Tag Archives: Nebraska; safe haven

(NOTE: I intended to include this story in the second part of my piece from last weekend, still on the burner, on the voices of “safe haven” victims, but this seems like a good place to put it now since there is new information today. As I wrote it, it became longer and longer, included more and more, and the rathole got deeper and darker. Words fail me when I try to write about these cases, but I think it’s important to know them. These kids cannot be forgotten and written out of the history of the Great Dump Experiment, nor can the politicians and do-gooders who engineered this experiment be hidden.) ***** Remember the Indiana case of the 8-year old left at Bergan Mercy Medical Center? To refresh your memory, the boy was dropped-off in Omaha on November 6. The next day, after negotiations with Indiana authorities, the boy was returned to Wabash County and put into protective custody. Officials refused to tell the parents his location. I found that a bit odd–that he was being held in some secret location–but the reasons soon became abundantly clear. The Indiana press picks it up from there with two significant developments: Continue Reading →

It’s Beat the Clock time for Big Kid dumpers in Nebraska. DHHS reported this morning that last night a 5-year old boy was left at Immanuel Hospital in Omaha. No details yet. As I reported last night, two teens escaped from Methodist Hospital. DHHS confirmed this morning that the 14-year old boy is now is state custody, (one report says he didn’t run) but his 17-year old sister is still on the loose. No more details on that either. While I’m here, I may as well give this other update. Yesterday, the AP ran a story on the adoptive mother who attempted to “safe haven” her 18-year old daughter last week. It’s pretty grim: The Lincoln mother who dropped off her 18-year-old daughter said she was repeatedly turned down when she sought help from police, state social services authorities and the girl’s school. The woman said her daughter had been diagnosed with a mental illness when she was 12 and had deep psychological scars from childhood abuse and from being left alone with her dead biological mother for a week. The woman said she felt she had no choice but to leave her daughter at the hospital after a recent Continue Reading →

KPTM-TV just reported that an Omaha brother and sister escaped enroute to their local “safe haven.” No details but this so far: Methodist Hospital spokesman Ed Rider says a 14-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl disappeared as their mother was getting them from the car to the emergency room just after 3 p.m. Thursday. I’m surprised this hasn’t happened sooner. Speaking of which…remember the 14-year old adoptee (adopted by father’s mother at birth) from Council Bluffs, the first out-of-stater dropped into the waiting arms of the safe haven? (October 7). She was returned to Iowa with some sort of referral for help. Well, we know how that goes. Shortly afterward she ran away from high school. After being caught she was put into a home for “troubled youth” from which she promptly escaped and took her best friend with her. The girl called her mother/grandmother saying they were going to Houston to look for jobs. Today’s Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports they were picked up by city police. They’d never left town. I am trying to finish testimony for the special session of the Nebraska Unicam which starts tomorrow, or I would say more about this. The governor wants to roll Continue Reading →

I’ve split my latest entry in half. The two weren’t coming together as one and read awkward. The second half will be posted later tonight KCCI-TV (DesMoines) and the Associated Press reports that last night a woman took her 18-year old adopted daughter to Lincoln’s BryanLGH in an attempt at “safe haven.” The adoptee is reported to have learning disabilities, is bi-polar, and refuses medication. From Assistant Police Chief Jim Peschong: “The adoptive mother says that the daughter refused to take some medication for some conditions… She won’t listen to her, can’t control her.” The Omaha World-Herald reports that the mother sought assistance from the state but “got nowhere.” DHHS, which has previously denied 18-year olds “safe haven protection” says it’s looking into the case. (see addenda below for update) So far, one other dumpee has been confirmed as adopted, 2 others reported (but not confirmed) as kinship adopted. I believe there are more. Previously, two attempts to use the law on 18-year olds–a do-it-yourself in Grand Island and a traditional dump at Immanuel MC in Omaha–have been denied by DHHS. 18-year olds are “too old” for “saving.” And it seems it’s not legal for somebody to “save” themselves from Continue Reading →

