Grandchildren of CCN publisher spend holidays in county hands

December 2, 2013
Gwen' shoes are so small she is forced to walk on the heels.

Gwen’s shoes are so small she is forced to walk on the heels tucked down.

By JOSH FRIEDMAN and DANIEL BLACKBURN

In the midst of a CalCoastNews investigation into alleged abuses of power by a county agency, three grandchildren of the news agency’s co-founder and publisher have been removed from their family and forced to spend Thanksgiving in foster homes.

Karen Velie’s grandchildren, 10-year-old Gwen, 8-year-old Brenden, and 7-year-old Kaleb, were seized July 18 by child protective services. The youngsters have been kept by San Luis Obispo County Child Welfare Services in foster care ever since. All three of the children have suffered varied states of depression since being taken from their family, Child Welfare officials have reported.

Efforts by the family to recover the children have been thus far unsuccessful.

The county’s involvement stems from an incident that started when Velie’s middle child, Cristin Powers, mother of Gwen, Brenden and Kaleb, returned home to find her roommates having an argument. Police were called. Though no report was filed because no crime was committed, Child Welfare removed the three grandchildren because the house was “dirty,” according to Child Welfare.

Powers and Velie hoped to work through the system to regain custody of the children. Initially, Velie’s attorney, Gerald Carrasco, suggested not pointing out inaccuracies in the CWS workers’ report, because resisting, he said, could result in the children being in foster care for months. Velie said the attorney believed the children would be reunited with their family in a few weeks.

At a hearing shortly after the children were taken, a judge said Velie’s was a family in crisis because of the death of another daughter, and ordered CWS to work on reunification.

Since then, CWS Case Worker Heather Zickuhr has arbitrarily cited a series of issues to justify continuing the children’s custody.

Though CWS workers claim they are working on reuniting Powers with her children, they assert it will take time because of a diagnosis made by an outside agency that Powers is “bipolar.” That diagnosis was made without any in-person evaluation by employees of the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo (CAPSLO), a county nonprofit which works closely with Child Welfare.

The children at the SLO Children's Museum in June, after building their rendition of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The children at the SLO Children’s Museum in June, after building their rendition of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Because of the “diagnosis,” Powers has been prohibited from seeing her children for more than one hour a week.

A private counselor subsequently concluded that Powers is not bipolar.

Nevertheless, Child Welfare continues to prohibit more visitations, because Powers admitted that she is “depressed” following recent family deaths of her grandmother, uncle and her sister, and the loss of her children.

Child Welfare now has banned Velie, who was acting as a temporary guardian for her grandchildren, from seeing or speaking with the children following a DUI arrest.

At the time Child Welfare took custody of Velie’s grandchildren, CalCoastNews also was investigating alleged misconduct by Child Welfare workers on behalf of CAPSLO.

Former CAPSLO employee Estella Bonds said the agency’s homeless services director, Dee Torres, often contacted Child Welfare to report child abuse, sometimes doing so in a retaliatory manner. Some of those contacts resulted in permanent separations of families and eventual adoptions, Bonds said.

A November 2012 letter signed by “Concerned Employees” of the county’s Department of Social Services to County Administrator Dan Buckshi asked him to investigate the job performances of Assistant Director Tracey Schiro and Department Administrator Natalie Walter. The letter alleged Child Welfare workers were not acting in the best interest of children, instead motivated in its practices by an agency with which it works — CAPSLO.

“Social workers are trained to assess families, be objective and ethical,” the letter reads. “These skills and training are disregarded by the assistant director as she believes her personal assessments or information received by a partner agency [CAPSLO] take precedence to the social worker assessment and opinion.”

Social Services Department Director Lee Collins told CalCoastNews last week he does not condone illegal acts against families “for any reason.”

“We do not do anything illegal to protect CAPSLO,” Collins said.

Earlier this year, CalCoastNews published a series of reports on financial misconduct and alleged theft of donations by CAPSLO Homeless Services Director Dee Torres. Torres is engaged to San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill. Hill has told numerous people that he intends to put CalCoastNews out of business. Hill has also threatened individuals and businesses that advertise on the news site.

Velie’s problems started in July when her 24-year-old daughter suffered a seizure in a bathroom and inhaled water. She was discovered and taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where she lay in a coma.

