Reflecting on Abuse and Neglect |
WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG
ACTIVITY ID: 15176
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This is a fictionalized account of actual events including a real criminal investigation and lawsuit that occurred on a U.S. military installation. What you read here goes beyond the facts and includes details of individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Though much presented here is fiction, the sequence of events and the tragic consequences are very real. Read the following scenario and answer the reflection questions. When you are finished, share your answers with a trainer, administrator, or coach. Kate's Story: Part 1 Kate’s life had never been easy: in her first four years she experienced developmental delays and failure to thrive. When Kate was 4 years old, a court awarded her biological father, Alan (25), custody of Kate. She was removed from her biological mother’s home and went to live with her father and pregnant stepmother, Gigi (21), on a U.S. military installation half a world away. Both Alan and Gigi were Active Duty members of the U.S. military. Unfortunately, no one knew Kate was moving into a home plagued by violence. A month after Kate arrived, her father moved out of installation housing after a fight with Gigi. The next day, Kate’s stepmother Gigi went to Alan’s new apartment located off the installation and physically assaulted him, which Kate witnessed. Her stepmother was charged with assault and child endangerment. A social worker from the local child protection agency wrote in a report about “the presence of family violence” and family members’ inability to manage anger. At the time of arrest for assault and child endangerment, local law enforcement notified military law enforcement who notified Gigi's command and the installation FAP. The command issued a no contact order until a FAP assessment could be completed. FAP completed the assessment and presented events to the incident determination committee. The committee decided that the incidents met criteria for spouse abuse and child neglect. Treatment recommendations included parenting classes for both parents and clinical counseling for Gigi. The New Parent Support Program was offered to Gigi who declined to participate. The local child protection agency recommended that Kate remain in the home. Her father, who had moved back in with the family, administered what he called “discipline” with a belt and closed fist. During the FAP assessment, he admitted to “disciplining” Kate this way every day. Although both parents appeared to be making progress in the parenting classes and Kate seemed to be doing well, things began to change for Kate after her half-sister was born. Gigi dropped out of the parenting classes and clinical counseling after giving birth. When contacted by FAP, Gigi said she was too tired with the new baby but would return when her maternity leave was complete. During this time, Kate began having more accidents and soiling her pants more often. Her stepmother swore at her, called her stupid, and refused to let her wear clothes in the house. All furniture and clothing were removed from Kate’s room, so she wouldn’t make a mess. She was forced to sleep on the floor. One night during a weekly court-mandated phone call with her mother, Kate said she was going to get a beating because she had wet her clothes. Her parents snatched the phone away. Alan and Gigi stopped making and receiving calls from Kate’s biological mother soon after. Kate’s biological mother filed paperwork in court to regain her rights. Staff members at Kate’s child development center were concerned about her safety. They noticed marks on her that they believed might be signs of child abuse. The day after suspicions were reported to FAP, Kate’s family withdrew her from the program. Even after she was withdrawn from the program, the staff there continued to fear for Kate’s safety. Upon receipt of the concerns from the child development center, FAP notified law enforcement. An appointment was scheduled with the family for an assessment the following day. The night before the appointment, neighbors heard shouting and crying from the house. The neighbor called the military police. Kate had been screaming for over an hour, and the neighbor was concerned for her safety. The military police found Kate naked in her bedroom with feces on the carpet. There were scratches and bruises of various shades on her face and body. The local child protection agency took Kate into emergency foster care. Gigi and Allen face legal and criminal charges. Although legal and criminal charges are pending, the actions of CDC staff, neighbors, and FAP may have saved a life.
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