Sunday November 18, 2007 the Sheriff's department was called because the twins were describing a game they play with their Daddy and Mommy.

When Officer Nelson arrived he spoke with me directly, privately, and asked me what the girls had told me and what words the twins used for their private parts, etc... (protocol)...

He spoke to Kaitlyn first, then Jessica. He spoke to both of them alone, and the interviews lasted about 10-15 minutes. The interview was recorded on what looked like a digital voice recorder.

After the interview, he explained that they had indicated something had occurred, though he did not indicate who it involved or what was said, but that he had followed procedure, which was to end the interview with the child as soon as they relate only ONE criminal thing to him.

At that point, he involved Child Protective Services and opened a criminal investigation case at the Modesto Police Department Special Victim's Unit.

It's my understanding (though no one has told me outright) that one of the children indicated their roommate, and did not indicate their parents.

Before the officer left, he told me that if the parents called me wanting the children to return, to tell them no and give them Antonio Roezga's phone number (the on-call CPS ER worker who was initially assigned to the case).

He said if the parents show up to get them, to call 911 immediately and give them the case number and they would back me up.

He advised me that they would be seeking a C.A.I.R.E. (care) interview during which the children would be interviewed by an experienced individual who dealt with children of their ages all the time.

Officer Nelson told me that if I did NOT hear from CPS by 9 or 10am, to call them to make sure they'll be coming out to the house to interview the children.

So far, so good.

The next morning at 10am I had not heard from anyone so I called CPS and was met with a very, very annoyed attitude. I was told, "Well, obviously the Officer has no idea what our procedure is for that but let me get you to a case worker."

The case worker who answered was extremely distracted and annoyed. I explained the situation: my relationship to the twins, what they told me, and that the Sheriff's department had responded the night before.

When I was done speaking she said, "How old are your daughters?"

They are not my daughters.

It was evident that she had not heard a word I said. I clarified the ENTIRE situation again, including the fact that we already had the ball rolling, and it wasn't until I told her the name of the ER worker, Antonio Roezga, who was supposed to have come out the night before, that she seemed to come back down to earth.

I regret misplacing the paper I wrote her name down on. Check back later.

She put me on hold for about 5-10 minutes and came back with a completely different tone of voice; much kinder. She said the social worker was heading out immediately.

(continued on the right)...

Related Links:

Board of Supervisor's Proposal to Improve CWS 9/06

Board of Supervisor's Action Agenda 1/2006

Stanislaus County Family Decision Meeting Handbook

Stanislaus Community Services Agency Site

Famlies in Partnership Assessment

The County Welfare Directors Association of California (CWDA) Website

After about 25 minutes, their new social worker came out and interviewed the children. He left me with the impression that the next step was a C.A.I.R.E. interview, but that we were waiting on the Modesto Police Department to assign a detective to the case.

He told me the protection of those children is a priority to him, but he didn't expect the C.A.I.R.E. interview to take place until the next week. He asked if Thanksgiving was going to be a problem, and I told him I did anticipate that as a problem. He said to refer the parents to Suzanna Millan, his supervisor or manager, if they called about the twins.

By this time it was Monday, November 19th, 2007 and I had had the twins since Thursday, November 15th, 2007; the parents had not contacted me since Friday morning, during which they told me to bring the children home "tomorrow." When they did not contact me Saturday, I waited to see how many days would go by without them contacting me.

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 Mary Foster took over the case while their assigned social worker went on Thanksgiving vacation. Foster's mission that day was to contact the parents, explain there was a CPS investigation, and let them know that CPS was not withholding their children, only recommending they stay with me until after the C.A.I.R.E. interview.

Foster finally reached the parents around 7pm, and they did agree to let me keep the twins through the weekend, hoping we'd get a C.A.I.R.E. interview scheduled Monday.

Thanksgiving had a couple hitches, but it ended well.

On Monday, November 26th, 2007, their dedicated social worker was back on the case and contacted me letting me know that no C.A.I.R.E. interview had been scheduled yet.

Wednesday I got the call from their assigned social worker, informing me that Friday, November 30th, 2007 at 11am, we'd have the interview.

The C.A.I.R.E. interview, in my opinion, was utter, irresponsible, FAILURE.

They did not ask me what words the children used for their privates. They did not speak with me at all prior to speaking with the children.

They did not, in my opinion, go into the interview, expecting 3 and a half year olds to be able to express what has been happening to them; and in my opinion, that is the only result they were going to get from that interview.

Kaitlyn was interviewed first and her interview lasted approximately 15-20 minutes. Next was Jessica, whose interview seemed much shorter.

The children that go to these C.A.I.R.E. interviews are expected to tell that they have been hurt, hit, choked, silenced, molested, raped or played sexual games within 20 minutes or less? With no warm-up session with the interviewer?


No common words used by the interviewer to describe their private parts?

ARE THESE FAILURES IN THE SYSTEM?

1) When the officer is required to stop interviewing immediately after the first criminal occurrence a child tells him about;

2) It can take OVER 2 weeks to get the children into a C.A.I.R.E. interview after a police report is made, during which time the children can be legally able to return to their home, whether or not an accused abuser lives in that home, at the discretion of Child Protective Services.

4) The C.A.I.R.E. Interviews themselves are  conducted without a familiarization period, in an environment that - while designed to be as welcoming as possible for children - is intimidating nonetheless, with no use of familiar words or surroundings.

YOU DECIDE.