help

collapse

Press one of the expand buttons to see the full text of an article. Later press collapse to revert to the original form. The buttons below expand or collapse all articles.

expand

collapse

False Flag Rally

February 25, 2014 permalink

In Vermont two-year-old Dezirae Sheldon is dead, her step father Dennis Duby is accused of killing her last Friday. A rally ensued. In the words of the news report: "Dozens of parents and concerned citizens gathered outside the office of the Vermont Department for Children and Families in Rutland Monday."

From following rallies for four years ( 2010 2011 2012 2013 ) fixcas can report with confidence that parents do not rally for more social workers to intervene in their lives. The rally participants in Vermont must be composed of those who earn a living from intervention, and want more authority to do so.

expand

collapse

Protest targets DCF in case of slain child

Rutland Vermont rally

RUTLAND, Vt. -

Dozens of parents and concerned citizens gathered outside the office of the Vermont Department for Children and Families in Rutland Monday. They want answers from the child protection agency after two-year-old Dezirae Sheldon was allegedly murdered by her stepfather, 31-year-old Dennis Duby.

"The signs were there. Pay attention to them. This little one could have been alive," said Lindsay Miller, who took part in the protest.

Those signs include a child abuse investigation last year into Dezirae's mother -- Sandra Eastman. In July she was convicted of breaking the baby's leg and then waiting at least a week to seek medical care. A full body scan revealed older injuries too. Eastman never went to prison for the crime. Instead she was placed on probation. Family members tell WCAX News that 2.5 months later, she got her daughter back. A decision they say that cost the toddler her life.

"I just opened the door and I look at Dezirae and her whole face was bruised. And I looked at Sandy and said what happened? And she said Dennis dropped her into the pack and play. And I said that's not from a pack and play fall. Her whole face is bruised," said Michelle Brown, a family friend.

Brown claims they begged the court and DCF to terminate Eastman's parental rights, but say their allegations of abuse were ignored. "I said she's going to kill her... She is going to die. I said I'm never going to see her again. I know it. I knew it in my heart this was going to happen. But nobody listened," said Lisa Eastman, Dezirae's aunt.

DCF Commissioner Dave Yacovone invited Dezirae's family inside to speak with him privately. "I want to meet face-to-face with the family members. I want to listen to them. I want to share with them that my very full intent is to make sure that a very thorough review is done of this," he said.

Yacovone cannot publicly discuss the details of the case but says he's deeply sorry for the family's pain."I don't think there's any way that I can properly convey the sorrow I feel," he said.

The commissioner says DCF gets about 16,000 calls alleging child abuse every year. Ultimately, custody is decided by a judge, after input from DCF caseworkers and the state's attorney's office. "It's important for Vermonters to know there is a checks and balance. This is not individual state employees making a decision about what's right or what's wrong.There's an extensive review process to make sure," Yacovone said.

A review process Dezirae's family says failed. In their minds, Eastman is just as guilty as the man accused of squeezing the toddler's head until it cracked. "She covered for him this whole time. She's just as guilty as he is. She had every right to protect her baby and she didn't do it," Michelle Brown said.

Dezirae is not the first child Eastman has lost custody of. In 2008 -- she spent 5 months behind bars -- for molesting a 15 year-old boy -- and getting pregnant with his child. She's not allowed to have contact with the child. And her family tells us -- she has a one months old daughter -- who is also in state custody.

It's still unclear why Dezirae Sheldon was returned to her mother when she doesn't have custody of her other kids. DCF officials say they can't talk about the case and Police say their investigation is still ongoing. It's even difficult to verify how many children Eastman and Duby have and their custody arraignments. Family court tells WCAX News it does not release records involving juveniles, even if they have died.

Source: WCAX-TV Burlington

Addendum: A committee of the Vermont senate is interested in seeing Dezirae's case file, and has asked the full senate for the necessary powers. Never mind, says DCF Commissioner Dave Yacovone — you won't get it, even with a subpoena. Just a reminder that child protectors have more power than legislators.

expand

collapse

DCF Won't Give Dezirae Sheldon's Case File to Senate Panel

MONTPELIER - Lawmakers hoping to change child protection policies in Vermont passed a resolution Wednesday, asking the State Senate to give them a special subpoena power.

"We don't know if we'll even use it," explained State Sen. Dick Sears (D-Bennington) co-chair of the Senate Panel on Child Protection that convened after the death of Dezirae Sheldon.

Sheldon was a 2-year-old from Poultney, killed in February after being returned to her home by the Department for Children and Families. She was previously taken away after her mother, Sandra Eastman Duby, was convicted of child abuse by breaking the little girl's legs. Shortly after she was returned, state prosecutors say her stepfather killed her.

The subpoena power would let the panel demand confidential documents, such as Dezirae's DCF case file. Though the panel has not secured the power or requested the documents, DCF sent the panel a memo that put the brakes on that possibility.

"The memo says, 'I want to share everything I can, but Vermont law and Federal law restrict me'," said DCF Commissioner Dave Yacovone. The memo he sent warns the panel if members do try and subpoena records, they won't get any. DCF will be able to give aggregate data, such as the number of children returned to their homes after child abuse--but no individual records.

"I think it's somewhat premature to send out a memo suggesting what they would provide and what they can't provide," said Sen. Sears. "We haven't asked for anything yet."

"I don't know if it's premature," disagreed Yacovone. "I wanted them to know so if they want to change the law, they could do that if they wanted."

The committee is looking at potential policies within DCF that could be changed. Sen. Sears says temporary, volunteer legal guardians--also known as Guardian Ad Litems--have been coming forward with concerns.

"The idea that DCF is more interested in reunifying with the family than they are in protecting the child," explained Sears. That's one of the policies the committee has been looking into since its first meeting.

Right now, the only people who can see Dezirae's file are DCF and the police. There will be an external investigation into DCF by the Vermont Citizens Advisory Board, but that group has not yet met. That group will likely be given some of those confidential records.

Of course, any confidential records entered into evidence in the criminal trial against Dennis Duby will become public record. He is charged with 1st degree murder.

Source: My Champlain Valley

sequential