Behind The Investigation

DHS

IZZYSGMA — Mon, 28 May 2007 15:29:06 GMT

I have had experience with DHS of Oklahoma when my ex daughter in law attempted to kill my then 17 month old granddaughter,the 3 year old and the one that was abused were placed with me and then it began,i was treated like the criminal and the convicted child abuser was caudled with rent assistance,food stamps etc.She subsequently gave birth to my new grandson in Nov,that is when pittsburg county DHS started allowing the 3 year old over night visits with the mom.she came home stating mom had boyfriends spending the night and that mom hit her in the back when i reported it DHS decided to ignore it,by the grace of GOD my son won custody of the abused child and the newborn and on the same day Pittsburg county DHS sent the 3 year old home to mom even though their report said there was a moderate risk of child abuse against her and the fact that the mom was convicted of felony child abuse and received a 25 year suspended sentence,you tell me where DHS helps.I hope someone does something before their are thousands of Kelsey Briggs or Ryan Lukes in Oklahoma.On an ironic note my ex daughter in law the convicted child abuser actually named the new child Ryan after the child that was killed by his own mothers hands.It's a sick worl folks and we need to open our eyes before it is too late

4 year old in Claremore......

patriot1947 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:16:25 GMT

Once again, a child is killed by a parent, once again DHS was told of the abuse by several people a year ago almost to the day, again,nothing was done to save this child. How long will this be allowed to continue. What is wrong with people? This big guy hit this little boy in the stomach twice with his closed fist, then beat him with a belt because the child soiled his pants. I would like to have a few hours alone with that big lard a&& pig, child murdering bully! This makes me sick to hear about this stuff, makes me want to go out and put some serious hurt on those folks who do this to kids. Heard they let the woman who killed her kids to get attention from her husband out of jail, she got 25 years, got credit for time served by taking classes and getting degrees, did lilke 4 years for smothering her baby, and they let her go, this was'nt the first time, it was a regular thing she did for a long time, Now she is working for the public defenders office as a secretary, no wonder so many people kill kids, they get nothing for it but a great education, and a free ride from society, if we made those peoples lives miserable for the remainder of their days, they would'nt do these things so much. Can I change species? I don't want to be a part of the human race any more, humans are sick and disgusting animals.

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Does the law need to be changed?

Jace_Verhoeven — Fri, 25 May 2007 18:44:30 GMT

Does the law need to be changed?

That's the question so many people are asking after FOX23 News uncovered the Department of Human Services knew about previous abuse complaints at Vicki Chiles' daycare and didn't alert parents.

Here is a timeline of the case:

April 10th:         Daycare owner Vicki Chiles abuses an 8-year-old boy by hitting him 10-12 times with a plastic flyswatter, according to police.

April 12/13th:   Chiles makes first confession to April 10th abuse, according to DHS officials.

April 20th:        Chiles makes second confession to police, according to Tulsa Police officers.

May 17th:        Two-year-old Joshua Minton found unconscious at the daycare, according to police.

May 18th:        DHS tells FOX23 News it acted appropriately in waiting more than a month, after an alleged confession, to shut down the daycare.

May 24th:        DHS admits it could have acted more quickly to shut down the daycare.

May 30th:        State Representative Ron Peters, R-Tulsa, calls for a special hearing to see if changes to the law are needed.

Right now state law prevents DHS from telling parents of ongoing abuse investigations. Some parents feel they should be notified immediately when an allegation of abuse is made. DHS allows parents to ask for a report after an investigation is completed. However, often that takes more than a month.

Some parents worry while an investigation is ongoing, another child could get hurt. Some of you who have been writing to me say that's what happened in this case.

What do you think? Should the law require parents to be notified when abuse allegations are made? What happens if a false allegation is made, parents are notified and parents pull all kids from the daycare. The daycare owner could then lose his or her business and livelihood.

We invite you to post your comments and thoughts about our news investigation or how DHS handle the daycare investigation. Did DHS do what was needed? Should DHS have investigated more?

chiles

CREEKPAUM6 — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:57:57 GMT

I find it very difficult to understand how DHS can go into a families home and take a child away so easily and yet with all the reports made against this women nothing was done. If the person investigating the 4yr old would have done there job right this day care center should have been shut down right at that point and the life of many children could have been saved from the destruction of this woman and a two year old boy would still be alive today. when a parent notices a young child doing something totally out of the ordinary and then says the daycare person said keep it a secret DHS should have been all over it. At that age it is easy, 4yr old children do not know how to lie and make it look real good by adding to the story, they tell it the way it is even the non-educated know that. Ask the same question more than once and if they are making it up you can tell right away but if you really know what you are doing you would look for que words that dont change. I also can not believe that DHS is all about the children and yet they can not let the families going to the day care know that they are under investigation. I think the pricacy rights have gone to far.

Audrey

June 1st: Should DHS have shut the daycare down sooner?

Jace_Verhoeven — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:50:34 GMT

Should DHS have shut the daycare down sooner?

I'm not sure there is much doubt about this. Last week DHS Spokesman George Johnson hinted at it when he said that DHS now believes it could have acted quicker in this situation.

Today I uncovered documents showing that on April 13, DHS sent a letter to daycare owner Vicki Chiles notifying her that the recommendation was for her license to be revoked.

On April 20th, DHS records show an investigator notified her that an April child abuse complaint had been substantiated.

We still don't have a clear reason as to why that wasn't enough to shut down the daycare.

FOX23 News continues to dig for answers. I don't see us slowing down on this story anytime soon.

Please keep posting your comments. We are bringing them to the attention of lawmakers. Representative Ron Peters, of Tulsa, is taking a big interest in what you say. He is the lawmaker who will be holding a special hearing to examine if laws should be changed.

If you don't want to post your comments here (though this is a great forum,) you can email me by clicking: EMAIL JACE VERHOEVEN.

Too late

hairttonia — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 05:28:53 GMT

I am a former daycare owner whose daycare was closed down in 1994 by the DHS. The DHS used an emergency order to close my business down in a span of three days. alleging that I did not have air condition;in one of the rooms that was used to care for children. The children were not in any danger.This was a bogus charge. There were fans used temperarily until the perm. unit was placed in the room. Also the temperature was never over the requirement. I was not informed prior to this emergency order . How is it that DHS is MERELY SUGGESTING that this woman who has admitted to numberous of child abuse instances to close her own business why was an emergency delivered to her while she is in jail and the child is dead? That is CRAZY, it was way TOO LATE. How is it that they can so casually ask her to take an anger management course, I was never granted a fair trail regarding my situation because of all the lies told by the DHS workers. For DHS to say that it takes times to close a daycare center or home down in such a serious matter such as what this woman was admitting to, is just plain OUTRAGEOUS. I suggest that someone look into the matter more deeply to find out the real reason why this woman was allowed to continue to operate under so many serious offences. DHS is just as must to blame for this child's death and more so than the woman who is in jail for it. There definitly needs to be a change. There is a need for a change to take place not only in some of the DHS laws and regulations but the entire body needs an overhaul. These people where supposed to serve and care for people apparently, many are not screened correctly or something. What are the people who are responsible for hiring looking at? It should be more than a college degree. There should be a love for people for one thing. The name, "Dept of Human Services, " is not being lived up to.Someone has forgotten the real meaning of human service.