Arkansas Republican dodges blame for giving adopted daughters to rapist: I’m a victim here

[Galraedia]

The Arkansas Republican state representative who “re-homed” his adopted daughters to a man who raped one of them claims that he and his wife are also victims in this situation and that they only did what they did to avoid being charged with abandonment by the state Department of Human Services.

According to David Badash at the New Civil Rights Movement, Rep. Justin Harris of West Fork, Arkansas released a statement Thursday through his attorneys that claimed that he and his wife Marsha are the victims of “a severe injustice.”

“Rep. and Mrs. Harris have suffered a severe injustice. Due to threats of possible abandonment charges, they were unable to reach out to DHS for help with children who presented a serious risk of harm to other children in their home. Upon the advice of both a psychiatrist and a pediatrician, they were forced to move the children to the home of trusted friends, who had a lot of experience with children with reactive attachment disorder. Rep. and Mrs. Harris are devastated about the outcome of that decision, but faced with no good option, they did the best that they knew how,” said the statement.

In the fall of 2012, Marsha and Justin Harris took in two sisters from the state foster care system. In March of 2013, the couple formally adopted the two girls. Within six months, the Harrises handed the two girls over to Eric and Stacey Francis, without ever consulting the DHS or any other state agency.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/arkansas-republican-dodges-blame-for-giving-adopted-daughters-to-rapist-im-a-victim-here/

[hollysmom]

1. then why did they keep the money the state was paying them for those girls

I can't imagine a situation where parents could not hand their children over to the state if they are having problems.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. kick

[AverageJoe90]

3. No, Harris. You are *not* the victim. Not one bit. nt

[LiberalFighter]

4. The psychiatrist and pediatrician should be investigated and if needed charged too.

[Nevernose]

5. I'm a foster parent and CASA

This particular situation is totally fucked up. There are lots of policies and procedures to deal with kids who disrupt out of placements. Handing a kid over to a rapist isn't one of those policies.

That having been said, "love" doesn't cure everything, and there are numerous legitimate reasons why a foster child or adopted foster child might "disrupt" and need new placement. It's never good, but it's often in the best interests of the child.