the foresight to park in the street the night before!)

Thank You for sunshine.....

Glazed Garden

This tree fell over including ROOT BALL into our fence!

I watched as this tree slowly by the hour bended it's top toward the ground. By morning it was over pulling the root ball entirely out of the ground!

Thunderstorms

2009-02-10T21:54:00.003-06:00

I'm praying tonight for safety from the severe thunderstorms we're supposed to have in the early hours tomorrow morning. If we lose power again.......we will survive! All keep alert tomorrow, listen to the weather stations! (I'm a closet weather watcher!! I LOVE it!)

Dia

Ice Storm 2009

2009-02-05T21:28:00.003-06:00

I'm really behind on my posting.....sorry friends! No, I'm not depressed, just can't seem to 'get it all done'. I'm not quite sure how my 'super mom' friend do it! I can't quite seem to get homeschooling, house, cooking, washing all done in a day. I have made homeschooling the top priority of the day and if nothing else gets done....it does (much to my children's dismay!) I know at the end of the race I'll be glad I educated them to the best of my ability and gave them top priority in my life. I also know that no one will remember whether there were dishes in my sink or if we wore our 'ugly shirt' because everything cute or matching was dirty!! If I haven't answered your call or email I truly do apologize. I'm not sure if I'll ever answer the phone or return an email but please know that I read it and......will get back to you on that (maybe...).

We are enjoying homeschooling and are thrilled that learning new things **together** has changed our lives. We have real conversations at dinner now! The kids are explaining to daddy how to find the area of a trapezoid, the plot of their latest book, how they've written the script to a play instead of writing an essay and the hilarious things that happen in our house EVERY day!

I feel SO GUILTY about how spoiled I obviously am! I've always envisioned myself in the mission field if not a homemaker. I've envisioned our SEVEN member family in the mission field as well! HOWEVER>>>>after the ice storm last week and being without power for a measly 3 days.......maybe I'm not as cut out for mission work as I thought! I'm telling myself that it's the inconvenience of trying to be a mother to 5 kids w/out electricity that did it! I hope I'm not as pathetic as it seems.....but I shocked myself at how miserable John and I were.

Our power went out Tuesday about 5pm. We lit candles in our master bedroom. Gathered all the pillows, sleeping bags, footed pj's and the dogs (all gathered with a flashlight...which was no big deal THE FIRST TIME) and settled down for a night in the master bedroom. We arranged the kids all in the floor. It was a fun 'camping party' or so we called it. They took FOREVER to finally go to sleep. After they fell asleep it was SO QUIET! John and I listened to the limbs falling....it sounded like huge gunfire. Our neighbors live in a completely wooded area. We have a lot of trees but nothing like they do! We have 2 HUGE trees in our backyard that John promises me won't hit our house if they ever fall (who knows?!) Anyway, I couldn't sleep all night for sneaking out of the bedroom to peek out the back windows. We had a TALL tree that was leaning all the way over and each time I'd go out to peek it would be a few feet closer to the ground. I stood on the back porch for a few minutes to listen to the 'falling orchestra'. It was scary! There were limbs coming down like crazy!! I definitely didn't stay too long!

The next morning I couldn't wait to check out the yard! WOW! The tree that had been falling all night had completely lifted it's entire root ball out of the ground and crashing into our iron fence bending two sections of it! There were limbs everywhere! The neighbor had moved their vehicle to the road the night before.....I thought "why didn't he just put it in the garage to keep it safe?" Well, he obviously knew he wouldn't be DRIVING out of his driveway. He had huge trees and tree limbs covering his driveway. John and I felt like losers when the neighbors on the other side of him cut the trees up with chainsaws and moved them out of the way. We don't even own a chainsaw!!

We thought we'd tough it out the next day till the power came back on. We cooked breakfast on our gas stovetop and kept the burners on for heat. Well......we lasted about 2 hours! It got colder and colder and colder! We packed a few things and headed to John's office where there was power. After arriving there and listening to the news we headed back to the house to pack for the night. We packed all our bedding to sleep on the office floor, toiletries for us and all the kids, food to cook in the office kitchen, 2 dogs & crates, food, 2 parakeets & cage, 2 water dragons & aquarium w/ light and heater and 5 kids!! Not so fun!!! We left the turtle, fish, hamsters (w/ extra bedding) and hermit crabs to tough it out!

What a wimp I am......the office floor was horrible! I'm so spoiled!! However, I'm thankful for the heat, water and power we had at the office. I can't imagine worrying about the kids being cold sleeping at our house or in a crowd at the convocation center....I am thankful! The next morning everyone showed up for work...... plus Team Sawyer probably wasn't too work conducive! John was pretty much having a nervous breakdown with us there so we went to his brother's house......who had no power. I thought when we loaded the car that we were going to Target, WRONG! Why were we going to Jacob and Lauren's when they had no power?? John said, "so the kids can play." Well, it was 30 degrees when we got there and it warmed up to a whooping 33 degrees with all our added bodies and 'play'. Needless to say, we didn't stay long! We went to my cousin Shellie's house to see if she had power...NO. So what did we do???? We ordered Little Caesars Pizza and ate it in the car while we drove around Jonesboro in our heated vehicle!

Mrs. Judie invited us over for chili and hot dogs at her mother's house. She kept power the entire time. We had a wonderful visit......then went home to a house with power. Jacob, Lauren, Max and Ben stayed at our house that night and Friday. Their power came on Friday. My parents and brother still didn't have power so they came Friday until theirs came on Sat. afternoon.

It seemed like Christmas with all the togetherness......however without the presents or good food....hmmmmmm.

I got a new camera for Christmas and haven't exactly gotten it figured out so.......I'll post our Ice Storm pics as soon I as I get to that........don't hold your breath! I did however post a great video below that has helped me put my 'spoiledness' into perspective! GET A GRIP DIA!

RICH by Rob Bell

2009-02-05T21:25:00.002-06:00

Are you going to finish strong?

2009-01-16T14:25:00.002-06:00

My friend, Sharon, sent me this amazing video last night. It was so appropriate for this week. My father in law, John Sawyer Jr., had been having chest pressure for about a week and a half. He went to the cardiologist for a stress test one week ago today. They said he's need to have a heart cath done and sent him home with nitroglycerin. He had some major episode throughout the weekend and ending up going to the ER on Monday morning.

