Worried About My Neice!! Help Please!!

I have had some sort of the same situation. visit boysandgirlstown.com they can really help. ask a question and someone usually answers right away. or call 18004ACHILD. The only bad thing about calling someone is that youll probably lose a neice unless the grandparents can raise her...

That is so sad! If I were you I would call DHS or if you could maybe try and get custody of her until they get it together (if you were in a situation to) That isn't healthy at all. I wouldn't care if he was my brother or not or whether he got mad at me but DHS would more than likely take the baby away and give her to foster parents until they could get it together. Please keep me updated. Hope everything works out the best for the child.

Have you ever heard of d.h.s.?

I would take full action and let the authorities know what is going on because obviously they do not have a clue how precious a little life is. Honey, I would take all the appropriate steps in trying to get that baby out of that house and into a good home....with parents that would love her and take care of her. She needs to be where she can learn to be a "big" girl and learn to do what others her age are doing, like drinking with a sippy cup, eating real food and so on. This is just some advice and take it for what it is worth.....I truly hope this situation has a happy ending for all that are involved...

S.,

This is so horrible! It absolutely breaks my heart. As much as some will find this horrible, I really believe you should speak to your pediatrician and/or report them to DHS. I know this seems like you are doing wrong or backstabbing, but they are adults and can handle themselves....where your niece has no one on her side.
IF nothing comes around through DHS, because I know of a couple cases where something should have changed or the kids taken, but they didn't do anything; I would contact your brother and his wife and be honest with them and offer to take in your niece. I understand this can be a hardship, but sometimes it's the only way. I raised my nephew from age 18 mths to almost 6. It was painful when my brother finally grew up and he started living full time with him, but my bond with my nephew is very strong and I don't regret it one bit. It gave my brother plenty of time to get his head on straight and learn to function as a single parent. I will pray for you all and PLEASE do not let this go unreported. God bless.

My 8 yr old is adopted through DHS. She came from a situation like this. She is SOOOO much happier than when we first got her for she was neglected, and abused the first 14 months of her lil life. she never smiled and was scared of EVERYBODY and THING. DHS isn't perfect at all but they will get the parents all the support and parenting skills needed to get their child back. IF they don't follow through then their rights would be terminated and usually relative placement is first priority. If none fit then a good adoptive home would make her lil life alot better.
I wish you and the children luck. But do take action before it;s too late after all you don't want to be the one singing Alyssa lies......

Definitly call Child protective services. However, keep in mind that it is VERY easy to fall through the cracks and CPS because the social workers are typically overowrked and underpaid. Make sure after you make the initial call you continue to follow up so your neice doesn't get lost in the shuffle. She is lucky to have and aunt and uncle who are concerned about her. God Bless!

If you were truely concerned you would take drastic measures to help her. My brother and his wife cant stay off of drugs. My dad and his wife called Social Services and had the kids removed after they continued to test positive. My dad and his wife now raise my twin nephews which are 3. Like my dad says, if you care about the wellbeing of the kids and they need out of that situation, you find a way to get them out. Who gives a rat's a** what they would do or say, its in the best interest of the child to get her out!

definitely call child protective services and inform the doctor you intend to do so, so he can provide and back-up info to the authourities. it's an anonymous call if you can keep from telling anyone. if you ever know that they've left the child in the house alone please call the police immediately and tell them. that is some serious neglet going on, and the child could get seriously injured from being unattended and might already be suffering developmental effects of malnutrition.

I have read the other responses and agree with what thye are telling you - CHild protective services is your only option - the welfare of the child is way more important than upseting the adults!!! good luck!!

Sounds like this little girl needs your help. If you really think her home life is that bad and she is possibly in danger, maybe you should call DHS and have them investigate. So maybe she can grow up in a healthy, safe and happy home.

