Before Schiavo, DCF sought to let abused girl die

[DoYouEverWonder]

May 08, 2005

Fifteen years after brain damage put Terri Schiavo in a persistent vegetative state, the Florida Department of Children and Families went to excruciating lengths to block the removal of a feeding tube that was sustaining her. Fifteen days after a toddler was beaten nearly to death despite DCF cataloging numerous alarming signs of abuse, the agency began seeking a Do-Not-Resuscitate order for her.

"I thought she would potentially live in a vegetative state," DCF's chief medical director told The Post two months after examining 2-year-old Moesha Sylencieux on Jan. 26, 2001.

Then-DCF Secretary Kathleen Kearney had sent Dr. Eric Handler to Palm Beach County to assess Moesha, who was admitted to Bethesda Memorial Hospital in Boynton Beach on Jan. 11, 2001, and transferred to Delray Medical Center's trauma unit the next day. She was unconscious with a swollen brain, bruised liver, broken bones and black-and-green welts. Some breaks and bruises were old — having been detected, though unexplained, during a monthlong stay at Miami Children's Hospital that had ended just weeks prior, with doctors and nurses pleading that DCF not release Moesha to her uninterested mother. The near-fatal injuries, investigators believe, had been caused by Moesha being held by her feet and shaken, possibly by her mother's boyfriend, though no one's been charged.

<snip>

Gov. Bush has appointed two more secretaries to lead DCF since the agency initially mishandled Moesha's case under Ms. Kearney, but an unfair practice of valuing some lives more than others continues to hurt some of the neediest and most fragile Floridians. In 2003, after failing to protect a severely mentally retarded woman from being raped while in state custody, DCF fought to save the woman's fetus. Similarly, late last month, after failing to protect a 13-year-old in state custody from becoming pregnant, DCF fought to save the girl's fetus. While the state was fighting fiercely to save the unborn, it continued quietly fighting — using private lawyers — to avoid financial responsibility for a living child, one irreversibly harmed while dependent on the state for protection.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2005/05/08/a1e_elisamoesha_0508.html

I guess in Jeb's world only fetuses and brain-dead white women have the right to life?

[ck4829]

1. What?!

That's the 'culture of life' for you!

[kath]

21. Don'cha know, little black girls aren't part of the "culture of life".

"let them die, then, and reduce the surplus population"

[harpo]

2. do it our way but noooo...we don't want any responsibility for it

[Massachusetts]

3. Kinder, Gentler?..Most Bush supporters will never know.

"While the state was fighting fiercely to save the unborn, it continued quietly fighting — using private lawyers — to avoid financial responsibility for a living child, one irreversibly harmed while dependent on the state for protection".

[Isere]

4. Good Grief!

There is no end whatsoever to the craven hypocrisy of the American right.
I think it is incumbent on everyone to spread this story far and wide! Thank you for calling it to our attention, DoYouEverWonder.

[Hissyspit]

5. kick

[acmejack]

6. A classic example of Conservative compassion!

These people put the moron in to oxymoronic. I would really appreciate one single day free of additional outrage. And to think at one time (before the DNC) I advocated the view that these people really didn't deserve our hatred! I can admit when I am mistaken (unlike some I can think of) and now am forced to admit that simply loathing these folks is to be too generous. I submit they have all earned the considerable contempt of all that would have free and fair world.

[wryter2000]

10. Thank you

Thanks for putting words to how I feel. I'm utterly speechless. These "people" are beneath disgust.

The next time one of them brings up the culture of life crap, I'm going to hit them with this.

[flygal]

26. The only way I can get through this nightmare

is come here to DU and read that so many others can phrase what I'm feeling! When will the hypocrisy end - it's almost like they feel they can walk on frickin water.

[wicket]

7. Hypocrites!

[Straight Shooter]

8. I was just wondering yesterday how many domestic cases of death in U.S.

I want to be able to tell people exactly how many abortions per year in U.S., compared to how many women die at the hands of their partners (boyfriend or husband), how many children die of abuse each year.