They did the heart cath that afternoon and decided that he would need a triple bypass. They scheduled it for Thursday. Throughout the evening he had a few more episodes of intense chest pressure and they did the surgery Tues morning. He made it through the surgery with flying colors. They did two bypasses instead of three and his heart was in great shape. It's such a blessing that he didn't have any heart damage. I'm so glad that he and my mother in law went ahead to the ER. His symptoms were classic heart attack signs!

The video below is just beautiful! How are you going to finish?

Dia

2008 what a year.....

2009-01-07T18:06:00.010-06:00

Ah, another year. I began Jan. 1 of 2008 with so much excitement! I felt so "READY for the challenges of 2008. It did turn out to be a year of firsts and many blessings. However, with blessings come many challenges, at least with John and I they do. In our 15 years of marriage (we celebrated 15 years just last Friday) many of our blessings have come with many hardships and challenges. I suppose that makes the blessing that much sweeter?

2008 was John's first year as pastor at Community of Christ church. We experienced and learned many things last year. Much patience and understanding. It was, thankfully, a very uneventful year! I hope his being pastor is 2009 is as uneventful as 2008 (uneventful in a GOOD way)! You pastor's wives know what I mean! Please Lord!

With the help of YourWebpress I revamped the Adoption Coalition website. It has proved to be very useful and looks MUCH better. Check it out www.adoptARkids.org

We found out in Jan. 08 that Elliette has dyslexia. The doctor recommended homeschooling. After much discussion, John and I decided that Justus and Elliette would benefit from homeschooling and began in August. I has been the best decision we've EVER made. It is extremely hard managing household chores and homeschooling. My house isn't 'company ready' anymore. I used to take pride in the fact that my house was 'usually' presentable. Now that we're ALL home it's never all 'company ready'. When I weigh the priorities of teaching my children vs. vacuuming the schooling wins hands down! AKA "call before you come" and I can't even then promise the floor will be swept. The Lord has always found ways to humble me in my pride. Oh well.

Our work with the Adoption Coalition came to a head in March 2008. All the reports we had made to the governor, senators and representatives fell no more on deaf ears. The KAIT report by Diana Davis (which we didn't start BTW) finally shed a little light on the issues we had been hammering. The piece was quite alarming, check it out: Adoption Red Tape

We had a meeting with state Arkansas DCFS officials as well as Rep. Cash, Rep. Kidd, Rep. Bookout and KAIT's Tim Ingram and Diana Davis with Will Carter reporting: Adoption Hearing

Unfortunately, the first young woman ever placed on the Heart Gallery aged out of fostercare without ever being adopted. She turned 18 years old in December. We advocated for one family that wanted to adopt her so badly. We tried for months for dcfs to consider them. They lived out of state and very rarely do adoptions of non relatives occur out of state.....why.....ICPC! That's another story I won't go into now! This family even said that if they weren't able to adopt her out of fostercare that maybe when she turned 18 she could decide for herself. WOW! I took for hair/makeup and a photo shoot. When the photographer sent me her jpeg, I just cried and cried knowing that very photo could change her life forever. She's always in my thought and prayers! Children are aging out of fostercare without being adopted at an alarming rate, see this piece: Children Aging Out of Arkansas' Fostercare System

I was so excited that Adoption was chosen to be May's Occasions Magazine feature story. The article emphasized the importance of adoption and the Heart Gallery. I was honored to hold one of our Heart Gallery children on the front cover. She was placed in her adoptive home the day after the magazine was published. Now tell me the Heart Gallery and exposure for these kids doesn't work! Her adoption finalized in December!! Praise God! May Occasions Story Here

I was amazed in May at the debate over the location of the proposed King's Ranch Children's Home. My husband and I unabashedly showed our support of the Cooper's with this letter to the Jonesboro City Council. Letter to the Council

Unfound Families has been slowly developing over 2008. Hopefully, it will serve as a hub for adoption attorneys, adoptive families, birthmothers, doctors etc. who are interested in adoption. Visit Unfound Families for more information! www.unfoundfamilies.com

The Pregnancy Resource Center realized it's dream in becoming 'Medical'. They are able to perform 'non diagnostic' ultrasounds to confirm pregnancy in mothers considering abortion. Read about it here!

There were many exciting trips in 2008. Many of them firsts for the kids!

Gulf Shores with Grandpa

Aspen

Gulf Shores with the ENTIRE family (if you missed the saga of our trip home....it is a MUST READ!! Here it is in it's full glory! Trip Home..Need I Say More

St. Louis, Chicago & Milwaukee in 3 days!

Elliette's Trip with Daddy to Little Rock

Girls Branson Trip

Cayman Islands

Celebrate Magazine's Most Fascinating People issue came out in July. I was stunned when they asked me to take part in the issue. It was lots of fun! I got my 'made up' for the photo shoot (haven't done that since high school!) Anyway, I'm not sure what defines 'fascinating' but it was lots of fun! Check it out: Celebrate Magazine's July Issue

Elliette Maree was baptized in July! We had a VERY special service for her! We called it our 'Crowning Ceremony'. It was FABULOUS! Check it out: Crowning Ceremony

By far, the article written by Mary Pride was the best explanation of how I feel and my desire to have a large family. If you're a large family and haven't read it......I retyped it because I couldn't find it ANYWHERE to reprint so here it is: Easier by the Dozen

We added 2 dogs, 3 hermit crabs, 2 water dragons and 6 fish to Team Sawyer!! We mourned the loss of Iggy our Iguana, 3 fish and 2 hermit crabs. YES! I've totally LOST my mind!

In August some of the reality of living in fostercare came out! Five children died in Arkansas fostercare over the summer months. It boggles the mind that children are taken out of a dangerous situation and put in a home that could possibly be MORE dangerous as the situation they were rescued from AND the home is being paid for by MY tax dollars! Outrageous! See these stories:

Dying in AR Fostercare

Children Falling Through the Cracks

Arkansas Law Lets DCFS Stall (I made the Arkansas Times Magazine....after all that interview that's ALL he printed?! Figures!! Oh well....it was true!

Praying for Change (my letter to the governor)

AR Foster Mother Arrested

Betrayal of Trust (article about how a Bella Vista foster father sexually abused boys in his fosterhome! He was sentenced fall 2008!)

Foster Mother Charged in Batesville! Child less than 1 month old may die!

DCFS Director, Pat Page, retires after criticism.

