Sister in-law and her kids...CPS?

Question

Okay this is kind of a long story so I will try to make it as short as I can:

Okay my husbands youngest sister has 3 kids, all girls ages 5, 2, 1. She lives with my other sister in law who supports her habit, and helps with the kids, but she cant do everything for her. She is about 200 lbs overwieght and works all the time.The mother of the children is a pill popper, she takes vicodin. She is always out, leaving her kids with whoever will take them. Her house is never clean, and the Fathers of all 3 babies are MIA-one is in jail, and the other 2 dont take responsibility for their kids. and when I say the house isn't clean, I mean never clean! They dont do the dishes, there are flies all over the place, rotting garbage, laundry, they dont vacume or sweep, there are maggots on the floor. The children have lice, and flea bites. I mean it's bad. My husbands brother went over to the house to find her, and the other sister, sleeping and the 3 kids by themselves, the eldest answered the door, before asking who it was, I mean it could have been anybody. The mom didnt want to wake up because she was having withdrawls!?!?! CPS has been called on her 3 times. Once by a doctor, who said she was changing the baby's diaper too hard. I dont know how you change a baby's diaper hard but she must have been rough. the other 2 I dont know who called. The thing that makes me mad about this is, she knows when CPS is comming so my mother-in-law goes over there and cleans everything for them, and they pretend that all is well when it's not. I have never called CPS personally. But I think the kids are better off in fostercare than with her. The family will not call CPS on her because they are afraid that no one will see her kids again. But I feel like the kids need some sort of help. How many times does CPS need to be called before they do something? Should I call them? Is there a way for CPS to just show up unannounced so they can see the disaster that the kids are living in? I feel bad for those children and they need to be in a better enviornment. thx

Answer 1

CPS usually has 90 days to close a case.  After the initial call, keep calling anomalously about the state of the house and the children's well being.  Every complaint has to be looked into.  After a call is made, they usually check within 24 hours.  If you can, take your cell phone and sneakily take pics of the house while visiting and print them, and then send them to CPS.  

Them babies cant save themselves.  Once you know of such abuse, you have to step in for them.  Their life will be far better without their mother.  Their grandmother is not doin them any sort of favor covering for her at all.  shes only allowing the abuse to continue.

  

As for not seeing them. CPS usually tries to keep all children together, and with family members first.  Seeing that the Grandmother is covering for her, she's prob goin to be outed.  Offer yourself if you wish.  Otherwise they will be put into states care and put into either a home for children, or in an emergency foster care family.  

We emergencied foster cared for kids for so  many years.  Not all foster families are evil monsters like so many would like to think.  My dad and step mum took in so many kiddo's.  Even 14 years later, im still in contact of at least 12 "little brothers and sisters."  

Answer 2

Hi,

I think the most important thing to start with is to get your baby into a good sleep routine.  I had massive problems with getting my 4 month old son to sleep.  He would just lie awake and cry for hours, then when he finally went to sleep he would wake every hour or two hours through the night and cry again!  Talk about pulling our hair out .... we were absolutely desperate for sleep!

It was a baby sleep audio program recommended by a friend that finally saved us. We followed the advice and began by creating a baby sleep routine which included bathtime, dimming of the lights, putting James into his crib, final nappy change and then lullabies. We also made recommended changes to his naps during the day and used some of the other recommended techniques. Within two weeks he was sleeping through the night most nights with just the odd night where he would just wake once!

Definitely start by creating a good baby sleep routine though and you could find that solves most of your baby sleep problems.

Good luck!

Answer 3

why isn't someone from the family taking these children in..?

Answer 4

I dont think CPS can show up without a warning.

You could take pictures of the house when its really messy, if you have a chance while the adults arnt around. You could have a very serious chat to the mother in law, explaining if she cares bout the children she needs to stop fooling CPS other wise the childrens lives are going to be less then great.

I guess you could also try talking to a lawyer or someone who has lots of law experience to see if there is a way something can be done, or if there is a way CPS can turn up surprisingly.

Why not call CPS yourself you dont have to leave your name/details.

Just keep trying, collecting evidence will also help, getting advice from family doctors can also help, i think if they decide the kids are way too unhealthy action will have to take place.

Just remember every little thing you do can help and its very important to not give up, ask other people you can trust to call up or help, do these children go to day care centres, if they do its mandatory for the workers to report any abuse (as well as doctors, coaches etc) talk to them?

Good luck.

Answer 5

If I was you I would do everything in my power to do anything to help those babies.  They can't help them selves so you have to step in.  I know that family is impartant but, those babies lives are moch more important.  I hope that you can sind some way to help them.

Answer 6

if things are really that bad then you have to call anonymously for the sake of the kids..

when you call just let the worker know that somehow the family finds out beforehand that they are coming and clean the place up..

if CPS does end up taking the children then before they go into foster care family members can request to take the children in until they decide whats best for those poor babies...

no child should have to live another day in those deplorable conditions...

please call someone and help those babies have  happy, healthy lives..