Chapter 15 - Child Protection
A child-protection referral was made because of:
Forced kneeling.
Repeated excessive cleaning.
Alternative sleeping arrangement used as punishment.
Secret planned international travel.
Was Ione removed from me?
No.
I was protective once informed.
No concerns about my home.
No foster care.
No sensational hearing.
The investigator, Megan Ortiz, interviewed Ione and me.
She asked:
“Does Dad make you do chores?”
“Yes.”
“What happens if you don’t?”
“Now?”
Interesting.
“Before Grandma?”
“Dad says later.”
“And Grandma?”
“Work more.”
“Does Dad make you sleep outside your room?”
“No.”
“Hit?”
“No.”
“Food punishment?”
“No.”
Good.
Then Ione told her:
“Grandma says Canada makes kids strong.”
Megan asked:
“What did you think would happen in Canada?”
“Work.”
“What work?”
“Farm.”
“Sleep where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Were you scared?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Grandma said Dad can’t rescue every time.”
There.
That phrase.
Marjorie had said it during scrubbing.
Not evidence of kidnapping.
Evidence of intended separation as lesson.
The agency substantiated concerns regarding inappropriate discipline by Marjorie and recommended no unsupervised contact during ongoing case.
No finding that I was neglectful.
They did note:
Father delegated significant caregiving authority to grandparents without sufficiently defined discipline limits.
I hated that.
Signed anyway.
May you like
True enough.
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