One Massachusetts' Survivor of Abuse and Mother's Plea

PPOM NOTE: This is written by one mother who has come to us for help in her situation. Her situation unfortunately is NOT unique in the state of Massachusetts. Click here to read some of our investigation into the Massachusetts Family Court Crisis.

Below is one mother's plea for help. We are reposting this plea with permission of the author in hopes we can gain publicity and assistance for her as well as the other protective parents who lose custody in family court.  If you would like to share your story for consideration of publication, please submit your story here.


"I need your help.  I am writing to your organization because I have exhausted all my resources in Massachusetts and beyond.   

 This is my situation. I have three daughters, Alexandria aged 15, Shannon aged 12 and Kelly aged 9 who I love dearly. However, my ex-husband was granted custody, ex-parte, after he convinced me to lift a restraining order or else he would not pay child support for our daughters. I have not seen my children since August 3, 2011. My case started out as a domestic violence case in 2005 that included numerous police incidents including a restraining order for assault and battery and medical treatment. Pictures were also taken by the police department showing bruises on my face, arms and legs from the abuse. 

 I lost custody on a false ex-parte motion shortly after my abuser begged me to drop the restraining order as he was unable and in contempt for failing to pay child support. Two weeks before the ex-parte motion, a contempt motion was filed for failing to comply with his own granted visitation and child support. I was also seeking changes in visitation as a result.  I have been pretty much shut out of my children's lives since Sept 2007 as my abuser and father of my children has refused to comply with court ordered visitation and was recently found guilty on 96 Counts of contempt for failing to comply with visitation, but I was sanctioned for his contempt. 

My previous judge ADMITTED bias and recused himself in December 2009. He forwarded pending motions and contempts to the new judge (some filed in 2008 and unheard), but new judge took over a year (until Oct 2011) to address contempts especially in regards to the visitation interference. The court has allowed many things that right now I cannot post in fear of retaliation and in lieu of pending Appeal of my case. 

Bottom line.... There have been at least 5 attempts to terminate visitation based on unfounded ACCUSATIONS of mental illness and motions for mental health evaluation been denied 100% ONLY AFTER I filed for help from the court regarding the abuse and AFTER I filed for divorce and was granted full physical and shared legal custody in the divorce. 

Please explain to me, Massachusetts Survivors Outreach, how a protective mother goes from having a restraining order to being forced to lift it for financial reasons (documented), to never seeing your children again? 

My abuser has spent the last six years trying to obliterate any and all mother-daughter relationship between my daughters and me.  He made it crystal clear as testified in court in March 2009 that he wanted the children to forget I even existed.  He has testified that he has not complied with court orders and has no intention of complying with court orders. He has prevented me from seeing them, confiscated all gifts and letters I sent them and even placed a block on my telephone number so I could not speak to them for months.  This was verified by the phone company and documented through the police department.

My children and I cannot get back those formative years we have missed. The damage is already done and is irreversible. All I can hope for is to be given the chance to help my children through the healing and begin to rebuild a relationship we lost on that fateful day in September 2007.

In hindsight, I feel like the biggest mistake I made was I left my abuser, my children’s father because at least I would still be with them. I do not drink, use drugs and have never abused children.  I am a adjunct instructor at a local college, volunteer doing healing work, and have won awards for my volunteerism which is one thing I find very self healing to me.  

However, I am still heartbroken.  I can’t see my children grow up or see their faces on Christmas morning after Santa has left presents under the tree. I can’t be there on their first day of school or on their birthdays.  Mother /daughter times don’t exist for us, times taken for-granted by many.  I have missed ALL THEIR birthdays, first day of school, first dance, holidays, vacations, school volunteering since 2007. My youngest is 9. That means I have already missed out on HALF her life. Unfortunately the tender, formative years are gone forever and my children will grow up  not knowing their mother and have no memories of the mother/daughter bond created during childhood due to their father.

I have exhausted the judicial system as well as my personal and financial resources trying to reverse the damage done to my children, my family and myself.  I have lost everything to the point that I had to move in with my father so I would not be homeless, for basic survival, and so I can continue my fight.

I am reaching out to you because I don’t know what else to do, but I refuse to stop fighting for my girls until they are safe with me.

In-light of the recent documentary No Way Out by Garland Walker and Barry Nolan and the recent Fox LA news expose’ series on the Family Court victimization of countless children, I cannot and will not stop until justice is done!

All I want to do is hug my children, tell they I love them and after all these years have not stopped fighting for them. If you could help me or led me to someone who can, I would be forever grateful.

Thank you ... (mother's name confidential)"

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For more information about the family court crisis in Massachusetts, please visit our website or visit our Resources Page.

Other resources: Center for Judicial Excellence and Battered Women's Justice Project

Gender Bias Study of the Court System in Massachusetts

 Massachusetts Judicial Bias for Incarcerated Fathers

DISCLOSURE:  The victim statement above is the sole content of the authro and does not reflect the views or statements of Massachusetts Survivors Outreach or officers of Massachusetts Survivors Outreach. This plea was released with permission and consent.

Plymouth man charged with child rape

The Patriot Ledger

Posted May 23, 2011 @ 10:56 AM

Last update May 23, 2011 @ 11:02 AM

 

PLYMOUTH —

A 25-year-old Plymouth man faces charges he raped a child.

Plymouth police arrested Patrick J. McGrath at his apartment at 34 Summer St. late Friday afternoon. He was held during the weekend on $10,000 bail until his arraignment which was scheduled for Monday in Plymouth District Court. He is charged with rape of a child under 14 with force and assault and battery on a child under 14, Plymouth police Capt. John Rogers said.

Police and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s child advocacy unit began an investigation after being notified of the allegations by the state Department of Children and Families, Rogers said.
READ MORE about this issue.

Read more: http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1152090553/Plymouth-man-charged-with-child-rape#ixzz1SfmXnukO

BOSTON POLICE ARREST OFFICER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Posted by MediaRelations on February 19, 2011 ·  

Today Boston Police arrested Boston Police Patrol Officer Dennis Morson after a domestic incident which occurred early this morning.

About 3:12 am on Saturday, February 19, 2011 Officers responded to a radio call for a domestic violence intimate partner at a residence on Intervale Street in Roxbury. Officers spoke to a female victim, who stated her husband assaulted her and damaged property. The officer observed injury to the victim and damage to both her apartment door and front common hallway door. The victim stated that her husband then left the apartment on foot.

The female victim declined medical treatment. The victim was advised of her 209A rights.

The victim’s husband is identified as Boston Police Patrol Officer Dennis Morson, 36 years of age, assigned to District B-2, appointed to the Department in May of 2004.

The Domestic Violence Unit along with the Internal Affairs Unit responded to the scene.

Detectives recovered cigarette rolling papers and a plastic bag with unknown residue from the top of a kitchen cabinet. In addition, detectives located and recovered Morson’s department issued firearm which was unsecured.

While officers were searching for Morson, he turned himself into District B2. Officers placed him under arrest and charged him with Assault and Battery (209A), Malicious Destruction of Property, Intimidation of a Witness and Failing to Secure a Large Capacity Firearm. Officer Morson has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of this ongoing investigation.

Morson is expected to be arraigned on Tuesday.

Police Commissioner Edward Davis stated, “These are troubling charges that will be fully investigated. The Boston Police Department continues to ensure our integrity and credibility by taking all alleged matters of officer misconduct seriously.”

For more information, please visit The Boston Police Department's Website