The following article covers an area that I think is important. When they talk about the mission of the child protection agency they hit on a problem that, in my opinion, helps to make these cases worse. When the agency is really about keeping the family together rather than the childs best interest it is easier for for abuse to happen and continue to happen.
NASHUA – A city woman was sentenced Friday to 12 months in jail for taking part in the torture of her companion’s 10-year-old daughter, and failing to report the abuse.
Chrisias France, 46, of 72B Kinsley St., received the maximum sentence possible under the terms of her plea bargain.
Judge David Sullivan told France she should consider herself lucky, as he had seldom seen such “heartlessness and depravity” as the abuse inflicted on the girl.
The girl’s mother, Theresa Bergeron, pleaded guilty to felony assault charges, and is now serving two to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant County Attorney Roger Chadwick said it’s unfair to blame the agency for failing to stop the abuse, given the balancing act that state law imposes upon it.
“They are given sort of an impossible mission: keep the kids safe but you’ve got to reunify them (with the parents),” he said. “You don’t want to take them out of the house unless you are absolutely certain.”
Having reviewed the DCYF and case records, Sullivan told France her case was among the worst he’d seen in all his years on the bench.
“Ms. France, you’re lucky that you took this plea. I would have sentenced you to a lot more,” Sullivan said. “The amount of suffering that you are going to suffer sitting in jail for eight months is miniscule compared to what this girl was put through.” - Read the entire article here
Friday, July 17, 2009
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