Last time I checked, there was no national Repub outrage over children who are abused or women murdered in their own homes. Maybe Repubs rationalize that all is innocence in the womb, but once you're born, you're stained with sin and so you don't matter anymore?

edit to add clarification

[havocmom]

15. For the fundies, once born, women and children are property of the male

head of the household. Beatings are allowed in their view and they see the bible to back up that position.

[FizzFuzz]

17. 1 in 3 women are raped or assaulted in their lifetimes

I don't think this takes into account women who are victimized more that once.

Most of those attacks are perpetrated by a male relation, spouse, boyfriend, parent, sibling.

One third of all women admitted to emergency rooms are there because of domestic abuse.

Planned Parenthood would be a good place to start to get facts.

US is the only industrialized nation to refuse to sign CEDAW, The UN Conference to Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, along with these other nations: Brunei Darussalam, Iran, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Qatar, San Marino, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland and Tonga.

The conference includes provisions for programs to end violence against women, education of women and girls, legal equality, political representation, health, and employment.

Let's all (or all us WOMENSES at least) stand up and salute those ol' stars n' stripes, eh?

[Shallah Kali]

24. No there is only outrage about the fake violence in movies & on TV

They keep increasing the fines for junk on TV, they want to regulate cable but where is the GOP outrage for the violent acts against women and children? Most states have outrageously minor punishments for people who sexually abuse their own children. Rape a stranger you go to jail for years. Rape your own kid get therapy. Back in 1999 there was a bill up in congress to require states to increase the punishment for incest but nothing came of it. Here is an organization that has taken over that cause:
http://www.protect.org/

[Julius Civitatus]

9. Let me guess.... the girl wasn't white!

Not all life is the same for the "Culture of Life" crowd.

I think I get it now.

:sarcasm:

[Hand]

11. Judging from her name, probably not.

"Moesha Sylencieux", likely Haitian.
:cry:

[Democat]

16. Culture of White Life?

Maybe the name should be changed to reflect the real views of many right wingers?

[struggle4progress]

22. " ... The Haitian-born birth mother, who lived with her boyfriend, had ..

.. second-grade education and was working as a $5.15-an-hour dishwasher, he said. Even a Creole-speaking translator had difficulty communicating with the woman, according to Radford ..."
Posted on Sun, May. 01, 2005
DCF denies warnings of suspected abuse
Suit filed against agency on behalf of disabled girl
MISSY STODDARD
Knight Ridder Tribune News Service
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/local/11534863.htm

[Spiffarino]

12. The DCF goes to great lengths

...to save white Republicans. As for the rest of you? Pick yourself up by your bootstraps, get a job, and if you become a burden to society we'll just unplug you.

Fucking assholes.

[Solly Mack]

13. JEB and his brother deserve long prison sentences.

Oh, they're not the only ones that do...but it will go a long way to addressing the wrongs created by the 2 of them if those 2 spent the rest of their lives behind bars.


JEB runs Florida like his brother runs America. If that's not criminal, I don't know what is...

[BornaDem]

14. FL's DCF was a disaster BEFORE Jeb Bush became...

governor and he has done little or nothing to change it or improve it on his watch. It may even be worse since he took office. I have no idea why FL's DCF appears even worse than most states' Children and Family Service agencies, but it does.

[MountainLaurel]

18. Privatization?

From what I understand, Jeb privatized all of DCF's operations.

When there is a profit motive in social services work, I can only imagine the extent to which corners are cut in order to please the company's stockholders.

[atreides1]

19. It takes money and a willingness to change things.

If Jeb was willing to spend the money, FL DCF would likely improve, as long as their was an auditor to keep track of how that money was spent.

But to the Repukes it seems to be more important to give great big tax cuts to the corporate fat cats, and to those who have more money then they really know what to do with.

[Miss Chybil]

20. Overwhelmingly sad. nt

[The Magistrate]

23. There Really Is, Ma'am, No Bottom To The Hypocrisy Of These Reptiles

[orleans]

25. my god! the horror of this hypocritical band of thugs

never ceases to amaze (and horrify) me