Our Adoption Coalition celebrated November as National Adoption Month by bringing author/ speaker Ashley Rhodes-Courter to Jonesboro. We had an amazing event! See the Highlights:

Upcoming Event

"The Power of One Person"

Event Pics

The loss of Michael Keasler was a huge blow this year. He was Justus age and his death hit home for many of our friends and family. Final Farewell

Our friend, Jeanne Pasmore, left this world in 2008. The funeral was beautiful and VERY moving. The poem 'Go Down Death' by Johnson was so appropriately read. Read about it here

I have refrained from blogging about an event that occurred in our lives in 2008. I suppose 'a new year, a new leaf' huh? Last May John and I decided that we would 'open our minds' to adopting again. We thought we would be open to a 'hard to place' or 'slight special needs' adoption. It would be an adoption of a child unable to find a family. We discussed it one morning in May before John went to work. His last words were, "You know if we're open to a child with Downs, Club foot or the like' God will set a situation on our doorstep that we can't refuse. You know one that we think, "Oh yeah! That nothing compared to special needs....SURE God!" Well that afternoon we were contacted THAT AFTERNOON about a mother who may be having twins. She hadn't had an ultrasound so they didn't know for sure. A friend said that the birthmother wanted ME to call her. When I called her she had already made up her mind that we were the family she wanted to parent her baby. She had heard about us through friends.

I asked her why she thought she was having twins and she said that the nurse had heard 2 heartbeats at her last appt. (no big deal, that's not for sure??!!) Then I said, "well you're next appt. is for next Friday huh?" She said, "No, it was today." "ANDDDDD" I said "was it twins?" "Yeah, a boy and a girl." I think I pretty much quit breathing! She wanted to meet us that week! I explained that it was WAY to early to be meeting or even choosing a family. I tried to explain how much time she had till Nov. but she insisted that she wanted a firm decision in her mind NOW. I told her that we'd look at our calendars and see when we could meet.

We waited 3 weeks before meeting. She wanted to meet our children and we wanted to meet her two children ages 2 and 1 as well. We explained to the kids that we were having a playdate with friends at Chuck E. Cheese. The attorney told us that he agreed that it was really too early for her to choose a family and that we didn't really need to decide for sure until August or September. It was June and we decided to go ahead and meet. I don't think John really thought she'd show up. I called her when we were about 1 hour away to make sure she would be there. I offered taxi money for her ride and she just asked that we pick her up on the way! That's when John had a full blown panic attack. What he thought we were doing.........I have no idea. He truly thought we'd get to Chuck E. Cheese and she wouldn't show.....the end. When he heard that she wanted us to pick her up at her house he lost it. He figured that if she didn't mind us meeting her mother and family and knowing where she lived....she must be serious!

That was in June and there were many ups and downs throughout the summer. She decided to parent in August and we didn't really think any more about it. She told us in October that she couldn't parent, would we come to the hospital, she wanted us to adopt the babies and be there at the birth. We had pretty much written off the situation. We sent her the family profile of some friends of ours that desperately wanted to adopt. She insisted that she only wanted us, we again pushed for our friends. We fedexed their family profile to her the day she went into labor.

She had the babies on Friday November 6th. She asked that we come to the hospital and visit. We went to the hospital on Sunday and held, fed and changed the babies. They were PRECIOUS! She was going home to try to parent them and her two other children now 3 and 1years old. We've talked to her about every other week and she's struggling but making it. The father of all four of her children has been helping with the children and paying bills. He wasn't in the picture prior to their birth so that is a positive change. John and Elliette took her groceries the week of Thanksgiving. He said that she and the father seemed very happy and all seemed well.

We had assured her throughout the many months that we would be ok no matter what she decided. We explained that we had 5 children, three by birth and two by adoption and no matter what happened that we would be alright. She cried many times on the phone saying that she didn't want to hurt us if she decided to parent. She truthfully told us that she didn't know if she would be able to let them go after she had birthed them. I truly felt her pain and knew that she honestly had no idea if she would be able to let them go. I knew that she wanted to place them for adoption in her mind because she knew that it would be so hard to give them what they needed....yet could she do it.

I learned so much in counseling her those many months. For some reason God wanted to show me the 'heart of a birthmother'. He wanted to show me 'her pain.' I don't know what is in the future but this new knowledge of 'being on the other side of the adoption process' has been eye opening. I'll never talk, think or work with a birthmother the same again. We've never had a 'disrupted adoption' before either. For some reason, God saw fit for us to experience a small portion of the anguish adoptive families feel in a disrupted adoption. We knew we'd be 'ok' if she decided to parent but had no idea we had gotten as emotionally attached to her and the unborn babies as we had. We just assumed that God had put us in that situation because the babies were going to be ours. Our other adoptions had occurred as such and we figured this situation would too.

There are endless possibilities for 2009. I hope I'll meet each challenge head on. I secretly wish it would be a calm and uneventful year but that hasn't happened in quite sometime. If it were uneventful I'm sure I'd be miserable.

As in my post on September 30th I hope I choose The Road Less Traveled

Dia

Christmas Morning

2008-12-31T13:08:00.001-06:00

Nana's Christmas

2008-12-31T08:54:00.001-06:00

Christmas Eve Eve at MeeMee

2008-12-26T19:27:00.001-06:00

Cayman Trip

2008-12-23T15:56:00.002-06:00

Justus and Elliette took a field trip to the Cayman Islands and even visited Santa there last week. Below is a slide show of their adventures! Check out the stingrays at Stingray Island! Crazy! Dia

Cayman Islands 12/08

2008-12-23T15:41:00.001-06:00

Church Women's Christmas Party 08'

2008-12-20T20:59:00.009-06:00

Andrea Seeman hosted the Community of Christ Women's Christmas Party this year. We had lots of wonderful food and great fellowship! We exchanged ornaments this year while playing "Dirty Santa"

Sarah Ragsdale & Tonya Primm

Bonnie & Knea

Sadie

Norma & Carla

Madison & Alexis

Ice Day 2008

2008-12-16T22:52:00.001-06:00

Ice Day!

2008-12-16T22:11:00.002-06:00

The kids had a blast in the ice today! It was perfect for sledding. They even tried riding their bikes on the ice??!! They just spun out!! They loved it though. There was a frozen patch of ice in the back that they ice skated on.......gotta love snow days! Dia

2008 Christmas Pageant

2008-12-14T15:30:00.001-06:00

Elliette, Lola and Lulu!

2008-12-13T21:10:00.004-06:00

The girls were all dressed up and ready to go to the Nutcracker with Nana! They loved it this year! Lola is such a 'ballerina'!

Lulu and Lola relaxing in their ballet attire.