Velie, Powers and the three children stayed in a hotel near the hospital for nearly a week. On July 18, an organ-donor network dispatched a jet to transport Velie’s youngest daughter to be pronounced brain-dead at a hospital in the Bay Area, and her organs were then donated.

Powers returned home, and that was when Child Welfare took her children.

“Yes, I agree the house was dirty,” Powers said. “We had been out of town. But my children need to be returned. They need their family. They need love.”

Velie was named as the appropriate person to care for the children after they were removed from their home. But Child Welfare officials decided that a DUI arrest would preclude Velie from caring for, or having any contact with, her grandchildren.

Over the last four and a half months, Child Welfare and foster parents have denied Velie’s grandchildren proper health care and daily necessities, according to Child Welfare workers, the foster parents, and the children themselves.

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Kaleb in a shirt several sizes too small that he wore to school.

More than a year ago, Kaleb was discovered to have brain pressure because bone plates in his head fused too early. He underwent skull reconstruction surgery prior to entering foster care and frequently suffers from headaches. For 10 days upon entering foster care, Child Welfare refused to allow Kaleb access to his headache medicine. Kaleb suffered intense headaches.

Child Welfare workers did not provide Kaleb his medication until he was taken to his physician and had the prescription refilled, said Child Welfare’s Zickuhr.

Brenden is lactose intolerant, but his foster parents regularly serve him cow’s milk, Brenden said. Photos and videos show Brenden has developed dark circles under his eyes and blotches on his face since entry into foster care.

Brenden cried during his last visit with his mother. That day, the children had not eaten between early morning and 5:30 p.m. The children told their mother that the foster parents took them to the dentist during the lunch hour and did not provide them food.

Videos and photos of the children taken over the past month show the children with matted dirty hair and filthy, poorly-fitting clothes. Powers said the children are bullied at school because they are unkempt.

Gwen wears shoes so small she walks on the heels tucked down. Other children tease her with a new version of “cooties” they call “Gwen’s touch.”

Shortly after the children entered foster care, it was agreed they would be placed with Velie until reunited with their mother. In early August, Child Welfare released Gwen to Velie’s custody, with plans to place the other two children with Velie within days.

The following night, Velie taught a bridge class and Gwen stayed with a babysitter. Velie left the bridge class and en route home was arrested by a San Luis Obispo police officer despite the fact that her blood alcohol was under .08.

The next morning, and even before the police department posted a report of the arrest, Child Welfare’s Zickuhr demanded that Velie bring Gwen back to social services, suggesting Velie would lose her driver’s license. That has not happened. California law does not restrict driving privileges unless blood alcohol levels are over .08.

Nevertheless, Child Welfare reclaimed custody of Gwen, and maintained custody of Brenden and Kaleb.

Gwen cried when forced to re-enter foster care, Velie said. “She begged me to run with her.”

Since Velie’s arrest, both Zickuhr and Case Worker Denise Waters have prohibited her from visiting the children. They have cited the DUI arrest, her occupation as a journalist, and her “personality” as reasons for barring her from visiting her grandchildren. Zickhur and Waters also said that Velie could not see her grandchildren because she told one of them that she was “getting an attorney” to bring the three home, according to reporters who listened into phone calls with CWS employees.

The case workers have also prohibited Powers from explaining to her children why they cannot see their grandmother. The children have come to believe that their grandmother does not want to see them, and they question why their family does not want them anymore, Powers said.

Brenden with dark circles under his eyes ratted hair and stained pants, shortly after leaving school.

Brenden with dark circles under his eyes matted hair and stained pants, shortly after leaving school.

The Child Welfare employee also chastised Velie for telling the children she had moved into a three-bedroom house where she wanted them to live along with their mother. The supervisor said Velie should have told the children she did not have a place to live, and that the Child Welfare workers were “doing what is best for them.”

Child Welfare policy requires children to be reunited with family if they are not in danger, and the agency is required to allow phone calls. The children are usually only permitted one monthly call and, even then, the brief calls are monitored.

Shortly after they entered foster care, Child Welfare workers noted that Velie’s grandchildren “behaved unusually well” for foster kids. Now, after more than four months in foster care, one of the boys has reverted to infant behavior after begging to be reunited with his family, Waters said in a phone message to Powers.

Waters blamed the children’s deteriorating mental health on the one-hour-a-week visit with their mother, and said that was a reason to extend their time in foster care.

