Two items in the Haleigh Poutre case today:

    1.  Haleigh’s biological mother, Allison Avrett, has announced at a news conference that she wants a role in determining Haleigh’s care:

"We’re filing a motion to intervene in the existing proceeding … not
to become the de facto parent … not to necessarily take over the case
but just to have a seat at the table to provide some oversight and
accountability to what will happen to Haleigh’s well being," said Wendy
Murphy, one of the attorneys.

     What must be remembered here is that Avrett was, in the first instance, an author of Haleigh’s misfortune.  Remember: Avrett behaved irresponsibly when she was supposed to be raising Haleigh, and Haleigh was sexually abused by one of her boyfriends.  We must keep that in mind when we hear this argument:

Avrett’s sister, Holli Strickland, adopted the girl in 1998. Avrett,
pregnant at the time, said Wednesday that she reluctantly signed
adoption papers only because DSS officials threatened to take custody
of her unborn child if she did not.

    Avrett is trying to make DSS into the monsters, threatening  her unborn child!  But she had already failed Haleigh and DSS was trying to get the girl out of a bad situation.  DSS has certainly made mistakes in dealing with this case, but Avrett bears a primary responsibility for the terrible things in Haleigh’s life.

    As I have argued before, in light of this fundamental failure, Avrett should show through actions, not merely words, that she is ready to assume hands-on responsibility for Haleigh’s daily care.  Only after she has actually performed those duties, should her request for a say in Haleigh’s care be considered.

     2.  The Boston Herald reaches a new low in its editorial today.  This line is just wrong:

Well, now we know that
the agency that was supposed to protect Haleigh Poutre neglected her as
badly as her adoptive parents, allowing her to suffer months of
horrible abuse.

 No, no, no.  DSS has made mistakes; it should have intervened more aggressively to prevent the abuse that nearly killed Haleigh.  But, whatever the failings of DSS, they are nowhere near as bad as what her adoptive, and her biological, parents did to her.  The DSS has not been as bad as them.  To make this facile equivalence dilutes the primary responsibility the parents and step-parents bear.  And if we forget that failure of responsibility, we will deny Haleigh, and thousands of abused children across the country, justice.