(poor Lulu....it is actually a 'dog tutu outfit')

Cooking

2008-12-10T21:25:00.001-06:00

Christmas Past

2008-12-10T15:35:00.006-06:00

I can't believe time is flying so fast! My babies are all growing up! Below are Christmas photos from 2007 and 2006! We haven't been to see Santa yet this year. But I'll post as soon as we do. So many things have changed and yet so many the same. I'm looking forward to the future and the adventures with Team Sawyer! Dia

Christmas 2007

Christmas 2006

(2 Bawling!!)

Salvation Army Day

2008-12-07T16:52:00.001-06:00

Aspen Christmas Party

2008-12-06T21:04:00.001-06:00

Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

2008-12-05T10:03:00.004-06:00

We are going to make Cinnamon Dough Ornaments (Thank you Jenny Bassett for the great tip!) Here are three links to some great recipes:

Cooks.com

Make-Stuff.com

HandmadeCountry.com

Trip with Daddy!

2008-12-03T21:30:00.001-06:00

Recycled Magazine Bows!!

2008-12-03T13:25:00.004-06:00

We are having a 'homemade' Christmas tree this year. Meaning that I got nothing out of the attic (except our stockings!) We bought a beautiful tree Monday. We are making a few homemade gifts as well. I'll be sure and post pics of our tree when we've got it close to decorated. We are decorating as we make! So far we've: made a construction paper chain, fruit loop on yarn chain, plaster of paris handprint ornaments and assorted crafty ornaments from Hobby Lobby.

Today I found this great link to making recycled magazine bows for presents! We're definitely going to try these! I've got to get some brads and we're set! Click here: Magazine Bows

Let me know if any of you try these or have any other suggestions!
Dia

HIIIIIIYAHHHHHH! ON GUARD!

2008-11-23T15:41:00.004-06:00

Daddy made shields and swords for Justus and Jude yesterday!

The boys LOVED them!

They're so lucky their daddy has carpentry skills!

Dia

LULU is HERE!

2008-11-22T13:39:00.005-06:00

This is the pic I took of the kids when we surprised them with Lulu! I had them all gather upstairs in the playroom and I carried Lulu up to surprise them! I snapped this photo when they turned around!

Daddy LOVES Lulu! Who would have thought. She went to sleep the first night on his belly!

All decked out in 'winter diva' gear!

Fall 08' Sculpture Class

2008-11-18T20:28:00.007-06:00

Foundation of Arts Sculpture Class Fall 08'
The entire class did a really cool 'alien' man. Each student molded a body part for the alien. They then painted him green!

This is Justus 'Found Object' sculpture piece. It has many many coats of paint~

Tower......?! Unfinished piece!

Dia

Fall is in the air!

2008-11-18T09:15:00.002-06:00

Fall is in the air! The kids love raking up a huge pile of leaves and then JUMP!

Here comes WINTER!

Dia

Fall 08 Piano Recital

2008-11-15T23:13:00.001-06:00

Holly's Wedding

2008-11-14T13:51:00.001-06:00

Our New Dog!

2008-11-13T13:38:00.001-06:00

Lulu

2008-11-13T13:32:00.000-06:00

We are getting "Lulu" formerly "Lola" from Gabriel Gartman. Since we already have a Lola we changed her name to "Lulu". She's weening her puppies and should be ready to come to Team Sawyer on Thanksgiving. The kids are BEGGING daddy for one of her puppies but I don't think it will happen. We'll see how we do with Lulu and then decide around Thanksgiving. I'm REALLY excited that Lulu is potty trained and loves to sleep in her crate at night! If I could get my kids to stay in their beds and love it........well one can hope! Dia

Exercising Our Rights

2008-11-13T08:53:00.004-06:00

I hope my children continue to exercise and appreciate their rights! Maybe by building up the excitement and 'event' of voting they'll continue to look for areas in life to make their voices heard! Dia

Justus Surgery a Success!

2008-11-07T15:26:00.003-06:00

Justus had a mole removed last week. The removal was a success and we got the biopsy results yesterday. The biopsy was completely normal too. Coming out of the anesthesia was yucky but didn't last too long. Prayers answered! Dia

Happy Birthday Lauren!

2008-11-03T21:05:00.001-06:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T21:56:00.001-05:00

Event Pics

2008-11-01T21:34:00.003-05:00

Adoption Coalition Highlights from Tuesday

2008-10-31T17:26:00.004-05:00

Our Adoption Coalition Tuesday Event was a huge success! Ashley Rhodes-Courter received a standing ovation from the noon Rotary Club. Following Rotary we had 125 in attendance for Ashley's talk on mandated reporting at ASU. Our fund raising event really 'paid off' at Mickey and Beverly Seeman's home as well. We raised many funds for our 'mini heart galleries' and Heart Gallery Trailer!

See photos in the above post!!
Dia

13 Homes Closed!

2008-10-31T15:11:00.001-05:00

Arkansas Times

13 Foster Homes Closed

The state has “designated for closure” 13 foster homes because of suspected abuse or neglect over the last two weeks, Department of Human Services spokesperson Julie Munsell confirmed Tuesday. All foster and biological children have been removed from the homes during the agency's investigation, she said.
Munsell attributed the number to an increase in reporting from the field sparked by the department's “campaign of accountability,” which she said had been a “huge theme for us for the last three or four months.” DHS Division of Children and Family Services has been under the gun since revelations that four children died in foster care over the summer and other incidents of abuse.
The State Police hotline, which came under fire at a September hearing for neglecting to pass on to DCFS information that didn't meet a legal definition of maltreatment but may have constituted a licensing violation, now passes screened-out calls on to DCFS, Munsell said.
Munsell said she was checking the division's monthly reports for a comparison, but said the two-week number did seem high, though a small percentage of the 1,100 foster homes licensed in Arkansas.
Of the 13 homes, eight were headed by married couples. The rest were single women. One of the 13 was self-reported, by someone living in the home where the alleged abuse or neglect occurred.

AGAIN...Foster Mother Charged!!

