On Saturday, June 28, 2008, around 10pm, my husband and I had just woken up after a long nap. We had had a busy day with our 4 week old beautiful twins (Naomi, girl and Amari, boy – born May 21st) and my mother at the Taste of Tacoma. We decided, after feeding the twins, that we wanted to go out and get something fast to eat. My husband went to change Amari and while doing so heard a “small pop” while lifting the babies legs to assist with a bowel movement. Because Amari did not cry or react [at all] my husband continued with the change and picked him up from the bed. When he picked Amari up he noticed that the baby’s left leg was lifeless and not moving below the knee. We decided to take Amari to Children’s Hospital Seattle. We chose this hospital because we thought it the best for children (no matter the issue) and my husband trusted the opinion of the doctors there, primarily due to the fact that he works for Children’s Hospital.
Amari was admitted into ER and given a brief physical/vital exam (as is the procedure of ER), the whole while not crying. Our baby boy was then given an x-ray where they found that his left femur bone had broken into two pieces. Due to the seriousness of the injury they then admitted both Amari and Naomi into ER and ran full body x-rays and CT scans on both of the children. They then found that both twins have metaphyseal fractures above and below both knees, and Naomi has a metaphyseal fracture of her right elbow, a “healing fracture” of her seventh right rib and [what they then called] blood on the brain – later to be renamed ‘fluid below the skull’. They then contacted CPS and the Kent Police Department and reported “child abuse”.
My husband and I have children from previous relationships, none of which have suffered from any abuse. I have practiced massage therapist since 1999, but am currently unemployed and staying home with the children. My husband has been working for Children’s Hospital for the past 6 months as a surgical technologist, but has been in the field for the past 4 years. In July 2007 we lost a child – I was 9 months pregnant and one day his heart just stopped beating [in my womb]. We were given no answers to the cause of this travesty and have still received no word as to what may have caused our unborn baby’s death. We tried to get pregnant immediately after and in December 2007 were informed that I was pregnant with fraternal twins. We felt as though our prayers had been answered. We later found out that we would be having a boy and a girl, and the joy was overwhelming. My husband and I decided that we would no longer try for babies due to the fact that we now have our beautiful BOY AND GIRL, so after the twins were born I went through a tubal ligation. Neither of us have any prior reports against us regarding neglect nor abuse; our family support system includes community activist, social workers, teachers, doctors, foster parents, daycare owners and church ministers – WE WOULD NEVER INTENTIONALLY HURT NEITHER ONE OF OUR CHILDREN!
Both Naomi and Amari were admitted into the Hospital. We were then accused of child abuse and placed in a large room with a 24 hour security guard, we were not allowed to close the shades for privacy, WE WERE ALLOWED TO STAY IN THE ROOM WITH THE CHILDREN THE ENTIRE TIME (which we later were informed that “parents are usually not allowed to stay with the children under these circumstances”); we were bombarded by a plethora of resident doctors, interns and specialist on a daily bases; and we received several different stories, regarding the health and placement of our babies, from each person we were interviewed by (to include hospital case workers, CPS workers, doctors and detectives). Against my mother’s advice, both my husband and I agreed to speak with Detective Stephen Kelly (Kent Police Department) without legal council because we felt [and still feel] that we had/have nothing to hide. On Monday, June 30, 2008, we were informed by Dr. Samuel Zinner that all persons involved would be having a team meeting and they would probably be ruling the injuries “nonaccidental”. Because my husband [while still attending work every night] was informed that “Children’s Hospital is always getting sued for cases like this” – we decided to obtain a lawyer so not to have our children stripped from us and to make sure that we were informed of our rights as parents. We were able to see pictures of all the tests ran and were informed that bone degenerative diseases were highly unlikely due to observation and blood tests. Though we thank GOD that nothing is wrong with our babies genetically, we still have no answers as to how this could have happened. The entire time we were at the hospital we continuously asked doctors what other contributing factors could have caused fractures and blood on the brain, and we were ALWAYS told “nothing other than physical abuse”. The following day we decided to do a little research of our own and found out that the “blood on the brain” is actually a hemorrhage of the ventricles in the brain and is common in 26% of all babies born. But because CT scans are not done on ALL babies doctors are trained to rule these findings physical abuse. (Both Naomi and Amari were also tested for shaken baby syndrome and the tests were negative.) I am now finding out [via our lawyers] that metaphyseal fractures (and other fractures), are POSSIBLE and maybe caused during birth. I have since contacted my children’s pediatrician and the doctor who delivered the twins and they have also both agreed with the above findings. Though my cesarean section was considered “an uncomplicated procedure” the OB did inform me that Naomi was breach and pulled out from her ankles up to her shoulders and Amari was laying transverse and was turned before delivery. The doctors with Children’s Hospital have admitted that the date and time of the fractures are unknown and looked to be in the healing stages at the time of the x-rays. On Wednesday, July 2, 2008, both Naomi and Amari Schell were discharged from Children’s Hospital and taken to PICC (Pediatric Interim Care Center), were we [my husband and I] are allowed Monday – Thursday supervised visitation only for one hour a day per parent and phone calls to check up on them only during the business hours of our case worker (mind you, visitation has been modified due to the “allegations against us” set into play by Children’s Hospital). My 7 year old son, who lives in the home with us, was allowed to remain in our custody after being reviewed by the CPS case worker, Pamela Hill, and doctors and case workers at Children’s Hospital.
Though the case worker at PICC first stated that she is a neutral party and is only observing our interactions, she has proven otherwise. The observation reports from PICC, provided to me via CPS, are clearly set to make a case against the parent in favor of CPS. All observation is twisted and made to look like the parents’ interaction with the baby is negative, disruptive to the child and uncooperative. Not once does the report mention daily appointments made and kept by parent, parents are very observant (checking daily schedules of baby with every visit), complete cooperation with staff and case worker, playing with and talking to babies, stroking, cuddling, kissing, hugging etc. Not to mention that all interviews that shine a positive light on this terrible situation are not included in the allegation report provided to the courts from CPS. We want our children back, and we have been doing everything in our power to get them back in our care. We recently had to hire a family law attorney, which is costing us money we DO NOT HAVE. We have had to ask family members for money after spending our savings (initially meant to purchase a bigger vehicle) on our first attorney. After being informed that the courts now want to petition for Justice, my 7 year old son, we now have a criminal law attorney, a family law attorney and a child activist lawyer.
On Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 8 am (at Kent Regional Justice Center – located in downtown Kent on the corner of 4th Ave and James St), our family will be fighting to get our babies back home and maintain custody of our 7 year old son. I am writing this in an attempt to call out the actual wrong doers in this civil case… Children’s Hospital and CPS. They are trying to remove our un-abused babies from an un-abusive home and we need as much attention to this situation as possible. I have found, via my own research, that several of the doctors involved, CPS and Children’s Hospital have been sued previously by other families for falsely accusing them of abuse and removing their children from perfectly healthy homes. This has got to stop! On many different occasions babies were taken from their parents for months at a time. No one has been able to stop them with lawsuits due to the judges throwing out the cases, in an attempt to protect reporters of abuse. But who is going to protect the innocent parents, the happy babies – the supportive families that are unable to get the time back that is stolen without any remorse or apologies? Please help us bring attention to this terrible epidemic that is plaguing the innocent families of Children’s Hospital.
With great sincerity,
Mrs. Carita S. Schell and family
Anonymous says ...
On Saturday, Jul 12 at 9:04 PM
The system has been redirected to function as if accusations are fact, and to streamline conviction. The system does not like obstructions, such as innocent "suspects" and works harder to overcome the obstruction to their conveyor belt of justice.