Why is little Ashleigh in State care?
In March of 1998, Paul Scott Abbott called the local police
when his daughter returned with a bruised lip after a visitation
with her mom, whose history of child abuse is documented. Five
weeks later, in April of 1998, she was hauled away by Florida's
Department of Children and Families (DCF) and has been a prisoner
in an emergency shelter ever since. This April will mark her 3rd
year in captivity - her 3rd year away from her father who continues
fighting for her return.
Florida's Department of Children and Families (DCF) is headed by
Secretary Kathleen Kearney, who was appointed by our Republican
Governor, Jeb Bush. Rather than listen to reason, the Bush
administration decided to defend the hiring of Kearney. It is
also known that Jeb Bush’s wife, and the GOP Chair whose law
firm was hired to defend DCFare cousins.
On 12 October 2000, following Ashleigh's 21/2 years of captivity,
Judge Daniel True Andrews signed the adjudication order submitted
by the Florida Department of Children and Families, ruling against
Ashleigh's father and formally making the now six -year-old girl
a ward of the state.
On 30 January 2001, Ashleigh, 5, was doomed to mental facility
by a Florida judge. She was moved 3 Feb. DCF has taken the view
that Ashleigh should be moved in about 6 months with her mentally
ill, child-abuser mother, despite testimony from the mother's own
therapist that she is not well enough to raise the child who the
father had singlehandedly brought up since infancy.>p>
On 29 March - the judge ordered the termination of
the father's parental rights to see his child while
sidestepping the due process of law.
Click here for more on this situation
In The News
From the New York Times, May 13, 2001
Adoption Scandal At Hale House
The St. Petersburg Times has published an article
on a family tragedy caused by the system entitled:
Mothers' fears, welfare's limits collide"
Adoption Murder In Bayfield, Colorado
Department of Children and Families
Discussion Groups and On-Line Clubs
Strike Back Children's Services
Broward County, Florida