2008-10-31T14:29:00.002-05:00

Another child may die from the hands of a fosterparent! READ article below! Dia

The Batesville Daily Guard

Foster Mother Charged

Foster mother charged
Published: Wednesday, October 29, 2008
A child who is less than a month old has been placed on life support and the foster mother is being charged.
Rebekah Corter, 30, of 199 Cornerstone Road in Pleasant Plains has been arrested.
According to the affidavit for arrest, Cpl. Henry Clark took a report from Investigator Mike Hall of Arkansas Crimes Against Children on Thursday. The report stated that the baby girl, who resides in Independence County with foster parents, was taken to the emergency room at White River Medical Center the day before due to difficulty breathing.
“Upon examination of the victim it was discovered that the child had lacerations to the brain and was bleeding on the brain. While conducting the investigation it was discovered the child had been see on Oct. 20 for a checkup and again on Oct. 21 in Newport for a routine check up in accordance with a care program established by (the Department of Human Services).”
According to the report, nothing was noted during those examinations to explain the child’s condition.
Invvestigators later established the only person to have physical contact with the child was the foster mother, Rebekah Corter, who had gotten up with the child alone on two different occasions, and was at home alone with the child the morning in question.
Investigators said Corter had three other young foster children in her custody.
“They have been removed,” Detective Michael Mundy told the Guard this morning.
According to a doctor at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the injury has resulted in the child being placed on life support and being listed in critical condition.
“If the child survives, it will be permanently brain damaged,” the doctor said.
According to the doctor, the child shows injuries consistent with being abused, possibly shaken or being thrown down.
Corter has been charged with first-degree battery, a class Y felony.
If convicted, Corter could face a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years nor more than 40 years or life and a fine of not more than $25,000 or both a fine and imprisonment.
Mundy said Corter turned herself into authorities and is currently free on bond after posting a $50,000 bond.
—from submitted reports

Adoption Blitz

2008-10-31T14:03:00.001-05:00

Adoption Blitz

to be held at

Community of Christ Church
919 East Highland, Jonesboro
Saturday, November 15th 10-11:30 A.M.

Information will be presented about adoption and foster care. Questions will be answered about the process.
There will be DCFS help filling out the applications to begin either the foster or adoption process, papers will be notarized, and FBI fingerprints will be taken for submission during this session. Please bring photo identification.

Jonesboro Sun 'The Power of One Person'

2008-10-29T16:56:00.002-05:00

Ashley Rhodes-Courter (left) visits with Louise Glover

on Tuesday after the Jonesboro Rotary Club meeting.

The power of one person
By Kellie Cobb

JONESBORO — A chance, a voice and a caring adult are what is needed for children in the foster care system to thrive, Ashley Rhodes-Courter said — and she is living proof of that.“I’m here today to prove to you that we can be so much more. We only need a chance and someone to recognize all the potential that we have,” she said.Rhodes-Courter spoke Tuesday about her experiences in the foster care system to members of the Jonesboro Rotary Club.She entered the Florida foster care system at the age of three and would remain there for nine years. During that time she was placed in 14 different foster homes.“I grew up feeling very lost and hopeless and useless. And kids who are moved from home to home to home, we feel like it’s because there’s something inherently wrong with us. It’s so hard for us to be able to find a place in the world. We don’t know where we’ve come from. We don’t know where we’re going,” she said.The 22-year-old would witness the good and the dark sides of the foster care system. She described one home, in particular, as the worst.“That’s putting it amazingly lightly,” she said. “The Moss foster home had 16 children in a 1,200-square-foot trailer. I was there when I was about 7 or 8. Some of my responsibilities included diapering and caring for some of the younger children. The worst part was the outrageous punishment. We were beaten, starved, locked outside and forced to use the bathroom in a bucket. All of the horror stories you read about in the news and you think, ‘Oh this can’t possibly be happening. These are isolated incidents.’ Well, they happen, and they happened to me and countless other children I had lived with and spoken to all across the country.”Rhodes-Courter said she complained, but no action was taken. She added that nobody took the time to notice the signs of abuse.“They just assumed it was somebody else’s responsibility — that someone else has a job to do that ... You can’t always assume that there’s someone else who’s going to be accountable. You have to be accountable for the children in your community and their well-being. If we don’t take care of our kids now, we’re going to be dealing with them in a very different welfare system,” she said.Years later Rhodes-Courter would see the Mosses again — this time on television news after they were charged with child abuse and neglect.“This proved to me that at last somebody was listening,” she said.During her time in the foster care system, Rhodes-Courter would come in contact with 73 child welfare administrators, 44 case workers, 19 foster parents, 23 attorneys, 17 psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists, and three abuse registry workers, among others. But it took one woman, a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer, to get her out of the system.“Out of more than 200 people, she was the one person who wasn’t paid to take care of me. Yet she was the one who worked the hardest to get me out of that situation ... Because of this woman I was able to find the adoptive family who transformed my life forever. This was just one woman. I’m kind of like the poster child for how much one individual could influence and change the life of a child,” she said.Rhodes-Courter was adopted at the age of 12. She is now an advocate for children in foster care.“When I was younger, I was so frustrated and mad and just complained a lot about the stuff. As I got a little older, I realized that it’s not enough to complain about something if you’re not going to help be a part of the solution,” she said.She has also written a book, “Three Little Words,” which tells of her experiences in the foster care system.She encourages residents to become involved on behalf of foster children in their communities.“It takes community members like you to step forward and speak for us in order for us to have a voice and be heard,” she said.
kb@jonesborosun.com

Chucalissa Indian Museum

2008-10-27T16:52:00.006-05:00

We had a blast at the Chucalissa Museum and Mounds in Memphis last Thursday! They were celebrating their annual Heritage Days. We had the opportunity to see three Indian Dancers from around the nation. They had won many national awards for their dancing! We made clay pottery and of course took something from the gift shop! It was a great 'homeschool fieldtrip'!

See our pics below!

Dia

Chucalissa Indian Museum

2008-10-27T16:52:00.003-05:00

KAIT8 Interview Upcoming Event!

2008-10-23T19:31:00.004-05:00

Former Foster-Care Child Speaks Out

KAIT8 Adoption Coalition Interview

The Adoption Coalition is bringing Ashley Rhodes-Courter to Jonesboro!

Author, Speaker, and Child Welfare Advocate

(as seen on Good Morning America)

Come and hear her story of growing up in Florida's foster care system.

14 Different Foster Homes

44 Caseworkers

23 Attorneys

19 Foster Parents

3 Abuse Registry Workers

4 Judges

Hear the story with a book signing following!

October 28th, 2008

2-3:15pm

ASU Convocation Center Auditorium

(lower Red entrance)

FREE TO THE PUBLIC

http://www.ashleyrhodes-courter.com/

http://www.adoptarkids.org/

Our Yard

2008-10-22T22:30:00.003-05:00

We did a great science project a few mornings ago. We always break after breakfast to run off some energy and this project kept them going for about 40 minutes! It was a lot of fun and we're going to do the experiment again in November to compare our results!
See our experiment below!! Dia

Purpose: To find out how many different colors, textures and shapes of leaves are in our yard.

