When Angie and Thomas Gruno convinced the Lake County courts to grant them permanent guardianship of 5-year-old Matthew Cole in May 2007, they thought they were making the right move.
The Mount Dora couple already had adopted Matthew's sister in an attempt to offer the girl better stability than she had received from her biological mother.
Angie: "It was a way for us to keep the children in good hands and together."
But when Matthew moved in, the Grunos discovered they were not equipped to handle the medical and mental conditions Matthew brought with him.
The couple knew beforehand he had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder or ADD, a developmental disorder in which certain traits such as impulse control lag in development.
After taking in Matthew, who's now 7, they learned he also was bipolar and autistic. The couple said the child constantly threatens suicide, including pointing a pencil at his throat in class this past week, gets expelled from school, punches family members, goes through tantrums and generally disrupts the household.
So the Grunos went back to the court in an attempt to reopen the guardianship case. They want the Department of Children and Families to take Matthew as a medical foster child.
But the courts disagreed. The courts cited Matthew's special needs among its reasoning in refusing to reopen the case -- saying the child's condition would likely make it impossible to place him with another family.
Angie said she was told during the granting of guardianship that the couple could relinquish custody of Matthew if he became too much to handle.
But the Grunos, as well as the Guardian ad Litem assigned by the courts to monitor the family, said the judge's ruling is vague on the stipulations of being able to give the child back.
Bill D'Aiuto, an administrator with circuit No. 5 of DCF, said it is rare that a couple tries to return a child once adoption or permanent guardianship have been granted.
D'Aiuto: "Permanent guardianship is what it is... permanent."
Heidi Davis, the general magistrate who worked the case, said in light of the issue with the family, she couldn't comment in general on what is usually done in permanent guardianship cases in which the children have become too much trouble.
Davis: "I could only suggest anyone in such situation hire a lawyer."
Angie Gruno said she was told by the Guardian ad Litem that a sure-fire way to relinquish her guardianship rights was to call the abuse hotline on herself. But she added that would put the custody of her adopted daughter in jeopardy.
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Couple grapples with DCF, guardianship issue
The Mount Dora couple already had adopted Matthew's sister in an attempt to offer the girl better stability than she had received from her biological mother.
Angie: "It was a way for us to keep the children in good hands and together."
But when Matthew moved in, the Grunos discovered they were not equipped to handle the medical and mental conditions Matthew brought with him.
The couple knew beforehand he had been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder or ADD, a developmental disorder in which certain traits such as impulse control lag in development.
After taking in Matthew, who's now 7, they learned he also was bipolar and autistic. The couple said the child constantly threatens suicide, including pointing a pencil at his throat in class this past week, gets expelled from school, punches family members, goes through tantrums and generally disrupts the household.
So the Grunos went back to the court in an attempt to reopen the guardianship case. They want the Department of Children and Families to take Matthew as a medical foster child.
But the courts disagreed. The courts cited Matthew's special needs among its reasoning in refusing to reopen the case -- saying the child's condition would likely make it impossible to place him with another family.
Angie said she was told during the granting of guardianship that the couple could relinquish custody of Matthew if he became too much to handle.
But the Grunos, as well as the Guardian ad Litem assigned by the courts to monitor the family, said the judge's ruling is vague on the stipulations of being able to give the child back.
Bill D'Aiuto, an administrator with circuit No. 5 of DCF, said it is rare that a couple tries to return a child once adoption or permanent guardianship have been granted.
D'Aiuto: "Permanent guardianship is what it is... permanent."
Heidi Davis, the general magistrate who worked the case, said in light of the issue with the family, she couldn't comment in general on what is usually done in permanent guardianship cases in which the children have become too much trouble.
Davis: "I could only suggest anyone in such situation hire a lawyer."
Angie Gruno said she was told by the Guardian ad Litem that a sure-fire way to relinquish her guardianship rights was to call the abuse hotline on herself. But she added that would put the custody of her adopted daughter in jeopardy.
Full Article and Source:
Couple grapples with DCF, guardianship issue
Agreeing to become a guardian is a life changing decision, especially difficult raising children for anyone, the future is not guaranteed, it is: unknown.
ReplyDeleteI hope this family gets the assistance they need. The idea of pretending or getting into an abusive situation in order to be relieved of their duties is drastic, overkill.
I think the GAL should be terminated and never allowed back in to the courts after suggesting that a person call an abuse hotline on themselves.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a crime to file a false abuse report? I believe it is.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting case. The courts want control of guardianship when there's money to be made, but if the guardianship causes them trouble or inconvenience, they're fast to say it's the family's responsibility and not the court.
ReplyDeleteMatthew is the one who will suffer here. His new family doesn't want him - whether they are right or wrong, they don't want him --and the county doesn't either.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for him.
These people who run the system know how to manipulate and twist the system to get the results they want and that to me is the bigger story hear. The GAL is a lawyer, yes?
ReplyDeleteWell, I can say it is a extremely hard decision. My faience and I are struggling with this decision in the best interest of our three nieces who we have had temporary guardianship for the last nine months. Unfortunately their parents are not progressing as we hoped. Their time is running out. We have the option to give them to foster care where they could be split up and put up for adoption, or take permanent guardianship in order to give their parents more time. But there of coarse is the chance that their parents will not pull through then what? as we do not what this to be permanent for us. We are young and the only other chance these girls have, and do not want to adopt them. We are scared and after hearing this story, What are you to do when you do not want permanent guardianship anymore, would we be turned down by the court? Unfortunately the best thing is to probably get out of this while we can : (
ReplyDelete