I feel so bad for the baby I want to take her away from that poor living condition.It's really sad b/c children don't choose their life and some endure so much from the ones that they look to for protection and guidence.I am also a hairdresser and stay at home with my son and work only 2 days a week.At first I was not gonna go back but,I am glad I did it truely is my passion and it's a nice break for me.As far as your brother why not call anonymously or get someone else to call and pose as the social services.It kind of hits home b/c this happened in my family and we anonymously called and they sent someone out to check the living conditions of my nephew.His mother had a week to clean up her act and they come back to check and then do random checkups.I know it's hard but could you imagine not doing something and something happens to her.Mabe also your family needs to discuss contrary of your brothers reaction,one of yall taking over the guardianship.Mabe it's gonna take tough love for him and his wife to get it!Good luck and yall are in my prayers.

I have a neice and nephew like this...all this and worse. Fortunately, they are getting better. It takes DHS coming in and seeing how they are living for it to be fixed. "Tough love" I believe it is called. And with the sippy cup issue, leaving her on the bottle too long will affect her teeth. That needs to be dealt with immediately. Oh, how I feel for you, S....I know exactly what you're going through. My husband and I went as far as talking adoption for our neice and nephew. Please let us know how this works out!!

I just came across your request. Please if DHS has not shown up call the police. They can get DHS involved alot quicker and there would be documentation on file. Please do this TODAY. Do not let that baby suffer anymore. It has already gone on too long.

I'm soooo sorry that this is happening, well for starters I know you wouldn't want to but I'd call OCS even if it was my brother b/c of the circumstances. Sounds like they smoke ciggerettes around her all the time too (cause of the ear infections) I bet she has sinus problems too. OCS would take her just for the fact they don't have running water amongst other reasons. Sometimes when you can't get through to people you have to just step back and let them hit rock bottom and let themselves get back up on their own feet. Tip off OCS and just request to remain unknown and explain why that it's family and also you can help by offering to take the lil girl in you can also get financial assistance if you can't afford to. I will keep your neice and you in my prayers I'm sooo sorry that this is happening to her. God Bless- D.

Do NOT under any circumstances let this continue and look the other way! This little girl is the one who is suffering here and needs someone to stand up for her NOW before she's too old to be unaffected by the neglect. If a caring family can begin taking care of her now she has the chance to lose all memories of this and live a completely normal life. If you or other family members have tried talking to your brother and sister-in-law before with no results than stop talking. Call child services immediately. Talking to her pediatrician can help but only if he/she has any medical records that would support your cause. (Such as the repeated, untreated ear infections) I wish you all the best and I know it's hard to turn on family BUT I did that once with my step neice...my sister was horribly mentally and sometimes physically abusive to her step daughter and I sat back and didn't much more than plead that she change her ways mainly because I kept hoping that the girl's father would eventually step up and tell my sister to hit the road and leave his daughter alone. She's now 17 and has run away from home... I hear from her once and a while when she needs a favor but her life is such a mess and so is her mentality.
Don't sit back to avoid causing waves; your neice deserves SO much better than coming in second to a dog!
Good luck and if you need any #'s for the child services in your area please drop me a line and I will be happy to help.

Hello worried, Yes this is a very good reason to worry bout your poor neice. Me and my hubby was in the same kind of situation with his sister & brother-in-law little over a year ago. There house was so nasty and the kids also with bites and etc. That well needless to say we didnt know what else to do or say to them.But We called DHS on them and the kids (4) was taken into our custody.& First before I called DHS to report them.I called them for advice to find out bout becoming a froster parent.So they came to our house and done a inspection and all.& of course we past with flying colors. & then a week later after I had all the final papers for a foster parent. We make the next step and called them. So when the DHS case worker came to there house that night there was no ? in mind that them kids had to get out of that house.They went to state custody that night & the next day they was in our custody for 2 weeks.We had to have no concact with there parents for them 2 weeks staight.Which it wasnt hard for us at all.bc at that time we wasnt every close to them,and never seen them but every few months.But anyways the point to this story is that we was at our ends with the way they was rasing our neice's and nephew that something had to be done to open there parents eyes up and fly right. 1 year later that house is as clean as it was the day that the courts gave them custody back,After us having them for 2 weeks without contack of there children.I know this sounds like we are trebile people bout turing our on family in to DHS, but at least we do care enough bout them and the kids to go though with becoming state froster parents,which u can also become foster parents for the state or just if they ever lose custody of your neice,that u will be abale to get her so she want be losted inthe system like so many children are these days.U can all your local DHS office for more info on bout doing diff things.
Sorry this was so long, I hope it helps u out.
Thank u for caring,
J.