Hypothosis: We think we'll have 20 different colors, 10 textures and 20 shapes.

Materials: leaves, ziplock bags.

Procedures: 1. get ziplock bag 2. collect many leaves 3. sort 4. write results

Justus Results 10/17/08:

Color:
Group A. Green = 24 Group B. Brown = 4 Group C. Yellow = 2 Group D. Red= 2
Shape:
Group A. Circle = 3 Group B. Rectangle = 0 Group C. Oval = 24 Group D. Triangle = 4
Texture:
Group A. Smooth = 17 Group B. Rough = 14

Conclusion: Cool weather hasn't set in enough to change the leaf color. Th leaves in our yard are mostly ovals and there are an even amount of smooth and rough.

Elliette's Results 10/17/08:

Color:

Group A. Green = 20 Group B. Brown = 21 Group C. Yellow = 1 Group D. Red = 1

Shape:

Group A. Circle = 12 Group B. Rectangle = 0 Group C. Oval = 20 Group D. Triangle = 9

Texture:

Group A. Smooth = 16 Group B. Rough = 24

Conclusion: We are halfway through fall. We have mostly oval leaves in our yard and a few more rough than smooth leaves.

Homeschooling Mom Video

2008-10-16T16:34:00.002-05:00

I love this!

Fall Portrait

2008-10-16T15:55:00.003-05:00

I just had to share this fall pic I took of the kids. I'm sure the neighbors thought I was a kook lugging this chair to the backyard!! Oh well, I got a cute pic to blow up and hang in my bedroom. I used the sepia coloring this time, it always makes me feel sentimental (like the 'old days' I guess). I also shaded the outside edges a bit too. We'll see how it blows up!
Dia

Grossology Exhibit

2008-10-13T18:29:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The grossology exhibit at ASU was fabulous! We printed off the classroom lesson plans from the grossology website. We did all the lessons and experiments prior to going to the exhibit. The lesson plans were great and well worth the effort. The exhibit really helped to enforce all the learning we had done at home!
Thanks ASU!
Dia

ASU Farm

2008-10-12T15:50:00.003-05:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

The kids and I enjoyed the ASU Farm Petting Zoo last Thursday. We answered a lot of, "Don't tell me....you're homeschooling?! Oh my, I don't know how you do it etc......" It was our first 'school type' outing as homeschoolers.

The kids loved the animals. Lola is such an animal person (which is good since she's not exactly a people person!) She just loves and holds them as long as you'll let her. I'm an animal person too. I wanted to be a vet when I was in grade school through jr. high.

The boys thought the goats were the best! The baby pigs were of course, "Wilber!" Notice in the last pic that all three girls are cleaning off their feet!!!
CITY GIRLS!!
Dia

Fighting Dragons

2008-10-11T21:51:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We had a blast at the ASU Cornmaze. The kids picked their corn swords and went running off through the maze fighting dragons. Princess Elliette, Princess Lola, Princess Eva and Prince Jude were protecting each other. I was behind the camera and Justus had fun running ahead and jumping out as the dragon! Dia

Ark. Official Retires After Foster-Care Criticism

2008-10-06T23:20:00.002-05:00

October 6, 2008 3:34 PM ET

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - The head of the state's Division of Children and Family Services is retiring as state officials face scrutiny over the foster care system. Pat Page, head of the division within the Department of Human Services, announced her retirement in an e-mail to staff and lawmakers Monday morning. Page's last day at the division is today and her effective retirement date is November 14th.
Page's retirement comes as the state faces criticism over the deaths of 4 children in foster care this year. Lawmakers also recently grilled DHS over its handling of foster care abuse cases.

Grant Me Strength

2008-10-06T23:09:00.003-05:00

It's been quite a week and a half. We've had 3 funerals in 10 days! John was a pallbearer in the first, we both sang in the second and I'm singing and then John is speaking graveside tomorrow for the third.

In the past week I've dealt with racial prejudice (thank you Obama for making everyone I know think they can talk to me about race & politics lately?!) and religious prejudice.

In the past before a great blessing (even before each of our adoptions!) We've always encountered hardships. They were never things we'd dealt with before or saw coming. It always seemed it was things that made us just physically, spiritually and mentally weary. Isn't that how Satan loves to play?! Weaken them before a decision, blessing etc. Looking back at big decisions in our lives we were always slammed with hardships prior and following great blessings.

Please keep us in your prayers, we need strength! For now, we'll try to dance in the puddles!
Dia

March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction

2008-10-02T13:30:00.002-05:00

Moms & Babies Need Your Help…Because every baby deserves to have a healthy start in life.

Thursday, November 6, 2008
Holiday Inn of Jonesboro at 6:00 p.m.

***Click here to buy tickets online ***

The March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction is an elegant evening featuring a variety of culinary treasures from some of the area’s best chefs, restaurants, & caterers and priceless auction packages. Lots of good causes have black tie events, but only the March of Dimes can invite you to a ‘black bib’ affair!

Funds raised through the Signature Chefs Auction support lifesaving research and programs that offer hope for prevention of infant health threats in the future. The March of Dimes carries out its lifesaving mission through programs of research, advocacy, education and community services including thousands of dollars awarded right here in Jonesboro in the form of local community grants.

We have sponsorships and tables available as well as individual tickets. Limited seating is available; so reserve your tickets today. Also if you would be interested in helping with planning, decorating, acquiring auction items, advertising, promotions or publicity, please contact Melissa Gann with the March of Dimes.

Did You Know?

· Premature birth is the number one killer of newborns.
· Every year in the U.S. more than 500,000 babies are born too soon; many are too small and fighting for every breath.
· 1 in 8 Arkansas babies are born premature.
· In an average week in Arkansas:
Ø 754 babies are born
Ø 101 babies are born prematurely
Ø 6 babies will die before reaching their first birthday
· For the last seven decades, the March of Dimes has had a track record of success including 13 Nobel Prize winning researchers, conquering polio and fighting birth defects, premature birth and other health challenges affecting moms and babies. Literally millions of babies have been saved from death or disability…But many more still need our help!

Call Melissa to reserve your tickets, to find out what you can do to help or to get more information about the event.

Melissa GannCommunity DirectorMarch of Dimes Northeast Division272 Southwest Drive
Jonesboro, AR 72401Telephone (870) 932-0300
Cell: (870) 253-1134
Fax (870) 972-6116
mgann@marchofdimes.comMarch of Dimes is the champion for babies.
www.marchofdimes.com
***Click here to buy tickets online ***

Go Down Death by Johnson

2008-09-30T21:17:00.006-05:00

Go Down, Death

by James Weldon Johnson

Weep not, weep not,

She is not dead;

She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.