At one hearing, Powers’ attorney Mary Ann Foster told the court that Child Welfare workers were not letting Powers visit with the children more than one hour a week. The judge asked Zickuhr why this was occurring. She said the foster parents were too busy to drive.

The judge said that Velie could pick the children up to increase visitation while they work to reunify the children with their family.

The following day, Waters said the judge did not enter the change in writing in his ruling and she was not going to comply.

 


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The duty of a journalist is to serve as a watchdog for the people, which CalCoastNews does, and does very well.

With this being said, CCN places themselves in a vulnerable position, as evidenced here and other investigative reports they have published.

Dan Blackburn and Karen Velie are seasoned journalist, with their specialty being in investigative reporting and who are not afraid to shine their journalistic spotlight in dark corners where things take place that may not always be in the best interest of the people.

Because of this they themselves have been bitten by those who wish they leave well enough alone.

A true journalist is much like a police office, fighting for truth and justice for all, protecting the underdog, difference is; the only badge they carry is their badge of honor, to never report an un truth, and to expose those who do.

No one likes to hear about anyone doing wrong, for it places a blemish upon society and mankind as a whole, and don’t we all wish that we’d be better than that!

Reporting on such matters is not to smear anyone, it’s to help right a wrong, so that we may improve and learn from our mistakes, but some just don’t see it that way and then become defensive and retaliatory.

Are we not better than that!


Just look around at our local communities and the apparent corruptness. It is just not here it goes all the way to the top, there are too many citizens willing to accept that the government is here to help. Until the majority opens their eyes and starts speaking out and acting against it we are all fighting a loosing battle. My opinion: Take care of your self, stop relying on and trusting government agencies and those that support them. Karen, STAY STRONG and FIGHT


While this article certainly does not paint DSS in any light other than one that is conspiring to slime and intimidate CCN through Karen by using her grandchildren as pawns, it is only one side of the story. If indeed it is found to be true or mostly true, then the actions of those involved are despicable at the least and most probably criminal. Nevertheless, we still only have one side of the story.


That being said, I notice in the article that the word “dirty” was in fact put in quotation marks meaning that it was a direct quote, I assume, from the social worker. Not “unsanitary”, not “dangerous”, not “endangering the children”. Just “dirty”. If this was the mitigating factor for removing children from a home then parents around this county better be shaking in their boots.


Second, if indeed Karen cannot have contact with her children because of her arrest for DUI (not drunk driving which is .08 or more), this is an illegal act as she has not been convicted of a crime and is assumed innocent until she is. If being a journalist or using the word “attorney” in front of children is considered inappropriate behavior then we have just entered the twilight zone.


So one has to believe there is more to the story. Surely…surely these cannot be the only salient facts that would allow the government to take and hold children against their and their family’s will and prohibit contact with each other. If they are, then any reasonable person cannot but assume that there is indeed a DSS/CAPSLO connection that is nefarious.


This is unfortunately not a lone incident of criminal behavior on the part of public servants. I created an account on this website in order to give you this information so you can do something about this, as can others. you must remember these people work for us, they took an oath and are bound by that oath to uphold our constitution. the constitution provides for their immediate removal, if any public servant perjures their oath, and they are liable personally for any criminal acts committed. the problem is, not enough people know their god given inherent rights and fewer still exercise these rights. if more people were aware, our republic would still be strong and the public servants would serve the people, not terrorize them. the bottom line is, we must hold them to their oaths. every time this is done, they back down, for they know what they are doing is wrong and unlawful and illegal.


please go to citizens of the american constitution . net and you can learn how to exercise your rights and get your children back. i am very sorry for your ordeal you have been through, and many blessings to you and all the people who have been made broken hearted by a bunch of evil thugs who claim authority they do not have. we all must fulfill our responsibilities as american citizens or our republic will be lost. they are counting on our ignorance and apathy so they can continue their rampage of insanity.


You bring out a very interesting and important point when you mention the word oath.

Public servants are sworn into their position, and when doing so, take an oath of office, and if they violate their sworn oath, or (public trust) they can not only be removed, but also be held accountable/fined, and in some cases be jailed.

Case in point.

It has been some years now when a Donald Snyder was going to place two judges under a citizens arrest for this very thing, how ever before he could do so died in the hands of the sheriffs when they attempted to place him under arrest while driving to the swap meet on a Sunday morning in Santa Margarita for not having current tags on his license plate.

