Religions > Atheism > No jail for 'caged kids' social worker: a social worker who knewthat a couple forced some of their 11 adopted special-needs children to sleepin cages...
| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"fx" |
| Date: |
11 Apr 2007 06:33:41 PM |
| Object: |
No jail for 'caged kids' social worker: a social worker who knewthat a couple forced some of their 11 adopted special-needs children to sleepin cages... |
No jail for 'caged kids' social worker
http://www.theolympian.com/131/story/79403.html
The Associated Press
A private social worker who knew that a couple forced some of their 11
adopted special-needs children to sleep in cages avoided a jail sentence
Tuesday.
Elaine Thompson cried in relief after she received a suspended
three-month jail term and five years of probation, during which she
cannot serve as a social worker.
She counseled Michael and Sharen Gravelle, who were sentenced in
February to two years each in prison for felony child endangering and
other convictions. They remain free on bail pending their appeal.
"This entire situation has been tragic," Thompson said. "I'm sorry for
the role that I played."
Thompson, 64, of Elyria, pleaded guilty in February to three counts of
failing to report a crime. She had previously testified at a custody
hearing that the children's behavior improved with use of the cages.
The 11 children, who suffered from problems such as fetal alcohol
syndrome and a disorder that involves eating nonfood items, ranged in
age from 1 to 14 when authorities removed them in September 2005 from
the Gravelles' home in Wakeman, about 60 miles west of Cleveland.
Huron County Prosecutor Russell Leffler had requested that Thompson
serve six months in jail and pay back the $100,000 in wages she
collected from the county when serving the Gravelles.
"This is the worst form of failure to report child abuse you can have,"
Leffler said during the hearing. "She could have stopped this with a
phone call. She chose not to do that."
Common Pleas Judge Earl McGimpsey said he received 85 letters from
Thompson's colleagues, patients, friends and family, and said her
compassion and exemplary career should not be ignored.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA/CIA
WIRETAPING PROGRAM....
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEIR
"FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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