Police say Orland mother arrested on child endangerment charges

The 9 year old had made a sandwich that day and used a serated knife rather than a butter knife and then left it on the floor. the overzealous CPS officer saw the knife and charged her with actions likely to lead to serious injury or death. This together with some unfolded laundry and the apartment of a parent managing 3 young children on her own saw them arrest her in front of her children. Also, the three children have been placed in temporary foster placement of a woman who speaks no english and has no childrens toys, books or games. the children all speak english only and cannot understand what is being asked of them. Nice work again CPS

I don't know the mother but I think that this CPS worker has over step her authorization here.

There are far worse cases of child neglect and abuse going on.
It is hard to be a single parent of 1 child, it is even harder with 3.

Come on CPS, quit jumping to conclusions before finding out all the information.

But if this woman was homeless and living under an overpass, they would leave her alone, it is not illegal to be homeless. That is what a social worker told me when my niece had a baby and no where to live. I was trying to get her into my home, but I wouldn't let her boyfriend move in

since when is being poor and not able to speak english = child endangerment... need more info.

I strongly suspect it is much, much more than a knife on the floor and unfolded laundry.

Allegations of felony child endangerment require that the conditions be such that serious injury or death is likely if the conditions persisted. Since the woman was arrested for these charges, there is likely much more going on.

When the preliminary hearing occurs, more will be known.

Old Timer wrote:

since when is being poor and not able to speak english = child endangerment... need more info.

The children cannot communicate with someone who does not speak their language. Period. It is really amazing that now the mother is out of jail but the chldren are still 'imprisoned' so to speak.

I am the mother in question and I would like to clarify exactly what did happen....Yes Cps was called to my home for substanderd living conditions, yes that was true. I have been struggling the past year since being seperated from my husband whom lives in Australia. I have had a very stressful year and last week all 3 of my babies plus myself were sick with the stomache flu. So I laundered our bedding and clothes and had not folded them. My kids room and toys and such on the floor and I had just taken out the garbage and had not swept around the can yet so there were crumbs on the floor. All that aside I have 3 children plus myself living in a small 2 bedroom apt so there is not much room. This is why Cps was called. When they came however, my oldest son had decided to make a sandwhich at breakfast time, I had not been home all morning and upon returning from picking up my middle child from school CPS arrived. I of course aloud them to come in...THEY HAD NO REASON TO REMOVE MY CHILDREN... So the worker saw on the floor in front of the heater(in the hallway) where my son had made a sandwhich and left the knife. Yes it was a serrated kitchen knife and why he chose that to make his sandwhich I will never know. But the worker immediatly decided to call the police. The officer arrived and I had already picked the knife up and put it in the sink. So there was no evidence for the officer so upon the workers word I was arrested and charged for a crime that I didn't even have knowledge existed. I didn't know the knife was there or of course I would have picked it up. It didn't help matters that my daughter had disrobed that morning(in front of the heater where it was warm to get dressed for school and her clothes partially consealed the knife. So when I walked through the apt. with the worker I pushed the clothes back with my foot and thats when he saw the knife. I have never even had so much as a parking ticket in my life. My sole focus and center of my being is my children and I would NEVER let anything happen to them. I love them with all my heart and CPS does intend to return them to me and they will be placed with a family member until then. They are greatly disturbed by all this and CPS has uprooted from there home and mother and placed them in a non english speaking home where it makes everything all the more foreign. I would greatly welcome any prayers on my familys behalf for peace and quick reunification. So that is the long and short of it....

I would like th add that the only reason the children could be removed were if I was to be arrested. So they arrested me on this false charge and took my babies away. whom I might add have never been away from my side a day in their lives. Again though prayers and thoughts are welcome. Also any help or guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Unjustly Acccused wrote:

I am the mother in question and I would like to clarify exactly what did happen....Yes Cps was called to my home for substanderd living conditions, yes that was true. I have been struggling the past year since being seperated from my husband whom lives in Australia. I have had a very stressful year and last week all 3 of my babies plus myself were sick with the stomache flu. So I laundered our bedding and clothes and had not folded them. My kids room and toys and such on the floor and I had just taken out the garbage and had not swept around the can yet so there were crumbs on the floor. All that aside I have 3 children plus myself living in a small 2 bedroom apt so there is not much room. This is why Cps was called. When they came however, my oldest son had decided to make a sandwhich at breakfast time, I had not been home all morning and upon returning from picking up my middle child from school CPS arrived. I of course aloud them to come in...THEY HAD NO REASON TO REMOVE MY CHILDREN... So the worker saw on the floor in front of the heater(in the hallway) where my son had made a sandwhich and left the knife. Yes it was a serrated kitchen knife and why he chose that to make his sandwhich I will never know. But the worker immediatly decided to call the police. The officer arrived and I had already picked the knife up and put it in the sink. So there was no evidence for the officer so upon the workers word I was arrested and charged for a crime that I didn't even have knowledge existed. I didn't know the knife was there or of course I would have picked it up. It didn't help matters that my daughter had disrobed that morning(in front of the heater where it was warm to get dressed for school and her clothes partially consealed the knife. So when I walked through the apt. with the worker I pushed the clothes back with my foot and thats when he saw the knife. I have never even had so much as a parking ticket in my life. My sole focus and center of my being is my children and I would NEVER let anything happen to them. I love them with all my heart and CPS does intend to return them to me and they will be placed with a family member until then. They are greatly disturbed by all this and CPS has uprooted from there home and mother and placed them in a non english speaking home where it makes everything all the more foreign. I would greatly welcome any prayers on my familys behalf for peace and quick reunification. So that is the long and short of it....

