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Tucson girls claim they were imprisoned, possibly for years : Possible HHS contractor corruption and discrimination

DougDante

November 27, 2013

7 upvotes

/r/MensRights

http://www.azcentral.com/news/arizona/articles/20131126tucson-girls-imprisoned-sisters.html

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Title	Tucson girls claim they were imprisoned, possibly for years : Possible HHS contractor corruption and discrimination
Author	DougDante
Upvotes	7
Comments	3
Date	November 27, 2013 3:49 PM UTC (12 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1rksaf/tucson_girls_claim_they_were_imprisoned_possibly/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/tucson-girls-claim-they-were-imprisoned-possibly.1157642 https://theredarchive.com/post/1157642

Comments

[–]DougDante[S] 1 point2 points3 points 12 years ago (2 children) | Copy Link

While the reporting does not provide details, the most likely scenario explaining how these children were placed in this abusive environment is that they were being provided "foster care" by a couple who were relatives.

Given their years of captivity while in foster care, the case workers may have fabricated reports saying they had checked on the welfare of the children. (IIRC there was evidence that child welfare workers in Michigan who failed to detect and protect Ricky Holland against the abuse that eventually led to his murder also may have fabricated home visits and other documentation).

It is also possible, given the documented pattern of evidence of similar discrimination, that the HHS contracting Title IV-D and Title IV-E agencies for Arizona may have illegally discriminated against these children's father(s) when making this placement, meaning the children could have avoided this tragic situation before it began.

(More information on this pattern of discrimination is in the FAQ)

[–]rapey_raperson 1 point2 points3 points 12 years ago (1 child) | Copy Link

My first thought too was a foster care situation: not likely anyone kidnapped three sisters at once. Human beings can be monstrous; the horrors that have been discovered in foster homes are truly horrible.

The "custody gap", where effectively women have all the legal rights and men none, is very real - and so huge that most people, if told about it, will not believe you. We need not bother to speculate if the father was excluded when the placement was made: the current system excludes the father by default. As things are now, only a Dad with nearly inexhaustible financial and personal resources has a chance of demanding and getting fair consideration in any custody issue.

I will take exception to your statement: "agencies for Arizona may have illegally discriminated against these children's father(s)". Because discrimination against fathers is not illegal here. The reality is that such discrimination occurs in every divorce in the country, to some degree.

There may be laws and policies somewhere that declare such discrimination against fathers illegal. So what? A law that is never enforced is effectively not a law at all. In practice, Mom gets all the passes and Dad's rights get ignored.

[–]DougDante[S] 1 point2 points3 points 12 years ago (0 children) | Copy Link

There may be laws and policies somewhere that declare such discrimination against fathers illegal. So what? A law that is never enforced is effectively not a law at all.

This is why we must be relentless in calling for justice for victims of these crimes, and to continue to remind people responsible for protecting children and fathers like these of their legal and ethical duties.

Please join me in calling for justice for these abused girls, their fathers, and others like them.

TO:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

SUBJECT:

Investigate Possible HHS Contractor Misconduct Which May Have Led to Horrific Abuse of 3 Girls

BODY:

Department of Justice Including Attorney General Eric Holder [email protected]

Office of Civil Rights United States Department of Justice [email protected]

Office of Civil Rights (OCR), Health and Human Services Phone: 1-800-368-1019 Email: [email protected] Including Debbie A. Powell, Acting Associate Commissioner, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Mark Wimple Supervisory Auditor for the Office of Audit Services Office of Inspector General Health and Human Services [email protected]

Government Accountability Office including Gene L. Dodaro Comptroller General of the United States [email protected] http://www.gao.gov/about/contact.html

Kathleen Sebelius [email protected] [email protected]

Secretary of Health and Human Services, Inspector General, Daniel R. Levinson [email protected]

Also Care of Special Assistant to the IG, Sheri Denkensoh [email protected]

Director, External Affairs, Erin Lemire [email protected] US Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Hotline [email protected]

Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Comptroller General, Auditors, Inspectors, and Civil Rights professionals,

Thank you for your service to the United States of America!

Brace yourselves before examining yet another example of horrific of child abuse, probably involving HHS contracting agencies.

http://www.reddit.com/r/mensrights/wiki/faq

Because these activities may be a part of a documented pattern of discrimination, I also respectfully request you examine the accuracy of your audits to determine whether they are properly documenting these failures of contractors to respect their obligations to protect the rights of parents and children under federal law. In particular, please examine the use of "self assessments" by auditors which appear to me to be sometimes inaccurate, incomplete, or just plain false.

I also urge the Department of Health and Human Services evaluate the actions of its contractors and employees for criminal violations of federal law, and to take appropriate actions to find and remediate program deficiencies in order to limit civil liabilities, including avoiding allegations or illegal gender discrimination, improper training, or other civil rights violations.

I urge you to do so especially because it will help to prevent the horrific abuse of more children.

PS: Brace yourself before reading the original report.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/arizona/articles/20131126tucson-girls-imprisoned-sisters.html?nclick_check=1

report omitted from online version