My name is Arhonda Mallard

I'm from a small town in South Georgia and I have a story to tell. I hope you will listen and help me right the horrid nightmare that I now find myself and my family living through.

In March 2004 I found out that I had a grandson in a North Gerogia town living at that time in Foster Care. I was told by the DFCS [Department of Family and Children Services] investigator that he was taken from his mother's care because she didn't have a permanent home to live in. I also have court papers stating that same thing. But that court had other things to say as to why he was taken from his mother's care. I saw different court papers with different reasons for his removal. I had different stories from DFCS workers as well as the foster mom's story and the workers in the Juvenile Court. And let me add that the foster mom was employed by the juvenile court and had been for some time. She has a deep relationship with the Juvenile Court Workers, Lawyers, Judges , ADA .and other workers within that system. She runs an organizatin out of her home that is sponsored by that court.

On first meeting with this foster parent, I was told she could NOT have children and my grandson was her only hope of ever fullfilling her dream of being a mom. She played hard on my emotions and twisted everything that came out of my mouth . If I said "yes you would be a great mom", she took that to mean I was saying that to my grandson. Which was NOT what I was saying at all. Two onths after that meeting she admitted to me she had herself fixed so she could NOT get pregnant. By her own choice she decided not to carry a baby within her own body, NOT for medical reasons.

There was a meeting that took place in April 2004 at the DFCS office. It was attended by myself, the birth mom, DFCS workers, and other people I dont remember. The purpose of that meeting was to give the results of the birth mom's psych evaluation and the test results of my grandson. The birth mom walked out so they couldn't tell me her results as it's a violation of the law. But I was given the results of my grandsons test. He was developementally delayed which I knew from my first visit with him. There were other issues that deeply concerned me about the state of his health. He was so sick he had a hard time breathing. The back of his head was flat from being left in his car seat all the time. (the foster mom told me she would put him to sleep and lay him in it and just sit the whole seat on the bed. So I knew I had my work cut out for me. She passed him around to her friends while she took care of her business she runs, he was in day care as well and was not an adjusted baby when he came to live with me. He suffered from RAD. Reactive adjustment disorder.

He was NOT taken to a doctor about his breathing problems until I came into the picture, He was put on meds as well a a breathing treatment machine. The foster mom told me he had asthma (she had dogs in her house). But even for the health of a child she claimed to love she would NOT put the dogs out of the house. He had never been taken to the heart doctor due to the hole in his heart while in her care until just before my son got custody. She even had surgery done on him WITHOUT having his heart checked.

On May 24th 2004 my son was granted custody and gave guardianship to me. Leaving him in my care for 9 months. It took me a month to get him well so he didn't have to have the breathing treatments anymore and it took 2 rounds of antibiotics to clear up all the congestion. He could NOT even grip your finger when he came to live with me. He could NOT focus as a normal baby of his age. I took him to a local pyschologist to get her help on how to best work with him to get him caught up . By August 2004 we had my grandson above normal for his age and his health was great. He was like a light bulb you plugged in and when it lites up it glows. The change in him was so fast. From just laying around doing nothing to turning over and crawling . In October he started to walk and he hasn't stopped learning since.

I took care of his medical needs as well as his physical needs. His growth and developement. Every aspect of his life was totally taken care of in my home. His mental and physical needs were more than met. He had nice clothes , toys and plent of food to eat. A clean decent home that was approved by DFCS as a placement for him. He was safe and well adjusted.

I went to all the hearings and I was suppose to. Made all the reports and phone calls I was told to make by the court and CASA. I was told if I failed to report anything but the truth my grandson would be taken from my care placed back in foster care and adopted out. I was constantly reminded what a great mom the foster mom was to him and how much she loved him.

In Feb 2005 I was ordered back for a citizens panel reveiw. They recommended that my grandson remain in my care. And if the parents could not or would not do as ordered by that court then adoption by Feb 2006. We the grandparents asked if he was to be adopted to let it be us. We were told as family we would have first choice. We asked the court for a hearing and one was never granted to us.

All information was passed to the former foster mom by that court and she was granted a hearing. Thereby that court gave her custody and control over his life and I had 24 hours to turn him over. That Judge told me I had no right even being in that court room , it had nothing to do with me. And nothing I said would be taken into consideration. The pychologist reports dated Feb 2005 stated that it would be detrimental to my grandsons health and mental stability to be removed from my care was totally ignored by that judge.