The coroner ruled his death was due to a heart attack.


Additional comment regarding violating ones oath that I neglected to mention in my reply.

I personally had three San Luis Obispo Police Officers commit perjury in open court while testifying during my trial after bringing a law suit against one of the officer for injuring me, this after ripping me from the drivers compartment of my news car while covering a traffic accident for KCOY TV.

Long story, to long to go into any further detail, but thought it worth mentioning, as it lends credence to this story.

Please allow me to add something here.

We live in an imperfect world, and perfection can never be brought about, for this is the price we as a human race are being made to pay for, not by any fault of our own, but by the first man created, that does not mean however that we not try to be the very best we can in the meantime while we await a new system, which someday will be put into place.

One way we can start is by treating our fellow man the same way we would wish to be treated…how difficult is that!

These little children are being scared for life by not being in the loving arms of those who know and truly care for their well being, and for what good reason, may I dare ask!


Don’t underestimate the resolve, unethical behavior and illegal conduct to which local government employees and agency officials will go to in order to protect their little kingdoms. Just look at all the misconduct that has been revealed in the local papers during the past few years by not only top level managers, elected officials and staff. The kind of misconduct going on, is not a fluke or an accident, it is the kind of behavior that is ingrained in a broken system. These agencies only hire the best of the best – not so, they typically only hire individuals who can’t get a job elsewhere.


I am in the mental health profession. Do you all realize how many people, parents included take anti depressants, mood stabilizers and anti-psychotic medications. Have you all seen the SLO the Stigma billboards and public relation advertising.This story is very distressing to me because we are finally making headway in educating people that mental illness is a treatable condition like most other medical illnesses. It is nothing to be ashamed of and it is a testament to medical breakthroughs that so many medications are available that can improve the lives of so many people. A story like this will scare parents into not wanting anyone to know that the are taking anti-depressants or mood stabilizers as they may lose their children. We cannot as a society allow mental illness to be shuttered away as something people are ashamed of. Because a person is depressed or bi-polar does not mean they cannot be wonderful parents, caring friends and productive members of society. They may need to be on medication and they may need behavioral or cognitive therapy to minimize their symptoms but we would never dream of removing a child from a parent who is diabetic. We would encourage and support that parent to do the things necessary to control their diabetes. We must do the same for those with a mental illness. That these children were removed because their mother is bi-polar which is now question is a travesty. She is also obviously experiencing compound grief and is in a depressed state. I hope she is getting the treatment she needs and is not afraid that her medical records will be used against her in keeping her children from her. Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of!!!


I like your post and agree 100%. In this case Christy Powers has no history of mental illness and her current depression is not only appropriate but it does not meet the criteria of a clinical depression. It is simply depression like anyone would have after the abduction of their children and the loss of a younger sister.


It is CAPSLO that “MADE UP” the mental illness and CWS that decided to go along with it and use it as an excuse to keep the children from the mother and Karen.


Seriously, Dan, how can a reader expect fair treatment of a story when the publisher is one of the players, and has an antagonistic history with the other players? Do you take your readers as rubes?


Russell–Tune in Wednesday at 5:05 and you’ll hear two other completely different stories about mothers battling CWS for the right of access to their children. It’s not just Karen.


Of course these aren’t the first stories I’ve read about child protective services, here or elsewhere. It’s true the offices go by their own sometimes twisted & obtuse logic amply-dosed with CYA.


My comment tries to address this media outlet’s decision to make it’s reporter/publisher the focus of a story, and the fact that this reporter(s) has tried to make a career by going after CAPSLO, and now there seems to be some blowback. Of course there is. Why would anyone be surprised at it?


I realize that Karen’s family has had a run of deep loss this year, but why is that news? What does it mean when personal hardship becomes a vehicle for professional expression? This is supposed to be a news site, not a blog.


Sounds like Russell Hodin might be giving us a preview of the Shredder in New Times tomorrow–I think I hear the sound of Ryan Miller gleefully banging away on his computer keyboard.


But let me try to answer your question: Why is it news?


Karen Velie is a public figure. County officials through CWS have denied her access to beloved grandchildren for more than four months for a variety of specious reasons. Some of the figures directly or indirectly involved have been subjects of ongoing CCN reporting. Nearly a dozen people came to the Supes meeting Tuesday morning to speak up on Karen’s behalf. There’s talk of a public rally next Tuesday morning. I suspect a lawsuit is coming. If a major county agency is engaged in retaliatory behavior, why is that not news, Russell?


