Prayer Warriors please help and others! Kids going on visitation

[pumpkinbeast]

The kids are with this dad starting today until Monday morning. Let us pray for their safety while at their dad’s. I pray they don’t suffer from hunger pains anymore also.

Jesus, please keep these children safe while at their dad’s this weekend. St. Philomena, pray for them. St. Rita, pray for them.

I’m visiting my bf and his family this weekend; he’s the eldest of nine children. Every time one of them screams or jumps on me or misbehaves, I will offer it up in a prayer of sacrifice for nana’s niece and nephew, who seem to be unable to just be kids while visiting their dad’s, in hopes that they will be protected from being hurt, both physically and verbally.

 

[nana3]

Thanks Maria and Pumkins…

My sister talked yesterday to the head of DCF and he said that nothing can be done. She is resigned to the fact that her kids will just have to learn to cope with people like her dad and their stepmom. She even said that her faith is weak for she doesn’t see any hope with this situation. I still have hope and know that it is all in God’s timing. I know the kids are still having a hard time, but because Luis, who is the most abused, doesn’t tell the counselor all the time for fear from his dad, the counselor can’t report anything until he talks. I know my nephew told me in response to me telling him to not be afraid to talk to the counselor, “What do you like to see me get beaten?”

All that we can do now is pray that my sister’s attorney can do something on Sept. 6th.

 

[nana3]

The kids are home today safe and sound. My sister called me from her cell and told me that Marissa called her, for my dad picked them up from school today. Marissa was very upset and said she had to tell her something when she got home. I don’t know what now has happened, but know that she did tell Norma that they were 45 minutes late to school this a.m. Marissa was upset because she wants to be on the honor roll and on the first day of school said that they were not allowed any days to be tardy.

Reminder that the novena starts tomorrow. Thanks to all who participate and thanks to St. Philomena in advance for her intercession.

 

[nana3]

I started a new thread asking others to join in the novena here in this forum. I hope more join in and Jesus will answer our prayers through the intercession of St. Philomena.

 

[CatholicSam]

Praise God they’re back safe and sound.

Thanks for the reminder! Have faith that it’s going to be 9 short days until those children will be free of abusive visits forever! Thank you St. Philomena!!

 

[nana3]

Hi everyone,
I have some very sad news. My sister just called me right now crying. She was helping her son tonight to take a shower and found a huge welt across his back. She said she can tell it is a belt mark. It is red. Of course it is now almost 9 p.m. and she can’t bring him to his doctor. My husband wants to call the sheriff’s department to report it, but the stepmom works for them and we don’t know what will happen. She did tell me that Luis did reveal a beating over this pass weekend. He took his own shower yesterday and she did not see it.

I want to call DCF but am afraid they will do nothing again.:crying:
St. Philomena please pray for this abuse to end.

 

[pumpkinbeast]

Hi everyone,
I have some very sad news. My sister just called me right now crying. She was helping her son tonight to take a shower and found a huge welt across his back. She said she can tell it is a belt mark. It is red. Of course it is now almost 9 p.m. and she can’t bring him to his doctor. My husband wants to call the sheriff’s department to report it, but the stepmom works for them and we don’t know what will happen. She did tell me that Luis did reveal a beating over this pass weekend. He took his own shower yesterday and she did not see it.

I want to call DCF but am afraid they will do nothing again.:crying:
St. Philomena please pray for this abuse to end.

Didn’t you say that the DCF will only act in cases of physical abuse or something? Maybe this will turn out to have long-term positive effects; maybe they’ll finally act!!! Poor kid, though… That’s horrible that someone would hit a kid that hard. Spanking if needed, fine, but beating with a belt? That’s wrong.

I said the novena today… Let’s storm the gates of heaven for these kids!!!

 

[nana3]

Didn’t you say that the DCF will only act in cases of physical abuse or something? Maybe this will turn out to have long-term positive effects; maybe they’ll finally act!!! Poor kid, though… That’s horrible that someone would hit a kid that hard. Spanking if needed, fine, but beating with a belt? That’s wrong.

I said the novena today… Let’s storm the gates of heaven for these kids!!!

I just got off phone with DCF and gave a report. They told me to stress to Luis that he needs to talk and not be afraid when the case worker comes to see him. They may see him tomorrow at school, but the dad may get the kids tomorrow after school. He is suppose to let my sister know when he picks them up, but hey he thinks he can do anything, so he may pick them up.

 

[stadre]

All I can say is that I am praying.

 

[pyropam]

I believe you would do better to call the sherriff’s office and make a report. They have cameras and most of these guys are honest people, it wouldn’t make any difference that the step-mom works for them.

 

[Maria1212]

I believe you would do better to call the sherriff’s office and make a report. They have cameras and most of these guys are honest people, it wouldn’t make any difference that the step-mom works for them.

I agree. In the interim, take a picture with a digital camera. Please do not delay in filing a police report.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

 

[nana3]

I believe you would do better to call the sherriff’s office and make a report. They have cameras and most of these guys are honest people, it wouldn’t make any difference that the step-mom works for them.

