The mother of a 30-year-old developmentally disabled woman who lives in a Norwich group home filed an appeal in Superior Court of a probate judge's denial of her request to be named legal guardian over her daughter.
Named in the appeal by Ophelia Coles, a Ledyard resident, is Salem Probate Judge John Butts; Department of Developmental Services Commissioner Peter O'Meara; James McGaughey, executive director of the state Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities; and Attorney Jeremy Booty, who was named the temporary guardian of Tyesha Coles. The case was first heard in Ledyard probate court over a year ago, but transferred to the Salem court after the mother complained to the state probate court administrator about the way her case was handled in Ledyard.
South Eastern Connecticut Advocates for Developmental Disabilities Inc., an advocacy group that represents families, has been working with Ophelia Coles and supporting her efforts to regain contact with her daughter.
The developmental services department initiated the guardianship change in 2006 after opening an investigation into charges that Tyesha had been abused and moved the young woman from the family's home in Ledyard to a group home. Ophelia Coles said no abuse occurred and no one was charged as a result of the investigation, and that the decision to appoint Booty as guardian was made before the investigation was concluded.
She said she wants her daughter to remain in the group home but would like to be able to visit and call her, and that group home staff and DDS officials have denied her and all members of her family from having any contact with her.
On Jan. 27, she said, she filed a neglect charge against the group home with the Office of Protection and Advocacy over Tyesha's care, based on what she observed the last time she was able to visit.
Full Article and Source:
Mother appeals decision in custody case
Named in the appeal by Ophelia Coles, a Ledyard resident, is Salem Probate Judge John Butts; Department of Developmental Services Commissioner Peter O'Meara; James McGaughey, executive director of the state Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities; and Attorney Jeremy Booty, who was named the temporary guardian of Tyesha Coles. The case was first heard in Ledyard probate court over a year ago, but transferred to the Salem court after the mother complained to the state probate court administrator about the way her case was handled in Ledyard.
South Eastern Connecticut Advocates for Developmental Disabilities Inc., an advocacy group that represents families, has been working with Ophelia Coles and supporting her efforts to regain contact with her daughter.
The developmental services department initiated the guardianship change in 2006 after opening an investigation into charges that Tyesha had been abused and moved the young woman from the family's home in Ledyard to a group home. Ophelia Coles said no abuse occurred and no one was charged as a result of the investigation, and that the decision to appoint Booty as guardian was made before the investigation was concluded.
She said she wants her daughter to remain in the group home but would like to be able to visit and call her, and that group home staff and DDS officials have denied her and all members of her family from having any contact with her.
On Jan. 27, she said, she filed a neglect charge against the group home with the Office of Protection and Advocacy over Tyesha's care, based on what she observed the last time she was able to visit.
Full Article and Source:
Mother appeals decision in custody case
"She said she wants her daughter to remain in the group home but would like to be able to visit and call her, and that group home staff and DDS officials have denied her and all members of her family from having any contact with her."
ReplyDeleteThis is outrageous and out of control and getting worse.
The developmentally disabled are cash cows and it's very hard to get them back once the guardianship machine has them.
ReplyDeletewww.FreeNancy.com is a perfect example!
Animal rights have surpassed human rights in this nation. Doggie day cares in our area commonly have internet access to cameras so that the beloved pets can be viewed by owners at any time.
ReplyDeleteWe begged for such a camera for our Annie in long term care to no avail. We were thrown out of the facility for taking a picture. It seems there is no place for affection in this world.
Who would know best the needs of a DD child?......the parent. The adult child is being punished along with the parent. Sentencing without a trial.
There's is another side to "She said she wants her daughter to remain in the group home..."
ReplyDeleteSome parents of the developmentally disabled want their children to be as independent as possible, because the parents aren't going to live forever and they want to know the child (adult) will survive when they're gone.
I don't know that's the case here, but it could be.
We just don't know -- oftentimes, the abuse accusations are a tool of the guardian to gain control.
ReplyDeleteDevelopmentally disabled people are as vulnerable as our elderly and we need to be sure and include them in our advocacy efforts.
So what's this got to do with the simple fact: the order that the family cannot VISIT?
ReplyDelete