On Facebook, I am a member of a private group of former Telegram-Tribune employees, folks who worked there back in the day. They are all reaming Karen over this, shocked-shocked! over her decision to publish this. But is anyone in the local traditional media, i.e. your newspaper New Times, or Tolosa Press, or The Tribune willing to look at the allegations???? Doubtful. Karen kept quiet for 1-2-3-4 months. She tried to work within the system. Now she’s gone public. I’m glad she did.


My two cents……


Why is a reporter a public figure?


Homer — Reporters like you? Not a public figure. Reporters like Benjamin Franklin, Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson, Woodward and Bernstein, Helen Thomas, Robert Novak? Public figures,


Really? You are comparing her to Ben Franklin and Hearst? Really? You can’t think that you maintain any credibility when making those types of claims.


“Progressiveshateme” — I don’t see Velie’s name on the list…


Karen is more than a reporter, Homer. Read my analysis above, please. Karen is the founder and senior reporter behind the most controversial web site in the county. When she was “arrested” for her DUI, Karen rated a major article in New Times, plus the entire Shredder. A dozen people showed up at a public hearing yesterday to call for the return of her grandchildren. A Facebook page has been set up on her behalf. There is a rally next Tuesday. If Karen Velie isn’t a public figure in SLO County, well then, I don’t know who the hell is.


Dave, while Ms. Velie doubtlessly is caught in a bureaucratic nightmare and has my every sympathy, it seems quite a stretch to call it retaliation against her reporting. Nobody has explained how Ms. Powers’ family came to be on CAPSLO’s radar or how CAPSLO linked Ms. Powers to Ms. Velie, much less how they came to the conclusion that Ms. Powers is “bipolar”, which I take to be a synonym for “general purpose crazy” to people outside the mental health profession. Presumably the family are clients, but someone has to show the smoking gun before I’ll believe that this is retaliation.


I can answer your question. Karen arrived on the scene the day that the children were being taken because of a dirty house. Up until that day, the Powers family was not on anyone’s radar. After Karen showed up as the grandmother and took action to immediately recover the children, ie: procure a new home for them and step in as temporary guardian, the game was on. They (the local powers that be) finally had something that they could hurt Karen Velie with. YES, how did CAPSLO get involved, good question. CWS and CAPSLO are good buddies that’s how. There is no history of any mental illness and somehow CAPSLO without ever having met Christine Powers managed to diagnosis her as crazy and have CWS enter it into the record as factual! I wonder how that all happened? Yup, I sue do wonder. I know the Powers family and I think I know exactly how this all happened and it’s scary.


Please see my reply to Mary Malone, posted last night. A social worker may note in her report that her client’s neighbor calls her client’s behavior “odd,” but “bipolar” is a specific diagnosis made by a licensed professional. You don’t put that in a report when it comes from someone outside the mental health profession because you can’t defend it in court. Now, I can see how someone at CWS might call CAPSLO to report the dirt on Ms. Velie’s family, but not the other way around… because nobody has explained how CAPSLO might call CWS to make an unfounded diagnosis based on the behavior of someone they never met.


I really wish the CAPSLO angle never made it into the story. It just confuses things.


The CAPSLO angle made it into the story because it is the truth. It is in the CWS record that CAPSLO diagnosed Christine as bi-polar. How that got into the CWS record is actually unknown since CAPSLO has never interviewed Christine. You say that you wish it never got into the story but it is part of the enigma, and the reason that the retaliation angle is at the forefront. I know that CWS can’t defend their position in court, they obviously aren’t afraid of the court, they will simply invoke their confidentiality excuse. CWS has obviously got away with this behavior in the past. I might add that the bi-polar angle only came into play about 6 weeks after CWS ran out of excuses.


Like others have said, CAPSLO and CWS are close buddies and like other CAPSLO social workers have said, Dee Torres has been behind things like this with CWS friends before. CAPSLO employees have seen it happen and reported it but no one cared to investigate, perhaps the buck stops here with CCN.


This sounds like it was written by someone who works for CWS or is otherwise somehow affiliated with the County.


