Where's the NAACP?
Where are Charlotte's Black Leaders?
Oh! I forgot they are somewhere trying to get up in Pres. Barack Obama's face or somewhere raising money for him.
If you think North Carolina DSS Officials care about these 2 dead Black children, ha-ha-ha! Your dreaming!
They are just going to put them in a Pauper's grave, put the surviving siblings in a Foster Care home so NC continues receiving Federal Funding and lock the mother up for Life.
I doubt if NC DSS will even give the surviving children any kind of Mental Health Counseling to deal with this loss & tragedy.
No, that's only reserved for White Children who are grieving.
Will any NC DSS Officials or regular employees heads roll?
Don't count on it.
Will there be a NC DSS Cover Up?
Yes!
Welcome to North Carolina's Sad, Racist legacy!
Do I sound cynical or angry?
If so I should.
Each time a child (especially Low Income Black Children) fails or dies in North Carolina due to a Racist Educational System, Racist Law Enforcement System and Racist DSS System, it truly makes my heart weep.
This is 2010 for goodness sake NOT the 1800s!
North Carolina should be much further along in positive, equal Racial Relations by now.
May God Have Mercy On North Carolina's Corrupt Politicians, North Carolina's totally ineffective Child Abuse/ Child Neglect Laws established only to bring in Federal Funding which isn't used on Black Children and Charlotte DSS's Incompetent, Non-Caring, Slack Employees currently participating in North Carolina DSS's Federal Funding Money Laundering Scheme.
One day Pres. Barack Obama, his Administration, Congress, NC Politicians and NC DSS Officials will stand before God for all of the Children (regardless of their ethnicity) they allowed to fail and allowed to die.
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Charlotte DSS Claims It Was Helping Mother Of 2 Dead Black Children Who Died In House Fire From Being Unsupervised
Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Department of Social Services detailed for the first time Friday the agency’s interactions since 2008 with a Charlotte woman now charged with murder in the deaths of her two toddlers in a Sunday house fire.
DSS had concluded recently that Orgal Opata was cooperating and her four children were receiving “appropriate supervision.”
But the Friday statement says social workers now have taken custody of the two surviving children, ages four and seven.
Police have said Opata, 26, left her four children home alone early Sunday when a kerosene heater caught fire at the west Charlotte house. Killed were two-year-old Josiah Hawthorne and one-year-old Gabriel Hawthorne. Investigators haven’t said where they believe Opata was during the fire on Rowan Street in the Thomasboro neighborhood.
The DSS statement says Opata was first reported to social workers in June 2008 on allegations she had left her young children unattended.
In that case, DSS “provided sleeping materials for the children and recommended services for the mother,” the agency says. DSS closed that case in August, 2008.
The next DSS involvement came last October, after three of Opata’s children were found at home alone. A passer-by reported discovering her Josiah in the street wearing a T-shirt and diaper. Firefighters went to the house and found two other children unattended, including Gabriel, then nine months old and lying on a bed facedown wearing a wet diaper.
She returned soon and told firefighters she was gone to pick up her daughter at nearby Thomasboro Elementary. Police charged Opata with child neglect in the incident.
In that case, “a social worker went to the home immediately and ensured the children’s safety,” DSS said Friday. After an assessment, DSS decided the family needed services.
“A social worker was assigned to the case and had regular contact with Ms. Opata and other family members,” according to the statement. “DSS referred Ms. Opata to community-based services and she cooperated with those service providers. During this time all information obtained by DSS indicated that the children were receiving appropriate supervision.”
State law requires DSS to respond to reports of child neglect and abuse. The agency reviews allegations, decides if the children are in danger or a family needs services. The agency can recommend or require services or go to court to remove the children from an unsafe home.
Charlotte DSS Releases A Statement On The Orgal Opata/ Dead Children Case:
Mecklenburg County Public Service and Information Department Media Advisory:
March 5, 2010
This is written summary regarding the involvement between the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services and Orgal Opata and is being made pursuant to G.S. 7B-2902:
This family came to the attention of the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services (DSS), Division of Youth and Family Services in June 2008 when DSS received a referral alleging that the children were left unattended.
Based on information obtained during that family assessment DSS provided sleeping materials for the children and recommended services for the mother.
The case was closed on or about August 1, 2008.
On October 27, 2009 DSS received a referral that three of Ms. Opata’s children had been found at home alone.
A social worker went to the home immediately and ensured the children’s safety.
Based on information obtained during that family assessment DSS made a case decision that services were needed and the case was referred for ongoing Family Intervention protective services.
A social worker was assigned to the case and had regular contact with Ms. Opata and other family members, as well as collateral contacts who could provide information.
DSS referred Ms. Opata to community-based services and she cooperated with those service providers. During this time all information obtained by DSS indicated that the children were receiving appropriate supervision.
Following the tragic events of February 28, 2010 DSS filed a petition with the Mecklenburg County Juvenile Court and obtained protective custody of Ms. Opata’s two children.
Those children remain in the custody of DSS. Those proceedings are confidential pursuant to G.S. 7B-2901.
Media contact: Andy Fair 704-432-0021 or Andrew.Fair@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov
Child Advocate Says Orgal Opata's 2 Children Could Have Been Saved From Fatal Fire
A leading children's advocate says more could have been done to save two toddlers who died in a fire when their mother left them home alone.
The children -- 14-month-old Gabriel and 2-year-old Josiah Hawthorne -- died when a kerosene heater started a fire in their west Charlotte home Sunday morning.
Police say their mother had left them home alone with their 4-year-old brother and 7-year-old sister. A neighbor managed to save the older children.
"The little girl was saying, 'I begged my mommy not to leave,'" said one neighbor.
Much of the community is angry, trying to understand why the Department of Social Services allowed Orgal Opata to keep her children after another incident last October. In that case, Opata was charged with neglect after police say she left the children alone and her 2-year-old was found wandering the street in a diaper.
Some neighbors weren't surprised.
"Unfortunately, it's not unusual," neighbor Habib Al-Zaid said.
Brett Loftis, executive director of the Council for Children's Rights, said neighbors might have made a difference in this case if they had spoken out sooner.
"It's an absolute tragedy," said Loftis. "What we found out afterwards -- there were a lot of people that knew kids were being left unsupervised and these children were not getting appropriate care."
DSS is involved in the case, but they won't comment on the extent of their involvement. They tell us they're checking with their lawyers to see what they can say publicly.
Loftis says the agency can't do much if they don't have all the information.
"The problem is DSS is only one part of an intervention to make kids safe," he said.
He says the community, including schools, churches and neighbors, has to help when they see children repeatedly left alone.
"Anytime we know that something could have been done to save the life of a child, it's just horrendous to watch," Loftis said.
Opata is charged with murder in connection with the toddlers' deaths. She remains in jail under $1 million bond.
Gabriel and Josiah will be laid to rest Saturday at noon at Thomasboro Church of Christ on Bradford Drive in west Charlotte.
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Sources: WCNC, MSNBC, McClatchy Newspapers, Youtube, Google Maps
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