Child Protective Services main mission is to protect children from harm, regardless of who may be causing that harm. It is also true that CPS (Child Protective Services) has failed children many times; in my opinion, more than they've helped. There are five huge reasons why CPS should change their name.
1. Adrian Jones
Jones' mother lost custody of the seven year-old, Adrian, and was given to his father and stepmother. CPS failed to continue regular check-ins with Adrian, and almost four years later his body was found dismembered.
If Adrian would've been "protected" by CPS, he never would've lost his life. He would be still on this Earth, changing lives and doing what he wants to. But because of his father, stepmother, and CPS, he will never have that chance.
2. Grace Packer
Grace was 14 years-old when she was found, murdered, in the attic of her foster parents' home. Packer's foster mother, Sara, was never charged, but her husband was charged with raping young girls. The other foster children were not removed from the home; Sara was only banned from gaining access to more children.
Child Protective Services never intervened in this situation because if they had done their job, Grace would still be alive. Sara Packer should've been banned from being around any children at all, and all should've been removed from the home altogether. But that would've been too "protective" for CPS.
3. Orion Hamilton
11 month-old Hamilton was initially removed from her biological parents' home and was placed with a foster mother. She was only checked on during the first 10 months of her life, and during those months, she was living with a criminal who wasn't even allowed around children.
That man was the one who crushed Orion's skull and murdered her. After alerting CPS about this man only one month before her murder, she still was not removed. Orion lost her life because CPS put her in danger.
4. Sarah Brasse
At only eight years-old, Sarah died of appendicitis while her parents refused to get her medical care. After many different reports of neglect, CPS still never checked in on Brasse, which led to her death.
Sarah's father and stepmother were charged with manslaughter, but the cases didn't get far before all charges were dropped. Brasse was only eight when she was let down by the system. She was never protected like she should've been.
5. Me
In 2014, a CPS case was opened against a few members of my immediate family. After home visits of a case manager that barely walked through the first room and an interview that lasted no more than two minutes, they were cleared from the charges when they shouldn't have been.
In 2018, I opened a case against my father and my brother and after a very short investigation (not even to be considered a real one), they were cleared as well. Because of CPS, my abuse lasted three years longer than it should have and now, I don't even know what's happening in that house.
Child Protective Services never protected me. They breezed by my case without taking a second look because my father had a caseworker friend inside the system. It is broken.
Someone needs to help kids so that they don't get as hurt as those above. The system failed me, but it doesn't have to fail anyone else.
