The Shelter Hearing ... September 9, 2010

The emergency shelter hearing was held on September 9, the kids had not been removed from our care at that time , but Child Protective Services was seeking their removal on that morning based on allegations of neglect via failure to protect, allegations of substance abuse and allegations of domestic violence. I was a wreck. When I took the kids to school that morning I threw up in the parking lot terrified I wouldn't be picking them up that afternoon.
The hearing was held in front of the honorable Judge Day in Pinellas County, Unified Family Court, ie, juvenile dependency court. The CPI worker was present presenting her allegations and reasons she wanted to remove my 3
and 1 year old from my care, her shelter petition was denied, thank god
Judge Day stated he saw a lot of smoke but no fire, dismissed and denied the states motion but allowed the department to do a direct file if they desired and ordered mg husband and I to cooperate with the community provider, Eckerd / Directions / ECA. All said we left that day ecstatic that our children were not in jeopardy and believing the worst was behind us, wrong again.

But for that day, life was good, I picked my kids up, had a normal few weeks and prepared for our trip to my hometown in Indiana for my 10 year high school reunion that was approaching the 25th of that month. Days before we left we received a call from the appointed case manager from Eckerd , C. Manning , setting an appointment for September 29, 2010. Our trip to Indy wad amazing yet again I was fooled by my hopes and eternal faith in being a blissful family, ignoring all signs that should of prompted me to recognize and address my husbands deciet. The meeting on the 29th with CManning would turn out to be another foreshadowing of what the future held for my family and I.

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The kids and I in Indy, September 2010, after the denied shelter hearing and before the initial appointment with the case manager assigned to our family thru Eckerd /Directions , the CBC for Pinellas County. the kids and I were happy, bonded, well adjusted Mommy and kids still at this time. Little did I know that my husband, Eckerd and the GAL were going to be railroading me soon and destroying the life my children were meant to have.