Click here for the Times Herald article I have reprinted below. This article tells the story similar to a journey our family just embarked on today. Details are different, but the story is the same. If you go to the actual article on the Times Herald site, you can read some of the comments at the end. We are in the middle. It looks like this lady is at the end, hopefully. There are many adoptive parents out there with the same type of problems with the state and their adopted children.
By Jason Alexander, Times Herald, April 10, 2009
A local woman stood in front of the St. Clair County Courthouse on Thursday protesting the return of her adopted son — who has been convicted of criminal sexual misconduct — to her home. St. Clair County Court Administrator Grant Nixon said that isn’t going to happen.
“There are no plans to release him,” Nixon said Bev Bennett’s 14-year-old son, who is being detained at Children’s Home in Marysville.
Because a motion to terminate parental rights was denied at a recent hearing, Bennett believes the child, who she said molested four of her other six children, is headed home soon. Bennett, 32, of Port Huron Township has five adopted children, including the 14-year-old, and two biological children. The son was convicted of criminal sexual conduct in June 2006 and in July 2007, according to court records.
According to Bennett and court records, precautions were taken after the first incident as sensors were put on doors at the home. The 14-year-old son was not allowed to be alone with any of of Bennett’s other children, ages 15, 13, 13, 10, 9 and 8. However, Bennett said that didn’t stop the second incident. Nixon said Bennett recently attempted to terminate her parental rights under a delinquency petition, which he said could not be done under Michigan law.
“The judge looks at it, and he has to comply with the law,” Nixon said.
Bennett was upset she could not terminate the rights.
“I understand he is my child, but my other children are the victims, and they shouldn’t have to go through that again,” Bennett said. “I don’t know what to do. I’m totally at a loss at what to do at this point.”
That led Bennett to stand in front of the courthouse to perhaps get advice from other people. About a dozen people stood with her, including her children, who were handing out flyers detailing their story. They held signs that said “I deserve to be safe,” and “I don’t want to be molested.”
“It’s terrifying,” Bennett said. “My kids are traumatized by this.”
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