A Battered mother has two Felony warrant’s issued for wanting to ‘ see her kids ‘
Please comment on this article at the KansasWatchdog link below.
Warrant out for mom who testified at hearing about losing custody of children
By Earl Glynn On February 28, 2010 
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A warrant is out in Wichita for the arrest of a mom who testified about her case at a legislative hearing last year. The charges? That she saw one of her children accidentally for 30 minutes, and tried to see the child a second time.
Last year we reported stories from parents and grandparents who had problems with placement and removal of children by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS). Those parents travelled to Topeka to testify at a hearing of the Joint Committee on Children’s Issues.
Cecellia Arnold lost her parental rights. Wants her kids back.
One of those testifying was an abused mom, Cecellia Arnold, who had her parental rights severed even though the state never found wrong doing.
Here is part of the exchange between Arnold and State Rep Bill Otto at that hearing:
State Rep Bill Otto (R-LeRoy): “Your rights are severed?”
Arnold: “My rights have been terminated … I have no rights to my children. I have not seen them since March. I filed an appeal that didn’t go anywhere. I’m here today because I want my children back.” …
Otto: “Where was your lawyer?” …
Arnold: “I had court-appointed attorneys … I feel I could have done a better job representing myself” ..
Otto: “This should not happen to anybody … I’m so sorry.” …
Arnold now lives in another state to avoid direct Kansas SRS authority over her.
In a telephone interview on Sunday Arnold said that the State of Kansas garnishes her wages for child support even though her children are in foster care and she cannot visit them. She does not mind the payments since she feels an obligation to her children, but really wants her children back.
Arnold said that after the Nov. 30, 2009 legislative hearing she spent a few days in Wichita with her family before returning home.
While visiting a school with a relative, Arnold had a chance encounter with one of her own children. Before that, Arnold had no idea what school her children attended since they were in foster care and she lived in another state.
She said she was happy to see her child and took 30 minutes to be a mom during that chance encounter.
Arnold said she tried intentionally the next day to see her child again but she was not allowed to. She said it is her understanding there are now two warrants out because of the chance visit with her child. The Sedgwick County Sheriff issued an arrest warrant for her, Arnold said.
Police were looking to arrest her at a relative’s funeral earlier this month, Arnold said. In a telephone interview, Arnold’s mom, Monica McGill, said she knows the police have been watching their house in case her daughter visits.
This week in Topeka child welfare issues will be part of House Federal and State Affairs Committee hearings. Monica McGill said she and her husband will try to attend those hearings and speak on behalf of their daughter.
Arnold said that with limited leave from work, and fear of being arrested in Kansas on the warrant, would keep her from the hearings, but she would like to attend to explain her case.
Last week Arnold’s picture and case were one of the “Featured Felons for this month” of the Sedgwick County Sheriff:
From Sedgwick County Sheriff’s "Featured Felons for this Month"
The “interference” mentioned above was for talking to her child who was in foster care.
Listen to Arnold’s testimony at the Joint Committee on Children’s Issues hearing on Nov. 30, 2009:Listen to Cecillia Arnold:http://tinyurl.com/ygksbyx
We interviewed Arnold after the hearing in the office of State Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D, Wichita) at the Capitol:
Related
- State Sen. Julia Lynn grills SRS Secretary about contracting irregularities: “It just smells bad”,Kansas Watchdog, Dec 6, 2009.
- Legislators reflect on two days of heaings about children’s issue, Kansas Watchdog, Dec 5, 2009.
- Compelling stories from parents and grandparents about problems with placement and removal of children, Kansas Watchdog, Dec 4, 2009.
2 Comments For This Post So Far
- BM
7:19 Pm On February 28th, 2010There is no heart, soul, love, devotion, conscience from the very agencies who do this to parents, relatives, and grandparents. They need be psych evaluated to find out if they are, in fact, human, or otherwise. Most have never had a chld. Judges do not have children, know no love that exists, kow no bonding, or how that bonding could occur? We are facing a loss of our country folks. More prison inmates, more prostitutes, more crime and drug use. Someone need step up to the plate for our children and country!
- Nancy Berry
10:08 Pm On February 28th, 2010Sedgwick County your dirty laundry is showing. It is about time. This is the
kind of stuff that has been going on here for a long time. Lets see
out legislators do something about the violations of law. - Claudine Dombrowski
8:42 Am On March 1st, 2010This is beyond insane!! I am angered -once again how battered mothers are once again ‘battered by Justice when they dare try to leave an abusive situation.
The privatization of SRS/CPS has put an incredibly high price on our children, this has got to stop.!!!
Thank you Kansas Watchdog-Earl Glynn for being the only voice for this battered mother- her only crime-to survive and to THINK that she had her children had the right to be free from abuse.
A sad and highly profitable business is- the price of children
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Crisis In The Family Courts 
I know Cecellia’s story, yet, I walk in different shoes in a different state in the southern USA. I have not seen my son in so very, very long nor have I spoken to him. As the judge and GAL have denied all contact. But, also by unforseen or planned chance I saw my son 3 weeks ago, for approximately 20 minutes. I was visiting a friend that lives close to my sons paternal grandmother. A soft knock on the door and before opening, I knew it would be my boy. He walked in and laid his head on my chest above my beating/bleeding heart. A single tear fell from his face as I held steadfast ‘my dam of tears’. I gave him a tender smile and rocked him in my arms and held him gently. He did not move from my heart, then I whispered in his ear, “My son, I love you as far as the heavens reach.” He replied, “Mama, you are my heaven.” Then, I rushed him away, as I signed, “I love you.”
My son is 12 yrs old, he was taken from me by CPS, after little to know investigation, after we reported to the proper authorities, my sons account of, “My daddy raped me…” I was labeled the abuser and accused of coercing him to say what his daddy had “done” to him. “They” are presently trying to terminate my parental rights, forever. There is absolutely no evidence to support their plan. Also, the last incident of rape occured in another state and this state/local refuses to report this to that state, thus this is now a federal matter. Because, I will not roll over or bend over, I have become the object of harassment and bodily threats and I fear for my life/my beating heart and breath.
Where I call home, I have discovered this has happened to unthinkable numbers(ssss)of mothers, all with abuse/battered histories. To report sexual abuse is an automatic loss of your children, then the offender gets custody of the children. Prejudice/discrimination prevails and is a precursor if you report domestic violence. We, in the county I live in have had 4 murders of mothers since Christmas, all have recieved little or no press and all were victims of domestic violence, all have surviving children and, “Mama, gone forever more.”
My case is active, unsure of next court date. But, to all, hear me, “I will never stop fighting for my son and our US Constitutional rights, Never!
“Great Spirit in Heaven and Earth, protect my child(ren) from harms of evil that live in the hearts of the wicked ones, you know them. Sheild with your Light and Mighty Warriors our/all the innocent Babes and give us Protective Mothers the knowledge and strength to continue the battles/wars for what is right and just, to save the children.” Amen
Cecellia, you and your Babes are in my prayers…Love to you, my Sister friend.