This article in Newsweek crossed my desk this morning, and I just had to bring it to your attention. I have tried repeatedly to post a comment but can’t seem to get through. Perhaps some of you can wade through all the comments from all the other struggling parents and offer them a hand of support?

The article is about a mom who is now in prison for the murder of her adopted daughter from Eastern Europe. The mom snapped after 18 months of trying to parent her preschool-aged child. It goes without saying—but I will state it up front—that under no circumstances am I excusing this woman for her response to this child. She doesn’t excuse herself … But if you read this article, you will recognize all the same elements of our families that I so often discuss on this blog. The agency “involvement” in all probability included “bait and switch”, and of course, this family received little or no support, education and understanding as they attempted to integrate a severely emotionally disturbed child into their home.

This mom is now serving a long prison term; she is divorced and her husband is raising their other daughter, also adopted from Eastern Europe. The whole story is a travesty.

I encourage all of you to read the article, try and post responses, write to the editors of Newsweek, both by email and snail mail, and let’s use this article as yet another springboard to try and generate some services for our families. On a positive note, I learned from Nancy Bostock that her public appearance appears to have had some positive impact in Florida, as she has learned the Florida Senate Committee for Families and Children is attempting to address her concerns. Proof positive that if we raise our collective voices, we will be harder to ignore. As Nancy Thomas is fond of saying, “Together we can make a difference!”

No options for residential mental health care

Photo Credit