Tyrone N. Butts
APE Reporter
52
Mother convicted of beating child to death wins right to visit other children
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/bro...la-news-broward
More than 10 years after a Broward County woman beat her stepdaughter to death, an appeals court ruled Wednesday that a judge should not have cut off her parental rights to her own two children.
Joy Ford was convicted of manslaughter and child abuse for kicking 3-year-old Shaquanta Ford in the stomach three times and hitting the child with a palme
to branch. The crime occurred in 1993 in unincorporated Broward County near Pompano Beach.
After serving 5 1/2 years and successfully completing her probation, Ford was released from prison in Januar
y 19
99. She asked to be reunited with her son, whom state authorities had remove
d from his father's custody. Ford later gave birth to a daughter.
The state Department of Children & Families drew up a case plan for Ford, now 31, to complete before she could have contact with her children. The plan required her to attend parenting classes, get and maintain a stable home and job, get a psychological evaluation and take part in individual and family therapy.
She has been financially supporting the children since she was put on a work-release program in 1997.
In a decision published Wednesday, the 4th District Court of Appeal found that Ford had complied with almost everything required of her. But she had difficulty getting into therapy because of her conviction. Also, she was no
t eligible for Medicaid, and a program shut down before she could finish it.
Caseworkers had other concerns. They felt Ford still had anger problems and was not acknowledging full responsibil
ity
for Shaquant
a's death. And after Ford gave birth to her baby girl in June 2000, she concealed the
child's whereabouts for some time.
When the girl was found, she seemed to be well taken care of and there were no signs of abuse, the court ruled. Ford also sought therapy and began paying for it herself to boost her chances of getting access to the children.
But in March 2002, the state began proceedings to terminate Ford's parental rights to the boy, now 11, and the girl, now 3 1/2.
The appellate court concluded that the DCF failed to provide the legally required "clear and convincing" evidence to support the state's argument that Ford's rights to her children should be severed. The judges suggested that Ford had been complying as well as she could and they r
eversed the termination of parental rights.
Ford's appellate attorney, Denise Kistner, said she was ecstatic to hear of the court's decision and was trying to reach her client
to tell
her the good news.<
br>
"This is a case where a mom did what the state asked her to do," Kistner said. "She worked very hard to fix things.
That is what the dependency process is aimed at -- trying to fix families."
*********
Way to go mammy, kill some mo' of your chilluns!
T.N.B.
Mother convicted of beating child to death wins right to visit other children
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/bro...la-news-broward
More than 10 years after a Broward County woman beat her stepdaughter to death, an appeals court ruled Wednesday that a judge should not have cut off her parental rights to her own two children.
Joy Ford was convicted of manslaughter and child abuse for kicking 3-year-old Shaquanta Ford in the stomach three times and hitting the child with a palme
to branch. The crime occurred in 1993 in unincorporated Broward County near Pompano Beach.
After serving 5 1/2 years and successfully completing her probation, Ford was released from prison in Januar
y 19
99. She asked to be reunited with her son, whom state authorities had remove
d from his father's custody. Ford later gave birth to a daughter.
The state Department of Children & Families drew up a case plan for Ford, now 31, to complete before she could have contact with her children. The plan required her to attend parenting classes, get and maintain a stable home and job, get a psychological evaluation and take part in individual and family therapy.
She has been financially supporting the children since she was put on a work-release program in 1997.
In a decision published Wednesday, the 4th District Court of Appeal found that Ford had complied with almost everything required of her. But she had difficulty getting into therapy because of her conviction. Also, she was no
t eligible for Medicaid, and a program shut down before she could finish it.
Caseworkers had other concerns. They felt Ford still had anger problems and was not acknowledging full responsibil
ity
for Shaquant
a's death. And after Ford gave birth to her baby girl in June 2000, she concealed the
child's whereabouts for some time.
When the girl was found, she seemed to be well taken care of and there were no signs of abuse, the court ruled. Ford also sought therapy and began paying for it herself to boost her chances of getting access to the children.
But in March 2002, the state began proceedings to terminate Ford's parental rights to the boy, now 11, and the girl, now 3 1/2.
The appellate court concluded that the DCF failed to provide the legally required "clear and convincing" evidence to support the state's argument that Ford's rights to her children should be severed. The judges suggested that Ford had been complying as well as she could and they r
eversed the termination of parental rights.
Ford's appellate attorney, Denise Kistner, said she was ecstatic to hear of the court's decision and was trying to reach her client
to tell
her the good news.<
br>
"This is a case where a mom did what the state asked her to do," Kistner said. "She worked very hard to fix things.
That is what the dependency process is aimed at -- trying to fix families."
*********
Way to go mammy, kill some mo' of your chilluns!
T.N.B.