Good News!

After many setbacks, frustrations and tears, we finally have some good news to report. After several court dates where CPS did nothing more than stall, the judge ordered that Cheyenne be placed (temporarily) with Laurie's Grandmother. We are SO RELIEVED!

Originally, CPS was trying to bypass family reunification and adopt Cheyenne out. They tried their best at bad-mouthing both Scott and Laurie, but each time their attorney asked what proof they could present, and they had none. Only empty accusations. The judge even commented on the apparent vindictiveness of the CPS representatives saying she couldn't understand their reasoning. Even after Laurie's Grandmother was cleared for foster care, they still fought family placement while spouting empty accusations. In the end, the judge reiterated there was no proof of their allegations, and granted family placement. PRAISE GOD!

There are still numerous hurdles we must clear, but we are encouraged. Please keep us in your prayers and ask your friends to pray for us too. The legal expenses have topped $20,000. If there is anything at all you can do to help financially, we would be eternally grateful.

Thank you again for caring, praying and supporting us. You are appreciated!!!

Perry (Scott's father)

Confirmation

Today we received confirmation of Cheyenne's bone disorder from a pediatric radiologist. In her report she says that the injuries could NOT have occurred from trauma, either accidental or intentional. They are consistent with a bone disorder. The fractures occurred because of the weakened condition of the bones. Here is a quote from her report...

The transverse lucency without change in the bone alignment is biomechanically impossible to explain with trauma, accidental or non-accidental. Infant bones are not as rigid as adult bones and will bow and splinter with trauma much like a green twig when bent (this is where the term “greenstick fracture” arose.) A clean transverse fracture through an infant’s bones requires a significant blow to produce. This type of trauma leads to angulation or displacement of the two fracture fragments with respect to each other. A transverse “fracture” without angulation or displacement of the bone (and in this case complete preservation of the bone alignment) is most likely a surgically produced osteotomy or a pseudofracture from underlying metabolic bone disease.

She cited four other conditions that support bone disease and nothing to support the CPS claim of child abuse. We go to court tomorrow to present this to the judge and to CPS. We'll let you know how it turns out. Please keep us in your prayers.

Perry (Scott's father)

Social Services

Today I (Scott) spoke with a CPS worker. Laurie and I have been trying to get our daughter placed with family a member and get a family member approved for supervised visits. We could then see Cheyenne more often. The CPS worker stated that, even after Laurie's parents passed a background check, she does not feel "comfortable" with them supervising our visits.

So it seems to us at this point CPS will do or say whatever to keep us from seeing our daughter. We don't understand how CPS can deny family members the right to supervise if they meet all their requirements.

It seems to us that CPS doesn't care about us or our daughter! We don't believe that they're acting in Cheyenne's best interest either. They seem more concerned with their own preconceived notions. If the CPS workers actually considered all the evidence we've gathered thus far, this would not be happening.

Scott & Laurie

Help us get our daughter back

My name is Scott Schjolin. My girlfriend ( Laurie Hammons) and I are going through court proceedings to get our daughter back.

We took our daughter to Simi Valley Hospital after noticing some slight swelling of her right elbow. They found the elbow had been broken. While taking additional x-rays, they learned that her left forearm had been fractured as well. The doctors there said they believe she has a bone disorder. She was transferred to Ventura County Hospital for surgery to repair her right elbow.

Other doctors there also said she had symptoms of a bone disorder called Osteogenisis Imperfecta (OI). Ventura Hospital also said they found two fractured ribs which the Simi doctors apparently missed. Only one doctor at Ventura said it was a non-accidental injury. That was the diagnosis that CPS decided to pursue. Now, Child Protective Services (CPS) is accusing us of child abuse.

We've hired attorney Kennith Warner to fight this case however he can only represent one of us. He his currently representing me (Scott). This all happened on the late evening of September 9th.

On September 14, 2007 the judge ordered CPS to place our daughter with a family member. As of today they have yet to comply.

We're looking for any kind of help we can get to get our daughter back. We are innocent of these allegations. We have a doctor that will do the tests for us however they are very expensive.

In the next week or two we will have an account set up to accept donations.

Please check back as we'll update this site with documentation from CPS, our attorney and medical reports as they become available. In the meantime, check out protectourfamilies.com for more information on OI.