Heart-broken husband--weep no more;

Grief-stricken son--weep no more;

Left-lonesome daughter --weep no more;

She only just gone home.

Day before yesterday morning,

God was looking down from his great, high heaven,

Looking down on all his children,

And his eye fell of Sister Caroline,

Tossing on her bed of pain.

And God's big heart was touched with pity,

With the everlasting pity.

And God sat back on his throne,

And he commanded that tall, bright angel standing at his right hand:

Call me Death!

And that tall, bright angel cried in a voice

That broke like a clap of thunder:

Call Death!--Call Death!

And the echo sounded down the streets of heaven

Till it reached away back to that shadowy place,

Where Death waits with his pale, white horses.

And Death heard the summons,

And he leaped on his fastest horse,

Pale as a sheet in the moonlight.

Up the golden street Death galloped,

And the hooves of his horses struck fire from the gold,

But they didn't make no sound.

Up Death rode to the Great White Throne,

And waited for God's command.

And God said:

Go down, Death, go down,

Go down to Savannah, Georgia,

Down in Yamacraw,

And find Sister Caroline.

She's borne the burden and heat of the day,

She's labored long in my vineyard,

And she's tired--

She's weary--

Go down, Death, and bring her to me.

And Death didn't say a word,

But he loosed the reins on his pale, white horse,

And he clamped the spurs to his bloodless sides,

And out and down he rode,

Through heaven's pearly gates,

Past suns and moons and stars;on Death rode,

Leaving the lightning's flash behind;

Straight down he came.

While we were watching round her bed,

She turned her eyes and looked away,

She saw what we couldn't see;

She saw Old Death.

She saw Old Death

Coming like a falling star.

But Death didn't frighten Sister Caroline;

He looked to her like a welcome friend.

And she whispered to us:

I'm going home,

And she smiled and closed her eyes.

And Death took her up like a baby,

And she lay in his icy arms,

But she didn't feel no chill.

And death began to ride again--

Up beyond the evening star,

Into the glittering light of glory,

On to the Great White Throne.

And there he laid Sister Caroline

On the loving breast of Jesus.

And Jesus took his own hand and wiped away her tears,

And he smoothed the furrows from her face,

And the angels sang a little song,

And Jesus rocked her in his arms,

And kept a-saying:

Take your rest, Take your rest.

Weep not--weep not,

She is not dead;

She's resting in the bosom of Jesus.

Rev. Whitley read this poem at Jeanne Pasmore's funeral. It was absolutely stunning, beautiful, appropriate, uplifting and wonderful. I've never heard the poem read aloud and it was perfect during the service.

The Road Less Traveled

2008-09-30T20:48:00.005-05:00

the road not taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference...

Robert Frost

I attended and sang at Jeanne Pasmore's funeral this morning. The message was wonderful. The road less traveled.....Jeanne took the road less traveled....."and that has made all the difference..."

I wonder if when I'm faced with two paths in the future, will I choose the one less traveled. Will I choose the easy and safe road? Will I choose the comfort of the now?

I hope I listen to God's voice and follow Him where he leads even if it's into the unknown road less traveled. We never know until we're at the crossroads. In the meantime, I'll try and prepare myself for the journey!

Dia

In the Quiet

2008-09-29T14:17:00.002-05:00

I've been quiet lately. I guess in retrospect.....sometimes I need to look back to decide what direction and how to move forward. I actually need to do this quite often. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the wisdom that comes with age, listening more attuned to God's voice or simply I'm responsible for more people than in the past. Probably a little bit of all I suppose.

This is a picture from our backyard that I took in the early spring. I just love the mornings. It's so much easier to listen to God's voice when the 'voices of the day' haven't tuned His out. Homeschooling has been such a blessing to our family. As with everything though, all wonderful blessing usually accompany hard work. Homeschooling takes much patience, planning, praying and accepting your best for His best. John and I both are so glad we made the leap to homeschool. We have bonded with all our children more than we'd ever imagined! Not that we weren't before.....but it's simply different. I'm so thankful we made the decision and am grateful we have the opportunity to do so.

Dia

Crazy Crabs

2008-09-24T06:26:00.004-05:00

An update on our 'clawed friends' we purchased 3 more cool new crabs to go w/ our lonely crab from vacation. Petco's crab were all in cool painted shells. One was a racecar, the 'grand ole flag' (as Lola calls it) and an blue one. Well the crabs had been in the tank for 1 minute and the 'grand old flag' moved into an empty shell we had in the tank and 5 min later the racecare crab moved into a swirly shell we had in there.

Everyone I've talked to has never seen their crab actually move into their new shell. I caught one on videotape (I know it's not too exciting!!) Maybe they are just really into real estate!!! Maybe they got it from me! We've been married 14 years and are in our 7th house!

Dia

Fair Fun 2008

2008-09-22T22:30:00.001-05:00

WooHoo! Redwolves Homecoming!

2008-09-20T22:58:00.002-05:00

Lovin' the game!

What a blast at the homecoming game tonight!

Hairku 9.19.08

2008-09-19T22:14:00.004-05:00

i just did my first cornrow

i am just so proud

now I'm a cornrowing pro

My first cornrow job EVER!

I've always had a mental block w/ cornrows.

I started and finished in NO TIME!

It was awesome!

Clip in pony tail & finished!

No complaining either!!

Betrayal of Trust by Meredith Oakley

2008-09-19T21:41:00.003-05:00

Betrayal of Trust

by Meredith Oakley

Kinda funny that state officials blacked out nearly all of their assessment of Brian J. Bergthold’s fitness to be a foster parent. He liked to tell folks that he had been called to foster parenting by God. For some reason, the Department of Human Services didn’t think the public should have access to this information. Fortunately, reporters got a hold of the written assessment before the fine points were redacted. Obviously, the Bergthold blarney was in fine fettle the day the DHS representative conducted his “foster home assessment.” “ Brian wants to be a foster parent because he feels led by God to do so, ” the evaluator had written. “He says he has been blessed and wants to share those blessings with others. He is open to either gender, but based on his experience, boys would be better. Easy going is how Brian describes himself. His goal is every day to grow closer to God.” That’s pretty much the same line he fed to a writer from Foster Pride, a quarterly newsletter associated with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Social Work, who did a feature story on him in its Summer 2006 issue.

“After moving to Northwest Arkansas from Oregon a few years ago,” the story noted, “Brian felt a strong desire to be useful and helpful to those in need. Last year, God’s prompting for Brian to be a foster parent became overwhelming, so he began inquiring about the possibility, albeit with some skepticism—namely, that single people are not suitable as foster parents (a false notion which was quickly dispelled ). One of his own siblings has adopted three foster children and Brian was not new to the experience as he had helped raise several kids in the past. As he began the process, God opened all the doors for him....” There are those who would question whether God had anything to do with it now that Bergthold—unlike his admirers at DHS and Foster Pride, I don’t think I feel kindly enough toward him to call him by his first name—has been sentenced on both state and federal charges related to his abuse of young boys entrusted to his care. The feds confiscated his house and property and gave him 70 years and a $ 75, 000 fine for producing and transporting child pornography—at least one incident occurred in Oregon—and the state of Arkansas gave him 40 years for sexual assault.

In both cases, he is readily admitted his guilt, saving his victims from appearing at trial, which at first blush might appear to be the only selfless thing he ever did for them except that the guilty pleas were made in anticipation of multiple felony counts being dismissed, which is what happened.

Bergthold, 46, moved to Northwest Arkansas from Forest Grove, Ore., sometime between 2000 and 2002. His home was approved as a state-financed foster-care residence in 2005, and until the spring of 2007 a total of 28 boys ages 9-17 were handed over to him, a DHS spokesman told our reporter Michelle Bradford after his arrest last spring.

He might have been stopped a bit earlier if DHS officials had taken seriously the complaint of one youth in December 2006, who was interviewed at Bergthold’s residence and then left there for eight more days, apparently because DHS investigators didn’t take the complaint seriously. And why should they ? Wasn’t Bergthold a prince among men ?

“A house full of guys, a big mellow dog and the call of the outdoors sounds like heaven to most boys,” the Foster Pride writer had enthused only months before, “but it’s not a fraternity house or lodge. For the boys staying at Brian Bergthold’s residence in Bella Vista, it is home.” In retrospect, it was a hellish place where the evening cocoa was spiked with liquor so that other boys would be knocked out while Bergthold fondled, videotaped (reportedly for an Internet audience ) and photographed one of his foster “sons” as the boy masturbated.

Fortunately for the foster care community and the community of Bella Vista, other victims came forward after the first complainant’s accusations were pooh-poohed and Bergthold was arrested in February or March of 2007. (News accounts differ. ) Charges were a few months in coming because there were other victims in Oregon.

Authorities confiscated hundreds of videotapes as well as pornographic photos of more than 40 young males from Bergthold’s Bella Vista residence. Some of the images were of Bergthold’s foster children. It took awhile to identify all of them because DHS did not have its own photos of many of them, an apparent breach of DHS policy. According to our reporter Seth Blomeley, Gov. Mike Beebe went on record this week as saying that fixing the state’s foster-care system is “absolutely” his No. 1 priority. That’s a mighty tall promise, governor, but we’ll hold you to it anyway.

TheCabin.net Log Cabin Democrat

2008-09-17T21:08:00.003-05:00

A more indepth article about today's meeting:

Ark documents detail abuse claims on foster parent
ANDREW DeMILLO
Associated Press Writer

CONWAY, Ark. — A Bella Vista foster parent who admitted having sexual contact with boys placed in his care and filming the incidents told a state review team that he was "led by God" to open his home to children, according to an assessment released Wednesday.

The state Department of Human Services placed 2 1/2 dozen boys in Brian John Bergthold's home over two years. Bergthold pleaded guilty Tuesday to a sexual assault charge and pleaded guilty last year to producing and distributing child pornography.

Legislators are reviewing allegations of abuse within the state's foster care system. After Bergthold's assessment was released at a hearing Wednesday, DHS demanded that copies of it be returned to them, saying some information was confidential.

A redacted version released later included no details about how Bergthold was approved as a foster parent, saying only that an unnamed applicant spoke English.

The unredacted version described Bergthold, now 46, as a single white man who lived alone in a brick home at Bella Vista.

"Brian wants to be a foster parent because he feels led by God to do so," the report said. "He says that he has the abilities, both personal and financial, and the space."

"He says that he has been blessed and wants to share those blessings with others. He is open to either gender but feels that based on his experience, boys would be better," said the report.

Reporters from The Associated Press, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Stephens Media refused to return the original packets and state agency lawyers later asked them to not disclose information about the accusers. Associated Press policy is to not identify victims of sexual crimes.

DHS spokeswoman Julie Munsell said the assessment was blacked out because state law says foster home records are confidential. State law allows the release of some records in abuse cases that result in fatalities or near-fatalities, she said.

Detective Barb Shrum of the Bella Vista Police Department had released the documents to Rep. Donna Hutchinson, R-Bella Vista, saying they were part of the investigative file on Bergthold.

Shrum complained about the way Human Services handled its investigation of Bergthold and said she was concerned that his alleged victims were interviewed at the home where they said the abuse took place.

"Brian just kind of schmoozed his way through things," Shrum told the panel.

Bergthold pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree sexual assault. He also pleaded guilty last year to two counts of producing and transporting child pornography and was sentenced to 70 years in prison.

Bergthold passed several criminal background checks to become a foster parent in Arkansas, according to DHS. According to police, he was a foster parent in Arkansas for two years, keeping 30 boys between the ages of 9 and 17 over the period.

State and federal officials began investigating Bergthold after a boy in his care filed a complaint saying Bergthold had sexually abused him.

Among the documents released was a report on a complaint Human Services received on Dec. 12, 2006, from an informant who told the agency that a child in Bergthold's care said that the foster parent touched him sexually.

"Reporter stated if this is true Bryan is a perfect pedophile," the report said.

The foster home assessment is used by state officials to determine the appropriateness of a home for foster children and what types of children should be placed in the home.

Lawmakers discussed the Bergthold case as the state is undergoing a review of its foster-care system following the deaths of four children in state care this year. The system had already been under a review ordered by Gov. Mike Beebe but that review was accelerated by the reported deaths, a spokesman for Beebe said.

Hutchinson said she believed the state's foster care system is in "disarray." Hutchinson said she was encouraged by Beebe's review but said she looks forward to finding out by the time the legislative session begins in January whether real change is occurring at the agency.

"The truth is, the governor is the CEO of the state and he makes sure the agencies are run correctly and properly," Hutchinson said. "It's Governor Beebe who will have to wake up every day and ask 'What is happening with foster care?'"

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.