[kangareaux]

HI,

I don't even know where to begin. A friend of mine knows of a little boy who told of being abused. He told only on the guarentee that he would never have to be with the abuser (stepfather) again. The family was investigated. The 2 other children were thought to be abused. One is a 2 year old girl who screamed when anyone tried to hold her on their hip, had a severely red and puffy bottom, screamed at diaper changes....the list goes on. The other was a little boy a few years older than the girl who said that his dad (other mentioned boy's stepfather/aka abuser) squeezed his penis when he was being bad. The little girl had an appointment scheduled with a doctor who specializes in diagnosing abuse. (I didn't even know that existed....that just sickens me that the profession is even needed) The mom freaked out after a long wait and left before the exam.

The mom was allowed to keep the children because the dad moved several states away and she told social services he would not be in the picture anymore. Dad is wealthy and mom decided she needed to be rich to be happy and let the dad move back in. She KNOWS what he was doing and let him move back in ....for money. (Or as my friend put it...she's PIMPING her children! )

here is where the questions start. Friend heard all this 2nd/3rd hand. She believes in her heart that it is all true. (She heard from her mom who heard from her sister who is the children's grandmother....got that? LOL) Does she make *the call* to social services? She lives in Louisiana and abused/abusive family is in Texas. (what if any effect will this have?) What does she need *in hand* when she makes the call? Address? Or is the childs name enough, since he has already been *in the system*? Who is best to call?

She's truly afraid for this child's life. he's 7 I think. He is not the abuser's child and gets the brunt of the mans anger and abuse.

She has mentioned that she would take the children in. Her words *in a heartbeat*. As much as I worry about the child being abused, I have to worry about her own children. Che has 4 with ages ranging from 1 - 8. (G-8, G-5, G-3, B-1)

Any advice I can give her would be appreciated. I'll asnwer any questions I can. She's heartbroken over these children. And, naturally, very angry at the adults in her family for not making the calls already. And we don't even want to go into the rage she's feeling at these children's *parents*.

Thanks in advance,

~T

[stepforone]

She can make an anonymous report to CPS in Texas. I would think just the names and town would be sufficient since they have already been in the system. If she reports that the stepf moved back in the mother is probably going to loose the children if the state forbid him to be around them. Best of luck, someone needs to do something for this child. The number is 800-252-5400 but I understand that you may stay on hold for a while on this number so tell her to be prepared.