Pittsburgh PA area? Another Fundie child abuse trial

[dianapavelovna]

Palimpsest gave a great response, but I wanted to chime in as well. I'm a social worker, and I'm an adoption caseworker with CPS. That means I work almost exclusively in domestic adoption, but there are some of the same issues as in international adoption. Pound Pup Legacy does a great job of not only compiling articles and info on cases of abuse in adoption, but also noting the agencies involved. According to them, Bethany did the homestudy for the Barbours (http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/51677). Like Palimpsest said, they're notorious for being corrupt and incompetent. I have no doubt that the Barbours were essentially approved the second they applied because they're white, well-educated, wealthy Christians.

Even the most thoroughly, carefully done homestudy is time-limited. At some point, all you can do is take the leap of faith and place the children. Sometimes, even if there is regular follow-up, abuse or mistreatment can be hidden. The kids may not disclose out of fear or because the home is better than where they've been before or where they think they'll end up.

Also - I know it differs between countries, and I'm not experienced in international adoption - but I don't think the follow-ups have much teeth. Yes, social workers are mandatory reporters if there is evidence or suspicion of statutory abuse or neglect, but if they "only" see some red flags (parents appearing overwhelmed or displaying unrealistic expectations of adopted kids, for example), I don't know if they can do much more than make recommendations, which the families may or may not follow. Those of you with experience in international adoption chime in here - again, that's what I've gathered, but I don't know how accurate it is.

And yeah...the most common response when I tell people my salary is, "but I thought you have a Master's degree?!?" Social workers often don't stay with CPS long because they can make twice as much working in a hospital or almost that much working in a school with all the perks that come with that.

Cases of abused adoptees - whether domestic or international, fundie adopters or not - get my blood boiling like little else. I've lost countless hours clicking around PPL, alternately fuming and crying. :(

[slickcat79]

Pound Pup Legacy does a great job of not only compiling articles and info on cases of abuse in adoption, but also noting the agencies involved. According to them, Bethany did the homestudy for the Barbours. Like Palimpsest said, they're notorious for being corrupt and incompetent. I have no doubt that the Barbours were essentially approved the second they applied because they're white, well-educated, wealthy Christians.

This. BCS is the biggest and worst of the bunch, but most agencies that focus on saving the little brown heathens have appaling standards for adoptive families.

Also, corrupt agencies aren't the only way that people can get children into their homes with little or no oversight. Sometimes the "adoptions" aren't even legal. People who went on trips to certain African countries (Liberia, for one) would simply come back with extra children who had very questionable backstories and place them with fundie families. Some families were well-intentioned, but most didn't give 2 shits about the children involved. In some cases they never even filed paperwork with the state, which made it much easier to just pass children around like cast-off clothes. Kathryn Joyce talks about a couple of those cases in The Child Catchers.

[Palimpsest]

Just bumping the thread to say that this case has been delayed again. This time by the prosecution because an expert witness was not available. It's been rescheduled for June.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/north ... 1403240214

[Trynn]

How long can they keep postponing before a judge days enough!"?!

[Jana814]

How many biological kids does this couple have.

[Palimpsest]

I can imagine the judge is getting a bit testy about all the delays but they are not so unusual in trials.

The Barbours have two bio-children. In 2013 they were described as a son (aged 2) and a daughter (aged 5).