How many chances should biological parents get to parent children they have abused and/or neglected? When do the rights and best interest of the children come first? Do some biological parents deserve additional help when they are working towards reunification with their children?

A 25 year old mother in Cincinnati first investigation with Children’s Services was in 2003 when her oldest child was sent to live with his maternal grandfather.

Less than a year later county prosecutor tried to remove the children due to her second oldest son had to have the tip of his finger surgically removed. In the effort to keep her one year old son from sucking his finger, she wrapped his thumbs in electrical tape so tightly gangrene set in. The removal of the children was denial. “The explanation was that it was not an intentional act of child abuse.”

In 2005, she gave birth to her third son. She called Children’s Services and stated she was unable to care for her children. They were placed into foster care and with relatives for a year while receiving parenting services.

March 29, police went back to her residence after a neighbor called reporting a child calling for help. They found her 5 year old in a locked feces-strewn closet with door jammed shut with a knife.

When do children suffer enough abuse to deserve the right to be protected? The mother above was involved with Children’s Services on four separate occasions. Do we keep sending these abused or neglected children back because they have not been hurt enough?

A number of foster children and their biological families have repeated run ins with Children’s Services. Sadly this is seen time and time again. Sometime this can go on for years until the children are much older leading to some many more additional problems damage of years of abuse, being in and out of the foster care system, deep emotion scars that have a lasting impact, attachment issues, etc.