I knew they wouldn’t let us down! Nebraska DHHS reports that an 11-year old girl from Douglas County was left by her mother today at Bergan Mercy Hospital. No details. She is the 5th child this week to find a new home at a Nebraska hospital. Only one more to go and we’ll hit 30! The weekend, with its leisure time activities, usually marks an upturn in dumps. Hey! let’s take a drive in the country! UPDATES:Nebraska and Indiana officials spent the day discussing the “best options” for the 8-year old boy left at Bergan Mercy yesterday. Late afternoon they announced that the boy will be returned to Indiana and placed in the custody of The Indiana Department of Children’s Services while the investigation continues. And remember the poor rejected adoptee from Michigan? The Detroit Free Press reports that his adoptive father, Nathaniel Martin, (earlier referred to as Terrence) has regained custody of his two biological children, but the adopted siblings remain in foster care. Their adoptive mother, Teri Martin, who dumped her son and claimed she was forced to adopt him seven years ago so she could adopt his brother, is not allowed in the couple’s Southfield, Michigan home Continue Reading →

Nebraska DHHS announces that earlier today an 8-year old boy from Wabash, County, Indiana was handed into the beneficient hands of the State of Nebraska at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha. No details have been released. Outside of the anomalous Staton case, this is the youngest child dropped off in Nebraska. He is the 28th dumpee since the law went into effect on July 16, and the fourth this week. (There was also an attempted dro-off of an 18-year old on November 3 at Immanuel MC). For some reason this case upsets me more than the routine upset of each case. Eight years old. When I was that age I was planning my career as an Egyptologist (obviously, that didn’t work out), reading Miss Pickrel books, and playing one of the Cookie Children in Hansel & Gretel. Even if this child is mentally ill, how must he feel?I’m sick.And just when you think it can’t get any worse:In other news, Douglas County Juvenile Court Judge Vernon Daniels has ordered two 15-year old girls left at Omaha hospitals on October 28 to remain in state custody pending further investigation. The cases are unrelated. I don’ even know what to comment on Continue Reading →

This is a little re-written from this morning’s entry since there is new information now. This morning we welcome #25 #26 and #27 to the slag heap known as Nebraska’s “safe haven.” According to Todd Landry, spokesperson for Nebraska DHHS, Sunday afternoon a 16-year old girl was dropped off by her mother at Midlands Hospital in Papillion. Landry says that details are still being gathered, but here’s the story the state has released so far. WARNING: We have now entered the Land of the Surreal. The girl was a ward of the State of Nebraska from September 2007 to March 2008. In March 2008, the Sarpy County juvenile court dismissed the wardship based in part on the mother’s desire to relocate to Arizona, where they had extended family. While in Arizona, the girl was made a ward of the State of Arizona from August 2008 to October 2008. Based on information available so far, DHHS’ understanding is that in October, the Arizona court agreed to dismiss the case at the request of the mother, who desired to return to Nebraska in order to have more support from family and friends located here. The mother and daughter appear to have returned Continue Reading →

November 24, 2008: I will be be double checking these stats in the next day or so. I am still trying to piece together some serious writing on the Nebraska Fiasco. In front of me right now is a crate of documents that I’ve managed to file into some sense.It’s giving me a big headache. I’ve been able to ID by name about half of the Big Kids, along with the names of their parents and guardians and other personal information. I am not posting that personal information here. Some of the Big Kids are adopted and I suspect more are adopted that we don’t know about. At least one is a state ward, and some are former state wards. (It’s a little difficult to determine past and current state care status, so I’m not including that right now.) Two people have attempted to safe haven themselves (one with her 10 month old son), but self dumping isn’t allowed because the law is about “whether an adult will be criminally prosecuted for the act of leaving a child.” (I’m sure the state would have eagerly removed the 10-month from the mom, though, if she insist otherwise). I thought AB 157 Continue Reading →

According to the AP, a father dropped off his 15-year old daughter at Omaha’s Immanuel Medical Center tonight. No details until tomorrow. I guess poor Todd Landry, spokesperson for HHS wants to get a full night’s sleep. I’ll keep you updated. The race is on now. Anybody want to start a parlay sheet? Earlier tonight my local Fox News affiliate ran a story on the Fiasco. Sen. Arnie Struthman, father of this monster, was on saying..get this…we never dreamed this would happen! bwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa