The Real DFS
by Anna Jarbeck
(Cape May, New Jersey, USA)
Never stop hoping
My 2-year-old cousin, Cheyenne, visited her father every Thursday and Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. We (meaning my family and I) had no problem with her father because he didn't seem mean. However, we were wrong.
One evening, Cheyenne came home and told us that her dad and his wife were hurting her "down there" in the private area. Cheyenne's mother, Char, was frightened and called DFS (Department of Family Services). They basically did not do anything to help the situation. During this, Cheyenne says to the DFS workers numerous times that her father was hurting her. A few months pass, and Cheyenne was still being sexually and physically abused.
Next, DFS and two cops come to her house and claim that Char has taken Cheyenne to the hospital too many times with no conclusive evidence to charge her father with sexual or physical abuse. Cheyenne and brother (who was under the age of 1) were placed into a foster home for five days. Then, she is placed in my aunt's custody for about a month, sharing visitation between both parents. The court then gives full custody of Cheyenne to her father. After that the judge says that our family can only visit Cheyenne on Fridays, from 2-4 PM.
Two months later, Char goes back to court and finds out that no one can visit Cheyenne, except for Char. Since when is the word of a child silenced when it comes to child abuse?
Darlene's comments to this Child Abuse Commentary "The Real DFS" are at the link below.
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