General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJustin Harris and casting out demons. Was exorcism performed on girls before rehomed?
What a strange and scary story this is turning out to be. From the Arkansas Times.
Casting out demons: why Justin Harris got rid of kids he applied pressure to adopt
Rep. Justin Harris blames DHS for the fallout related to his adoption of three young girls, but sources familiar with the situation contradict his story and paint a troubling picture of the adoption process and the girls' time in the Harris household.
Harris spoke for the first time of a third, older sister that he said DHS made him adopt before he could take the younger sisters into his home. The Times had reported on the third sister before the press conference, held Friday afternoon in the old Supreme Court chambers in the state Capitol. The older girl, who would have been about 6 years old at the time she entered the Harris household, presented an imminent danger to his older three sons, Harris said. DHS ultimately placed the child into a hospital after just a few months of living with the family, and the Harrises did not proceed with the planned adoption. He also said the younger sisters, ages 4 and 2 when they entered the Harris home, were violent. He said one of the girls the implication was the middle sister had to be medicated to stop hurting her sister, and that he was advised by therapists to treat her RAD by removing toys and other belongings from her room.
After one of the two younger girls crushed a family pet to death, Harris said, he and his wife were advised by "a therapist, a psychiatrist and a pediatrician" to remove the children from the Harris home. He said he sought DHS assistance at that time but was given none. He said he thought he'd found the "perfect solution" in handing the girls over to Stacey Francis, a longtime friend of his wife's, and her husband, Eric Cameron Francis. Eric Francis is serving 40 years in prison on charges of raping the child the Harrises rehomed and sexually assaulting other children.
......Cheryl and Craig Hart, an experienced foster couple who housed Mary and Annie for a year and a half before their adoption by the Harrises, said they tried to talk the Harrises out of adopting the sisters. The Harts said that a local team working on the adoption including themselves, DHS caseworkers, adoption specialists, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and therapists from Ozark Guidance, a mental health provider made the Harrises fully aware of the girls' history of neglect and sexual abuse and cautioned them that they were unprepared to handle children from such a background, especially considering their home included young boys. The former DHS employee confirmed this account.
.....Chelsey Goldsborough, who regularly babysat for the Harrises, said Mary was kept isolated from Annie and from the rest of the family. She was often confined for hours to her room, where she was monitored by a video camera. The reason: The Harrises believed the girls were possessed by demons and could communicate telepathically, Goldsborough said. Harris and his wife once hired specialists to perform an "exorcism" on the two sisters while she waited outside the house with the boys, she said.
Such a long and disturbing article. So much cruelty was experienced by those sisters.
The Harrises deny that claim.
The Harrises deny those claims. Their attorney, Jennifer Wells, said in a statement: "Exorcisms and telepathy are not part of the Harrises' religious practice. They followed the techniques in a book called 'When Love Is Not Enough, a Parent's Guide to Reactive Attachment Disorder' by Nancy Thomas, who is a recognized expert on therapeutic parenting techniques."
shenmue
(38,506 posts)it gets worse.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Last edited Wed Mar 11, 2015, 10:39 PM - Edit history (1)
http://www.dailykos.com/comments/1370130/55867234#c48
Representative Justin Harris sits on the Arkansas state government's House Committee On Aging, Children And Youth, Legislative And Military Affairs, and on its House Children And Youth Permanent Subcommittee Of The Aging, Children And Youth, Legislative And Military Affairs Committee. Also the House Committee on Education, and its House K-12 and Vocational/Technical Institutions Permanent Subcommittee of Education.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,442 posts)In the beginning, your child should learn to ask for everything. They must ask to go to the bathroom, to get a drink of water, EVERYTHING. When it starts to feel like they must ask to breathe, you are on the right track.
The alarm on the bedroom door establishes a very clear physical limit for the child. When the alarm is working, day or night, the child can be controlled by being placed in the bedroom There needs to be a very substantial consequence for opening the door after being told not to. In my house, for children over 5, it is 100 to 500 (depending on their age) pushups interspersed throughout the day for a number of days and no privileges until they are complete.