Norma called the sheriff’s office and they told her to report the abuse to DCF. I have my father in law who is a cop and he said he doesn’t understand that for in his county DCF calls the police upon going to the house of the child in question.

My sister will keep the kids home from school tomorrow, Wednesday, for the dad gets them after school. DCF told her that legally the school would not give the children to the dad once they see the welt. That is what public schools do, but this Catholic School has told my sister that they can’t get involved and in order to refuse the dad they need a court order. She is going to call the principal in the morning and ask if he would give the kids to the dad. If he says no, I will be taking them to school late. If he says yes, they kids stay home until DCF sees them and hopefully do a police report and cease visitation for the dad.

My sister told me that the reason Luis got hit so hard is because he wanted to come her to her. He said he hit the wall in his bedroom so hard that the pictures on the wall fell off. He was very tramatized by all this.

I am so happy that we are going this Novena for I know it will help this situation. I am hoping that Norma’s attorney will file an emergency motion to stop visitation. Please pray the judge listens for he has not so far.

By the way, when my sister spoke with Luis’ counselor today, she told her that the ex, the dad, has been calling her office and telling her that she is not to see his children anymore in counseling. She said they will ignore his request for the counseling is court ordered. If he had nothing to hide, he would not be afraid of the counseling for the children.

Also when I spoke with DCF, I did tell them that this man runs a daycare. She asked me if I knew of abuses at the daycare. I told her that all I know is that Luis has told me that they punish the children to much and yell a lot at them. I hope they investigate his daycare.

 

[nana3]

I agree. In the interim, take a picture with a digital camera. Please do not delay in filing a police report.

Sincerely,

Maria1212

My 21 yr. old niece who lives next to Norma took a picture of the mark and sent it to me. It is bad. He has a raised red mark, like a belt mark, on his lower back. I cried when I saw it. Yes, we do have a picture. I hope to file the police report tomorrow, better yet the DCF worker should call the police.

 

[Lorrie]

Oh my gosh, Nana! I have read this entire thread. My heart goes out to those poor children, your sister and you. I’m literally speechless after seeing post after post about how the child protective services say that can do anything about it.

I truly hope all goes well at the next court date. I’m keeping all of you in my prayers. Please continue to give us updates!

 

[nana3]

Oh my gosh, Nana! I have read this entire thread. My heart goes out to those poor children, your sister and you. I’m literally speechless after seeing post after post about how the child protective services say that can do anything about it.

I truly hope all goes well at the next court date. I’m keeping all of you in my prayers. Please continue to give us updates!

Thanks Lorrie. We are all disgusted at child protective services also. I found out today though that each county does things differently. We could not even file a police report for they told us to call DCF. My MIL’s husband, who is a cop, could not understand how these counties could be so different. He said it was like almost being in a different state, but we are not. His county does this when a child is abused: they call the police and the police take a report and call DCF, but neither speak with the child and only a child protective team member can for they are trained. They don’t do that in our county. Here DCF is called and they do not involve the cops. The cops do not take a report and tell you to call DCF. It is so different and I wish we lived in the county that involves the police.

 

[nana3]

UPDATE:

I took Luis to his pediatrician for he had complaints of lower back pain. The doctor wanted to report this to DCF and I told him that I did, but that he also had to. He called another doctor, an expert on this he said, and they talked via cell phone in front of me. This expert told him that he did not need to report this to DCF, they were both wrong, the DCF administrator said he had an obligation to report it anyway regardless if a report was made already.

I got back to my mother’s after the doctors with Luis and the DCF case worker came out. She said that there is sign of physical abuse and that the spanking went to far. She did not, for some reason, think that the stepmom intentionally wanted to hurt Luis. I disagree, but I know this woman and what the kids have said. This stepmom has burned her own childs hand at one time, according to what Marissa found out from the child who is also her age, 10. Marissa did talk alone with this DCF worker and so did Luis. I did hear the worker ask Marissa if her dad drinks or if she has seen him take drugs. She told her that he drinks a lot at night and goes “bar hopping” a lot. She also told her that she is tired of seeing her brother get hit and not being feed enough food. She spoke well. I don’t know how Luis did.

The semi good news is that this DCF worker said that not much could be done. I told her that I was disgusted how DCF doesn’t do anything to protect the children. She asked me what do I want them to do and I said, “keep the kids from their father.” She said they can’t do that. That is only for severe abuse cases. She did not consider Luis and Marissa’s abuse to be severe. I told her that it is ongoing for two years now and she said that was not enough to stop visitation and that our only hope is the judge and in court. Anyway, Norma, had called the top man of DCF because he had called her over my husband’s complaints to the Governor of Florida. He told her last week that if anything new developed to call him and she did. He said that this had to stop and that he was going to tell his worker that she needs to report Luis’ case to the Child Protective Team at Arnold Palmer Hospital. She didn’t want to do this. He was going to order her to do it. He also said that if this did turn out to be a belt mark that he was going to have his worker or himself appear in court on Sept 6th. Norma’s attorney said that would be great. But the man told her that the judge did not have to listen to them though. I don’t know why he wouldn’t.