There is no reason NOT to tell the story when the publisher is a player and has an antagonistic history with other players. Whomever their grandmother is, the bottom line is that the children are suffering and obviously not being properly cared for, and that needs to be remedied immediately.


So, you think the Fibune or NudeTimes would have stepped in to write this?


Russell: I am disappointed in your remarks, but not totally surprised; this is a news story due to the apparent retaliation of a government agency (or two) against a reporter who was (and still is) reporting on misdeeds by that or those agencies. If the grandmother wasn’t Karen Velie, I doubt there would be a story being reported on, sadly. I suppose that you may have friends or people you know and possibly trust that either work for or with these agencies, but to discount the reporting here doesn’t sound like the social justice cartoonist I have come to be acquainted with and respect. Let this story play out, listen to the segment on Dave’s show about others who have dealings with these agencies and see if there isn’t a pattern here; we all need to keep an open mind, and having more information is always better, even if there might be an agenda behind it. I for one do not give all government agencies and all government workers carte blanch to never make a mistake.


I made my initial comment solely because I don’t trust CCN to do a thorough job researching the issue. Too often they seem to be in a rush to publish—with the truth, or at least a decent and credible rendition of it, trailing days behind.


That’s my general view of CCN.


In this case especially I don’t trust a dispassionate approach to the story. Why? Simply because one of the players has an agenda against another. The temptation to use the power of the pen in self-interest is simply too great.


I don’t discount the situation, which is definitely serious and warrants all sorts of investigation.


I don’t know what a better way to break this story would have been. As IronHub correctly notes, neither of the other two print news sources would likely give this issue enough ink to assist Velie with resolution.


. Individuals that choose a career in Social Work do so knowing that they will not make much money, the hours are horrible , the situations they encounter are intense and heart breaking enough that the average social worker leaves the field within 6-7 years. The focus here

should be on the children. Unfortunately, they have had no say, in where they go or who they will live with. They have not had any say in having their privacy violated. Posting pictures,

names, etc. The Social Workers, Mr. Collins, Ms. Schirro, Ms. Walters cannot defend

themselves because of the rules of confidentiality. These are people that have dedicated

their lives to service. Each of the people mentioned are individuals that could have worked

in private industry and each of them would have ended up in a CEO capacity. Let’s reverse

this situation, what if Social Services was not diligent and did not step in and harm had

come to the children through any kind of neglect or abuse. The outcry would be the same….It is a no win for the civil servant. You can punch away at these people but they are

committed to keeping children safe.. Hopefully this will have a happy ending. For those

ganging up on the Social Workers, the managers at Social Services you are only getting one side of the story.


And so, the friends of CAPSLO and the CWS workers start their campaign.


Yes, because anyone with an opinion at odds with the lemmings on this thread must be friends, paid shills, etc… etc…


In this incredibly corrupt county, yes.


Scoobidoobie, there is zero excuse for the condition these 3 kids are in now, under the care of CWS. Using kids as a pawn is illegal and sickening. We understand the Social Worker will only do what her boss tells her to do. Who is her boss? Tracey!


Everyone knows Tracey is unethical. It is her call, and being one of Lee’s Go-girls, she will do anything Lee says. Justice or truth has nothing to do with it. This is based on ego, this is an abuse of power Period! Same old story. How many people have had law suits against DSS? How much $ has this county had to pay out for self serving behavior inside DSS? It starts at the top. The Board has protected Lee for years. ITs time for a change. They do for each other! How else has he gotten away with it all these years? Mr Collins came up from San Benito with his best buddy, Mr. Edge. Remember how he “blessed” our County? Mr. Collins has the same attitude as his best buddy. They both have cost our county so much.

This abuse of power is typical, time to insist for change!


If my grandchildren were being wronged, i’d shout it from the rooftops and post every photo I could that proved they weren’t being cared for properly! If I were the mom I’d hand CCN a copy of my court papers showing and proving everything on here is correct! The mom has a right to show her documents to anyone! It’s not illegal!!! It’s easy to hide behind confidentiality, tDSS has to, but the mom, copy and circular the written details of the removal! Not allowing the kids to be with grandma because of an arrest , not convictions an arrest!!! I’ve seen plenty of parents who should have had children removed , but it doesn’t happen!

Something isn’t right here!!


I think from the start for CPS to even look at children and living conditions – there has to be a complaint made by someone to start an investigation. We all have seen parents who have dirty houses and worse who continue to have their children – because no one called in a concern about the children.