I wish you the best of Luck in dealing with CPS, because you are going to need it. I had dealings with them over my nephew, they will lie or whatever it takes. I have no faith in CPS or the Foster Caree Agency . If you put only Spanish speaking children into a family that only spoke English, they would be raising He**.

Do not judge until you walk in her shoes. People are so quick to jump to what they think happened. I know the system and it is not as you would think it would be.

Unjustly Acccused wrote:

I am the mother in question and I would like to clarify exactly what did happen....Yes Cps was called to my home for substanderd living conditions, yes that was true. I have been struggling the past year since being seperated from my husband whom lives in Australia. I have had a very stressful year and last week all 3 of my babies plus myself were sick with the stomache flu. So I laundered our bedding and clothes and had not folded them. My kids room and toys and such on the floor and I had just taken out the garbage and had not swept around the can yet so there were crumbs on the floor. All that aside I have 3 children plus myself living in a small 2 bedroom apt so there is not much room. This is why Cps was called. When they came however, my oldest son had decided to make a sandwhich at breakfast time, I had not been home all morning and upon returning from picking up my middle child from school CPS arrived. I of course aloud them to come in...THEY HAD NO REASON TO REMOVE MY CHILDREN... So the worker saw on the floor in front of the heater(in the hallway) where my son had made a sandwhich and left the knife. Yes it was a serrated kitchen knife and why he chose that to make his sandwhich I will never know. But the worker immediatly decided to call the police. The officer arrived and I had already picked the knife up and put it in the sink. So there was no evidence for the officer so upon the workers word I was arrested and charged for a crime that I didn't even have knowledge existed. I didn't know the knife was there or of course I would have picked it up. It didn't help matters that my daughter had disrobed that morning(in front of the heater where it was warm to get dressed for school and her clothes partially consealed the knife. So when I walked through the apt. with the worker I pushed the clothes back with my foot and thats when he saw the knife. I have never even had so much as a parking ticket in my life. My sole focus and center of my being is my children and I would NEVER let anything happen to them. I love them with all my heart and CPS does intend to return them to me and they will be placed with a family member until then. They are greatly disturbed by all this and CPS has uprooted from there home and mother and placed them in a non english speaking home where it makes everything all the more foreign. I would greatly welcome any prayers on my familys behalf for peace and quick reunification. So that is the long and short of it....

You are in my thoughts as well. This is a horrible story to hear, and it's horrific that the newspaper never even bothered to question you, and then slandered your name. I'm sure many who have dealt with cps first hand understand that they are down right horrible and will do anything to either cover up the truth or dismiss you entirely. Keep strong, and don't ever give up the fight for your babies.

Good luck.

Having a 9yo home alone is enough for CPS to take action... they had a fuss when it was reported that my barely 10yo was home alone and said if anything happened to them out of my sight that I would be charged with endangerment. The only reason the worker didn't throw more of a fuss is because I knew my rights and specifically told her if she could show me a law that says my child cannot be home alone if I feel they are responsible enough, then I will take action. It is NOT against the law to leave a child home alone that a parent believes is of age, safety-trained and responsible -- BUT the fact that he used a knife that he could have seriously hurt himself with... that is bad. I'm sorry, you have an uphill battle.

Once the charges are dropped (if you can get them dropped) you might have a much easier time. CPS doesn't have as much authority on their own as you'd think they do.

This is just beyond belief. I work in a career where I am a mandated reporter. I have filed CPS reports where there has been obvious accounts of physical and sexual abuse, drug use in front of children and the list goes on. And guess what? Everytime the report came back as "undetermined". This poor victim has a logical and explainable reason how these "events" occurred and now has to prove herself innocent to get her kids back. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Come on Glenn County CPS, what the HELL? You claim your system is sooo overworked, but you have time to fiddle around with this ridiculousness? Maybe they need some more training on something called common sense!

Its amazing that both CPS, police/sheriff and the almighty ChicoER have chose to fire the bullet on this occasion when the almost unanimous support from readers shows how below par these authorities are when it comes to doing the right thing by the community. These agencies are there to serve theh community right, im not being naive or misguided here, they are supposed to be there to support and assist the community, its not like the CPS workers get a bonus in pay each time they put kids in foster care and yes we all know the cops get paid by the state each time they lock someone up, thats another issue, but the reality is they have taken children who have been separated previously from thier dad (he was deported for a visa violation back to Australia) and they have been trying to get back together as a family, now CPS has compounded this stress for the children by this crazy action. Then, as is coming out, the officer 'Dave" stopped the children from going to the grandmother that was there at the time of the mothers arrest, refused to let the children stay with her, then said no to the mothers older sister taking the kids. NOW, "Dave" says the kids can go to these relatives, but only after fingerprints and background checks and this cant be done until Monday. I can understand why kids are put in foster care when there is no family member available, but how is this in the best interests of the children to put them in a home with nothing set up for children (the two youngest children are forced to sleep in one bed) and not speaking the language, when there are multiple family members (the grandmother was a previously registered foster carer for the county) available for caring for the kids..........
can ANYONE explain that to me???????