Read more at http://wonkette.com/579216/ark-rep-justin-harris-had-daughters-demons-exorcised-before-rehoming-them-with-a-rapist#BWCPx5TSm4ygPmoR.99
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Gotta look up more of that author.
Through their attorney, Jennifer Wells, the Harrises completely denied all talk of demonic possession, because of course it sounds more than a little bit nutty. Wells released a statement reading,
Exorcisms and telepathy are not part of the Harrises religious practice. They followed the techniques in a book called When Love Is Not Enough, a Parents Guide to Reactive Attachment Disorder by Nancy Thomas, who is a recognized expert on therapeutic parenting techniques.
Read more at http://wonkette.com/579216/ark-rep-justin-harris-had-daughters-demons-exorcised-before-rehoming-them-with-a-rapist#SeF2H4FEcxhLhoFO.99
Thanks for the link.
Downwinder
(12,869 posts)madfloridian
(88,117 posts)Sounds counterproductive and cruel.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)It's very common for them to become seemingly very attached almost as soon as they get to know a friendly adult. They'll call almost complete strangers "Mom" or "Dad" or declare that they love you within minutes of meeting you. They'll tell wild stories to try to impress you. Anything you say you like is their favorite thing ever.
Paradoxically they have a really hard time forming deeper connections, probably because the ones they have had go so badly on them. They act out. They test people. They'll start out making a big show of being grown up and independent and then let their inner wounded toddler free on you later.
Giving a child undergoing this LESS love and attention and affection is bizarre and honestly just plain mean.
They do need consistent rules. Not rigid or overly harsh. Just consistent and gently firm. All kids need that, they just need it more than most.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)I taught a child in primary grades diagnosed with something similar. All she asked was to sit in the chair beside me when I was reading to the class and hold my hand walking down the halls. She never wanted more, did not especially want anyone to initiate touching, and behaved nicely....until school was out. I guess she had no trust at what awaited her at home.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)several other homes. They are unsure of the motives of adults.
First they try to make the new home see that they are good kids by forming the deep connections. Then comes the testing - do you love us? And they are asking for unconditional love. This is the hardest phase to get through because it calls for so much patients from the adult. If you can get through it then you are on the right track.
The Harris family should never be given these children. Their attitude is all wrong when it comes to what these children need.
LeftyMom
(49,212 posts)have followed that same pattern, right down to the pictures they claim prove the kids are demonic.
A quick google image search also tells me what I suspected, as it's also a part of the pattern: the Harris' daughters are black.
The kids accused by lily white fundamentalist families of being demons and pint sized sexual predators almost invariably are.
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)I did not see that covered in the articles I read. Thanks for the info.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)that is Supermax secure. Not sure whether it should be a prison or a nuthouse, though. Anyone who believes in "demons" should never be allowed to care for a dog, cat or goldfish much less a child.
Sticky
(1,406 posts)Attachment Disordered children. We have 3 at the moment and I admit it is extremely difficult sometimes. Even though they have responded well to the love, nurturing, structure and routine, it only takes one off-balance move to throw the house into chaos. {time change I'm talking to you!}
It blows my mind that these people ignored all the warnings and info given to them during the pre-adoption meetings and arrogantly went ahead with their plans. We have done almost 30 adoptions from here and I've seen this many times. Some adopting parents think they know it all or think they are 'saving' the child from foster care or think the lord will fix everything, and the adoption workers many times are just so anxious to get the child transitioned they ignore the glaring red flags.
This couple had options. But they were too proud look outside their circle to find it. Giving the girls away to the first taker should be a crime and should be criminal negligence.
I hope this awful story leads to changes in the 'rehoming' of adopted children
madfloridian
(88,117 posts)That takes such love and patience.
Kick in to the DU tip jar?
This week we're running a special pop-up mini fund drive. From Monday through Friday we're going ad-free for all registered members, and we're asking you to kick in to the DU tip jar to support the site and keep us financially healthy.
As a bonus, making a contribution will allow you to leave kudos for another DU member, and at the end of the week we'll recognize the DUers who you think make this community great.