I agree with everyone. You probably need to call DHS. I know its your brother but your loyalty now needs to lie with your niece. She is to young to speak up for herself so you need to. Good luck!

Wow, how horrible for this little girl. I totally agree with everyone else. I know its hard for you to turn your bother in but just remember that your niece doesn't have a voice in this situation. She doesn't know better. Just know that her future will be better if you do the right thing and turn her parents in. Maybe this will be a wakeup call for them and they can turn their life around. But until then, they don't deserve her. Thank god for you! And believe me, ear infections hurt. My son has had 8 ear surgeries and he is 12 now and I thank god everyday that maybe he is finally outgrown ear infections.
Don't for one second think that you are doing a bad thing by going to the authorities. Thats what they are there for. She is one of god's little angels and he put you in her life for a reason. You need to be her voice for now.
Also, there are alot of great day cares out there that the state will pay for. Maybe being with an enviroment with other kids, even part time will help her socially and she may learn good habits there along with just being a normal kid.
Best of luck to you and I know you will do the right thing. Thank god there are people like you! Let us know how things go!

I know you probably don't want to hear this, but what is going on with your niece goes beyond inexperienced parents.
Not feeding her properly, giving her spoiled medicine, not keeping her clean, and putting her to bed in this climate in a closed room with no air circulation is child neglect. At 15 months, a child can eat pretty much anything that is soft enough and in small enough pieces. If they can feed themselves meals, they can feed her. If they can keep themselves and their own clothes clean, there's no reason they can't do the same for her. How is it that they can afford an expensive dog, but not running water? And the DOG gets a fan, but not the baby? Don't even get me started on that one.
Children die as a result of this kind of parenting. You need to get in touch with Child Services ASAP.

If the child is not taken care of, ask them if you could keep her, if not call child protective services, after all its all about the child, with you being a relative they would probably see if you could keep her anyway.

First off I agree with everyone else. Please don't be holding back reporting this because you are afraid of feeling like the bad one. You aren't!! Waiting another day is too long. Please do all you can to get that lil angel and take her to safety. I know it's easier said then done, and it's family but you have all of us praying and I promise you'd be doing the right thing. I'm a mother of a 15 month old girl too and it's breaking me apart to know there is a baby out there in circumstances like that. Y'all are in my prayers, please don't let her become another victim, be a hero!!!

Child services! As soon as possible. This child is in serious danger. Your brother and his wife need a wake up call. That poor little girl. This is not a third world country and that baby doesn't need to grow up thinking that she is in one.

I wish that there was just some great advise to give you to make your brother and his wife wake up to the fact that they are parents, but there is none. My suggestion would be to call child protective services, I know that sounds harsh, but sometimes it is the push the parents need to straighten up, and if not, maybe someone in your family could care for the child if she was removed from their house. They don't have to know who called, but it is so unfair to that baby to live that way. Believe me, I have been in a few situations like that also and it is never easy.

Please call Child Services ASAP! My heart just broke for this little girl. Would they let you take care of her?

I have to agree with everyone else, CALL CHILD SERVICES ASAP!!!! Do it before something even worse happens to this little girl.

From what I have read about your neice she needs to get out of that house before she gets killed by falling down the steps or possibly getting hit by a vehicle due to be on the road. No child should live like what you described. Mesquito bites could give her west nile, not eating properly she is probally anemic and she will not have a good immune system to fight her ear aches. Discuss it with your family something needs to be done ASAP you would really want to keep her in the family so she does not get put into foster care in another place. But if your someone in your family is willing to raise her that would be awesome. Its not gonna be easy but think about your neice not your brother. My brother was the same way now he no longer has his daughter and is lucky if he gets to see her one hour a week, plus he works offshore which makes it harder for him to see her. please keep me updated!