I am so sorry you are going through this right now.
You do have an up hill battle, even if you get the charges dropped against you.

Kids do things that as parents we can't figure out sometimes.

CPS needs to leave people like you alone and go after other parents who do abuse their children and don't take care of them.

My prayers and positive thoughts are with you right now. And I hope you get your kids back.
1 thing that I can offer as advice is to document everything, keep copies of everything.
Every person you talk to, anytime you make phone calls document the time you called and phone number and who you spoke to.
That should help you in court.

Glenn County's economy is dependent on government worker's paychecks. So law enforcement here only goes after people who cannot defend themselves in court and have no political or social influence over the system. it is an evil place filled with autocrate who rule as they want, not how the law requires. Question all their actions here. Egypt had nothing over Glenn County is the area of a dictatorship. MAYBE this mother is guilty, but the county will mild it for all the dollars and job security they can get out of it.

Why can't the ER contact the mother and tell her story? Why can't they report the news?

Glenn County Sucks wrote:

Glenn County's economy is dependent on government worker's paychecks. So law enforcement here only goes after people who cannot defend themselves in court and have no political or social influence over the system. it is an evil place filled with autocrate who rule as they want, not how the law requires. Question all their actions here. Egypt had nothing over Glenn County is the area of a dictatorship. MAYBE this mother is guilty, but the county will mild it for all the dollars and job security they can get out of it.

I find it difficult to agree with your statement that Glenn's economy is dependent on govt. worker's paychecks, especially when weighing that judgment against the face that a great number of Glenn County employees take their paychecks back to the counties they reside in where they also bank. Beginning anywhere from 3:30 p.m.on to 5 p.m., anyone paying attention will note employees from Glenn local agencies departing the county enroute to their homes elsewhere. A number of local admin/management public employees in Glenn get paid for working full time, but some arrive on the job at 9:30 to 10 a.m., and leave for their homes as early as 3-3:30 p.m. Some who live in Glenn do the same. In today's E-R classifieds is an ad asking for applications to fill 2 Glenn County public health positions with the WIC (women, infants and children)program. The first is for a PSE (public service employee) meaning no benefits are attached, the only experience required is "personal" experience with nursing a child. It is called a para-professional position, no education requirements and starts at nearly $17 per hour ... bilingual preferred. I know person who have worked more than ten years for Glenn Health Services and don't make $17 per hour. Those employees also have a variety of specialized skills and duties. How difficult could it be to instruct a female on breast feeding? The second position is also for WIC, but this one requires "certification" as instructor in "lactation." Pays more than $28 per hour ...bilingual preferred. Best I can figure is some sort of grant allowing a percentage of the funds for administrative costs and salaries is funding these jobs. I venture there would be no living creatures on earth these days, with possible exception of birds, if breastfeeding had not come natural to the mommies. We're sliding back in time if it must now be "taught" at great taxpayer expense. Oh well, the share of a grant's funds for administrative expenses will most likely provide new raises for the supervisors, administrators, etc. larger paychecks to pack back to their counties of residence.

I just wanted to Thank everyone for their support, thoughts and prayers...I would very much like the opportunity to tell my side of the story to the paper but they have not bothered to contact me. However they posted my name and where I live so now all of my children will have to deal with the other kids at school. As if this hasn't been hard enough on them. This has all been a huge wake up call to me. Reminding me just how blessed I am to have my three little ones. I'm trying not to let myself get taken down with the enormity of what has happened and to remained focused on all I need to do now to get my children returned to me. My family are my life my heart and my soul. I feel very empty and alone right now but I realize I need to be my childrens strength right now.

Unjustly Acccused wrote:

I just wanted to Thank everyone for their support, thoughts and prayers...I would very much like the opportunity to tell my side of the story to the paper but they have not bothered to contact me. However they posted my name and where I live so now all of my children will have to deal with the other kids at school. As if this hasn't been hard enough on them. This has all been a huge wake up call to me. Reminding me just how blessed I am to have my three little ones. I'm trying not to let myself get taken down with the enormity of what has happened and to remained focused on all I need to do now to get my children returned to me. My family are my life my heart and my soul. I feel very empty and alone right now but I realize I need to be my childrens strength right now.

I realize how saddened and hurt you are, but in my experience your children would suffer more damage to their self-esteem if you debated this loss in the newspapers. If any papers printed your name, I have not seen it. I did see the allegation you live in Orland. I did note the E-R published statements that no abuse or intoxicant use factored into this and feel it possible you were arrested in order to facilitate removal of your children. Not everyone believes everything they read, especially allegations and charges resulting involving CPS "investigations." Good luck to you and your children.