Friday, July 18, 2008

Adoption Update

My mother, father and younger brother are in the process of filing for family placement of our daughter. They have completed finger printing, background checks and most of the required in-home visits. Just a few more formalities and the interstate placement application process will be complete. The paperwork is then returned to California and Child Protective Services makes a recommendation to the judge. The next court date is August 11. We will be there praying that the judge will place her with family and not with a stranger.

As I mentioned in the previous post, the state of California removed Cheyenne from Grandma Jo's care as she "dared" to express an opinion as to our innocence. We get to see our daughter for one hour each week under supervision. We're glad for the time, but miss her terribly.

We're dealing with the decision to remove Cheyenne as best as we can. Laurie has been fighting depression and sleeps a lot. Please keep her in your prayers.

Additionally we owe approximately $18,000 in legal and doctors testimonial fees. Our family is doing what they can, but it has been slow going. If you can help financially with a gift of any size, it would be appreciated. If you would rather send money directly to our attorney, Kenneth Warner, please contact me at sschjolin@hotmail and I will gladly give you his address.

Please remember that donation are NOT tax deductible. We are not set up as a non-profit organization. We are simply a family asking for help with the fight to keep our daughter from being adopted out to strangers when there are several qualified family members who would love to adopt her. Thanks again. -Scott

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Our Baby Is Taken Away.

On Tuesday, May 20th, the judge said she didn't believe that we were innocent and, in spite of two doctors stating that the injuries could not have been inflicted by force (as there were no signs of trauma, bruising, bone displacement, etc. and in view of the poor bone development depicted in the x-rays) Cheyenne has been taken from Grandma Jo (Laurie's Grandmother) and placed back with the presumptive adoptive (foster) family.

(Note: because Grandma Jo said that the believes that we're innocent of any wrongdoing, CPS has "concluded" that she is not capable of protecting Cheyenne and would not act in "her best interests.")

CPS continues on its course of adopting our Cheyenne out to total strangers. In closing arguments, the attorney appointed for Cheyenne said that we came from a family of liars that couldn't be trusted to take care of her. This, after putting only two of our relatives on the stand. They did their best to answer detailed questions about dates and events. Although they did not know what the line of questioning would be, they did the best they could. They had no preparation and made some mistakes in dates as they didn't have their datebooks or computers with them. Apparently those errors label us all as a "family of liars."

As an aside; n September 14, 2007 the judge ordered CPS to place our daughter with a family member. It took until early January for them to comply with the judges order. Come to find out that the placement with Grandma Jo was not a placement at all, but an "extend visit." All the judge would say was that she was "disappointed" with them. If we had circumvented the judges order, I think she would have been more than a little disappointed with us.

The judge did explicitly order CPS to try to place Cheyenne with extended family. (We'll see if they follow this directive better than the last one.) At this time my father, mother and older brother are all beginning the adoption process. We are praying that one of them will prove acceptable to CPS.

It's hard not to be skeptical and jaded as CPS has twisted so much of what we've said; left out important evidence for our defense and, in some cases, outright lied. However in the state of California, it is not permitted to sue CPS workers, even if they perjure themselves. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

We know adoption proceedings will place a heavy financial burden on our family members trying to adopt Cheyenne, but we have to try everything possible. We've already spent over $30,000 in legal fees, and owe several thousand more, but to no avail. Now we're starting a new battle.

Each family member is supposed to come to California EACH WEEK for a visit, so show that they are serious. My mother lives in Arizona, my father is in Colorado and my older brother lives in Texas. The cost of these trips is in addition to legal and adoption fees.

Please continue to pray for us and for our family, and especially for Cheyenne. While we think that the foster/adoptive parents believe they are doing the right thing, we desperately want to keep our daughter in our family. We love her and would NEVER intentionally hurt her.

If you can help us financially, we will use all money received to facilitate Cheyenne's adoption by family. Just click on the PayPal link on the top of the page.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. The battle isn't over yet.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Doctors Can't Agree

We went to court again yesterday to determine our parental rights. However it seems that even the Doctors can't (or won't) agree on the diagnosis. The state's doctor said our Pediatric radiologist (who is the department head) "has no idea what she is talking about." Another doctor said that Cheyenne "may" have had rickets, but has "outgrown" it. As a result, we must now pay for yet another doctor's opinion at the cost of $650/hr. Another hearing was scheduled for early March.

CPS has decided not to give Grandma Jo (Laurie's grandmother and Cheyenne's current custodian) the right to "supervise" our visits. So while she is with family, CPS is effectively denying us the right to see her without "authorized" supervision.

Additionally they have accused both of us of missing several mandatory drug testing appointments. Fortunately we have kept all testing paperwork and can prove that we only missed one. That was because the paperwork ordering us to test arrived the afternoon the first test was scheduled.

We want to thank everyone who has donated to our cause. All money received goes to pay legal fees or medical tests needed to prove our innocence and get Cheyenne back home with us. Please tell your friends about us and let them know that it can happen to anyone. Every dollar helps.

Thanks again. - Scott