On Wednesday, starting at 5:05 p.m. other local mothers will discuss stories similar to Karen Velie’s regarding county Children Welfare Services. News/Talk 920 KVEC.


I’m really disappointed in Cal Coast News and Dave for the way that they have made a family’s private issues public. Firstly, foster children, no matter who they have as a grandmother, should always be protected. They have the right to privacy and dignity and their names should have been kept out of the story. Secondly, as a foster parent I have learned that there are always two sides to the story. Social services can’t defend themselves, because they are required by laws to respect the privacy of the children and keep silent to protect them. I have also learned that SLO county does not remove children lightly. Sadly, it’s quite the opposite. Your readers would be shocked to know of the circumstances that children are allowed to live in, and I’m not talking about cleanliness. I have worked with several of the SLO social workers and they are all very dedicated professionals. I don’t know how they deal with the horrors of our society and still treat all the parties with respect, but they do. They work late hours, at a thankless job. They are some of the kindest and most compassionate people in our community. Every year most if not all will spend their own money to make sure every one of their foster kid gets a special Christmas present. They work to protect kids!!! The system isn’t perfect, but it seems to favor the parents. All they need to do is follow the case plan and they will get the kids back, so what is the real story? Judging from the decision Velie made to expose these innocent children so publicly, there is likely more to this story. In the future, I will be getting my news elsewhere. Shame on you Cal Coast and Dave for not knowing what’s news and what’s a case of journalistic abuse!


You don’t know the facts behind this story. I DO. I have first hand knowledge as follows:.


It would appear that apart from a dirty home and possibly to the degree of being unsanitary, which occurred during the week that Christine and the children were away, these children were never in any danger and were well loved, cared for, clean and happy. I say possibly unsanitary because both Christine and Karen say that she returned to a filthy home that day. The family that Christine and the kids were temporarily living with had a dog living in the house and the couple had a special needs child. The house was always a mess but Christine kept up with anything that would effect any sanitary conditions on a daily basis, like dishes and bathrooms. This was in-between working nights to support her children and spending as much time as possible with them. I know Christine and agree with Nancy that Chris is a good loving attentive mother.


NOW HERE IS WHAT I KNOW FOR A FACT. I met with two of the social workers after I offered my home as a temporary residence while Karen was waiting for the permanent home that she rented to become available. During the interview, my home was approved but it was mentioned that Christine would not be allowed to visit her children here. I mentioned that it was beyond reason that just because the home they had been living in was found dirty that the children would be made to believe that their mother was so terrible that she couldn’t come and see them. I asked why and asked how could this even make any sense? I told the CWS worker that this would do damage to the children and that in no way was Christine deemed to be an unfit mother apart from the dirty home that she had little control over at the time that CWS took the children. Since the danger (dirty home) was no longer a factor, why would they not allow her to even visit her children here? The social worker replied “well we have to do what the court orders”! WHAT? I said the court ordered that the family be reunited ASAP. With that she did not reply as she had no answer. She simply went on to other items.


Sadly, that night, Karen got pulled over and arrested for a DUI even though she was below a .08% and the next morning, CWS knew about it before the report was even posted by the SLOPD and you/we all know the rest of the story. Now tell me that this isn’t about retaliation. Something is very very wrong here.


Your comment truly summed up this situation!


passionatemom: YOUR comment is the one that truly summed up the situation and I agree with you. It looks on the blog as though I was agreeing with Cindy, but I was agreeing with you.


According to what I heard on the Congalton show today, there are apparently indications that Karen’s the situation would be resolved if she hanged some of her reporting on CWS and CAPSLO. That would be a Federal criminal violation of civil rights offense under 18 U.S.C. 241:


“If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; or



They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; …”


Any individuals at CWS and CAPSLO who might have colluded in any such attempted suppression of the reporting by Karen and her colleagues at CalCoast News could be the subject of a Federal criminal prosecution. Furthermore, they could be subject to personal liability for substantial civil damages.


The people involved in this matter at CWS and CAPSLO should immediately discuss the situation with legal counsel, particularly with regard to potential criminal and civil liability. They might then be more constructive in getting the family back together as soon as possible.


I feel like I just took a ride on the Matterhorn @ Disneyland, disembarking from a car named “hearsay.”


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