I think St. Philomena is already working her miracle. Thank you St. Philomena. Please pray that this dad doesn’t get the kids at all until the decision of the court on Sept. 6th. If Luis has to go back to the dad’s, he will be hurt for he talked to DCF and his counselor. This would be bad and dangerous for him. These people are capable of doing anything.

 

[nana3]

I took Luis to the children protective team and they examined him and asked him about all bruises or marks on his body. I found out more. He told the doctor that his dad and stepmom hit him on the face with a shoe. He had a bruise on his knee that his dad did by hitting him with a stick. He had another mark on the other knee that the stepmom did with the belt buckle. He is so afraid to go back to his dad’s. He told me that if his dad comes to pick him up at school that he will cling to a teacher. I don’t know if he would really do this.

I meet with Norma and her attorney on Monday. The court date is still set for Thursday the 6th.

The dad did call the kids yesterday and left a message for my sister to have them call him, but they don’t want to and she will not force the issue for he will just ask who called DCF and get angry at them. I hope he will not use his midweek visit this coming week. If he does, he will get them on Wednesday after school. I fear for the kids, if the judge doesn’t do anything.

Thanks for your prayers and doing this Novena with me.

 

[keri6789]

I don’t even know what to say. I’m sick to my stomach! I can’t believe that there is nothing that can be done. These poor children don’t deserve this. Luis doesn’t deserve to be hit no matter what! That is very wrong. I feel so sorry for his sister. I have 2 brothers and I would jump threw fire to protect them. I can’t imagine how she is feeling. Its just not fair. These events are going to affect them for years to come and I am just so angry that all everyone can say is that they can’t do anything. I pray that the Lord is touching this judge’s heart and will put it on his heart to protect these kids. I pray for you sister to have strength.

 

[nana3]

I don’t even know what to say. I’m sick to my stomach! I can’t believe that there is nothing that can be done. These poor children don’t deserve this. Luis doesn’t deserve to be hit no matter what! That is very wrong. I feel so sorry for his sister. I have 2 brothers and I would jump threw fire to protect them. I can’t imagine how she is feeling. Its just not fair. These events are going to affect them for years to come and I am just so angry that all everyone can say is that they can’t do anything. I pray that the Lord is touching this judge’s heart and will put it on his heart to protect these kids. I pray for you sister to have strength.

Please pray for my sister, Norma, to have strength this
Thursday for we found out today in a meeting with her attorney, that she will be the first on the stand. She gets so nervous and forget things. She is asking for praying to be able to defend her children. Only two things she needs to remember on the stand. She can’t or shouldn’t say, “my children” but instead say “our children.” She can’t repeat anything that the children have told her for that is “hear say.” She can tell of the children’s behavior when they get back from their fathers and how they are doing in school, in this case last year. The attorney told us that from what we told her and the pictures of the mark on Luis’ back, that DCF should take the kids away from the dad until he gets help. She doesn’t understand why DCF has not taken the kids away as of yet. Actually the DCF administrator doesn’t understand it either and is looking into it. The fact that Luis told the Children Protective Team doctor that his dad and stepmom stump on his face and hit him with a shoe on his face is child abuse and pretty bad. The attorney said that alone is grounds for keeping the children safe. She thinks that the judge will not suspend visitation and only order the dad not to hit his children anymore. I was disgusted that she said this could happen. She saw the pictures and said they were worse than what Norma described to her. She was sadden by it and believes that the stepmom meant to hit the child with intent to harm because she made him take off all his clothes.

Anyway, the court date is on Thursday at 1:30 pm and is for one and a half hour in length. Whatever is not done by the end of that time will be continued on October 1st, the feast of St. Therese.

The attorney did tell Norma that she has to give the kids to their father on Friday the 7th for his normal weekend visit. She did tell Norma that she does have grounds to file an injunction against the stepmom based on what she did to him with a belt. In doing this, the stepmom can’t go anywhere near the children and can’t be in the same household. I don’t know what the dad would do, but this is what Norma will do to protect her kids if DCF does nothing. The kids are so afraid of going to dad’s now because they talked. So much fear!

Norma or I will call DCF tomorrow to see what their plans are since the physical or CPT was done on Friday.

 

[keri6789]

I’ll be praying for Norma. The fact that noone will do anything makes me so mad. Praying that the judge has his heart touched by the Lord and that he makes the dad get help and suspends the visitation. He needs to get some serious help. He has some severe anger issues and needs to get help.

I thought of this the other day and immediately said a prayer for the kids. Have they ever implied that they might hurt themselves to they don’t have to go back to their Dads house??

I pray for you all the time too Nana. I know that this is tearing your heart part.