The ex foster mom as well as her boyfriend , members of her family and friends were in that court room. No due process was done. No one was served to appear in that court. My son being in the military can NOT just leave when the mood hits him. Please note also the judge hearing this case on Feb 22nd 2005 was NOT the judge who had been with the case from the beginning. Nor was the judge listed on the hearing notice that was waiting in my mailbox that afternoon the one hearing the case.

And please do NOT let us forget the CASA worker in this case. She twisted my words to suit her purpose in court that day. She said I had repeatedly told her that I only wanted to be a grandmother and my grandson should be placed with the ex foster mom. What I said was, When all this started I only wanted to be a grandmother and that I had high hopes for my son, but things had NOT turned out that way. And that I would keep loving my grandson and providing for him with all the love in my heart. I said over and over how he was my world. and how much our family loved and adored him. Note also this CASA case worker held a job working for the ex foster mom.

My 17 year old son was in that Court room with me. He was devastated. He asked the Judge if he could say something. The judge allowed him to speak. My son asked how can the ex foster mom get a hearing or get his nephew when she's NOT family. How can you take him and give him to her. The judge said ask your mother. And it was over just that fast.

I know this is NOT right. It is nothing more than baby stealing and it can NOT be allowed to continue. I feel my grandson thinks I just left him and I know he needs me. No one thought about him or his feelings in all this. Just their own selfish, self serving wants.

I ask that you pass this around to anyone you can in hopes of getting him home. And saving other children from a similiar fate. If we do NOT stand up for our children who will. We aren't a rich family and we can't afford to jump out and hire lawyers that cost a fortune. The few we have contacted will NOT touch this case. They say the county they would have to fight is too corrupt and plays by its own laws. But we are doing all that we can in the hopes of getting him home safely.

If anyone can answer this for me I would be most grateful.

By what power does an EX foster parent have over a Juvenile Court that she can have judges hearing a case changed at her whim? And her be left to notify defendants in a case to appear? Is her power so great that she can control all aspects of a childs future at her whim with no one to stop her?

Also please note the birth mom contacted that same court in Sept 2004 to request visitation of her child be reinstated . She made calls and wrote letters . She was told that this court had NO juridiction over the case any longer and they could NOT grant her a hearing. Funny things that court does in my opinion. Hearings are granted as long as it suits their purposes.

Also please note... my guardianship was granted through the military with power of attorney over my son. What I can't get the answer to is this... Does a civilian Juvenile Court have the power to dissolve my Guardianship? Actually the papers say Custody of my grandson through the power of attorney. I can't get anyone to answer that for me or show me in the law. Any help would be great.

I was just sitting here thinking I had more to tell you. And I do.

Let's talk about the fact that the Judge has had my grandson in his office holding him and being thrown up on when the Judge bounced him too much . Yes all this happened when my grandson was in the care of the EX foster mom. She used to take my grandson to work with her sometimes. So the Judge played with him , even fed him his bottle at times. This I have seen with my own eyes as well as heard about from the ex foster mom.

Let's go on to talk about the Judical Employees for this Judge babysitting my grandson for the ex foster mom. Yes one of the workers personally told that she had babysat for my grandson during the last Citizens Panel reveiw myself and my family attended. The same panel reveiw that said my grandson should stay in my care.

Let's go on and tell about the ADA for the Juvenile Court telling me to my face that she is my grandsons Nanna and that she always would be. She told me she was his first Nanna and always would be. I said to her, my mom would be his Nanna if she had lived to see him. But she looked over to the EX foster mom and said well I was the first.

Let's talk about the love I was constantly told was between the Foster mom and the Judical Employees in this Court. Yes always told how much they love her and would do anything for her. Do I see conflict here. I do believe I do. I think I see laws and rights violated due to the love these people hold for the Ex foster mom.

Like I have said before she made the decision to have herself fixed so she couldn't get pregnant. She knew her friends would steal a child for her. Dear God what are those people doing this minute to my grandson.

Did anyone stop to think my grandson may well be the only part of my son this family will ever have? My son is training now to deploy to Afghanistan for 18 months. If he's killed what do we the family have to hold on to and love? What about the family the lies and games that the court have torn apart? We should have the right to have our grandson with us, safe from courts trying to steal him. My son will defend with his life the very laws that stole his son from his family. How right is that?

When do we as a unit for justice stand up and say NO MORE? I was asked to add the names of the corrupt Forsyth County Juvenile Court involved in my case.

Just look to the Forsyth County Juvenile Court and their Partners. Please note I have emails from the baby stealer to the Guardian Ad Litem where she refers to him as her best friend.

Arhonda K Mallard
203 Newington Hwy
Sylvania, Ga 30467
E-mail: arhondamallard@yahoo.com
912-690-8460 after 9pm