Phoenix Arizona- Physically and sexually assaulted, 9-year-old Dustin Rhodes died in his mother’s arms at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The dark secret of just who killed him, a mystery he would take to his small grave
fx
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/cpscase0808-CR.html
Fay Fredricks
12 News
Aug. 8, 2007 10:33 PM
Physically and sexually assaulted, 9-year-old Dustin Rhodes died in his
mother’s arms at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The dark secret of just
who killed him, a mystery he would take to his small grave.
To this day, Dustin’s mom, Christina Bowman, doesn’t know exactly what
happened to her little boy. Dustin’s father, Brandon Rhodes, had sole
custody of him. But, he was in jail. So, Dustin was living with his
paternal grandmother, an aunt and the aunt’s boyfriend. The family moved
without leaving a forwarding address. Bowman didn’t have the money to
hire a lawyer to fight for custody.
The first she knew of any trouble, was when she got a call telling her
to drive to the hospital, Dustin was in a coma. Bowman says, “When I
went into his room, I was in shock to see him with tubes, all these
tubes coming out of him every which way.”
Bowman would have to make the hardest decision of her life, taking her
son off life support. CPS would later find the 9-year-old had been
physically and sexually assaulted. But, the agency never named the
suspected abuser(s).
Three adults living in the house with Dustin would be charged with child
abuse. In a move that devastated Bowman, a jury would find all three not
guilty of child abuse. Bowman says she’d like to ask the jury, “how in
the world they possibly could have let a murderer and a child abuser
walk out of that courtroom.”
But, Bowman is also angry at Child Protective Services. She believes CPS
failed to protect her son, even after his school and a hospital
contacted the agency to report strange bruises, a nasty head wound, and
other signs of abuse in the months before Dustin’s death. Additionally,
she says she was never even informed of the allegations of abuse.
With the help of attorneys Steven Copple and John Doyle, Bowman filed
suit against CPS. Yesterday, a jury awarded her 1.5 million dollars.
Money, Bowman says “its not going to bring my son back.”
The loving, outgoing third grader is gone.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
firemonkey
Local comments on above news story
http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/cpscase0808-CR.html
· Duner101
· Posted: Aug 9, 2007 at 7:08 AM
· Report a violation
More absolute (inappropriate term). Wake up People!!!!!!!!!! There was
no abuse. The Law Suit was a lot of bull. This country has gone way
overboard. This woman is crying about a son she didn't want. She and
Dustin's father were both drug addict's living in halfway houses.
There was never anything in court procedings about sexual abuse. These
people writing these storing are nuts. What gives any one the write to
slander other peope like this. I hope you never have to sit in a court
room for 4 weeks prayng that a jury dosen't believe the lies, and
accusations, that could put you in jail for the rest of your life. Has
this country gone crazy. The media will write anything to make the
story look sensational. These accusations are all false. Please wake
up and these people alone. Dustin was living with them. not his
mother. His father was strung out on drugs and run over by a car and
killed, Should someone go get an attorney and go after the people who
ran over him. Same thing write. No they didn't do any thing wrong. Cut
the (inappropriate term)!!!!!!!!!! write the truth or get out of the
media biz. This has to stop. People don't believe what you read in
these articles, They do not even look for the truth anymore. They just
print anything for the money. Just helping a poor mother who did not
care get some more money for her{ what pain and sympathy} Yea write.
Our system has gone completly crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This woman
deserves nothing !!!!!!!!!!! She was not trying to get her son back
she didn't even call him. But now she can party with 1.5 Million. That
won't last long with her.
· Libby13 | Profile
· Posted: Aug 9, 2007 at 9:37 AM
· Report a violation
Dustin was a sweet, innocent child that deserved to be protected by
his family AND by CPS once they were notified by friends, other family
members, & even Dustin's teachers. One incident of odd bruises might
be explainable as boys will be boys, but not that many -- not that
often.
If Duner101 is accurate & the allegations brought by the State against
the nameless "paternal grandmother, aunt, and aunt's boyfriend" were
baseless -- then please tell me, tell Dustin's mother, tell the world
HOW did Dustin get those bruises?
HOW did he end up in a coma?
HOW is it a 9 year old boy died from injuries he received while in the
exclusive care of these 3 people?
When will someone who had the responsibility to protect him answer for
failing to do so?
CPS should have rescued this defenseless child the first time they saw
injuries. If they had he might be alive today.
· doze49
· Posted: Aug 9, 2007 at 9:38 AM
· Report a violation
I find it so unimaginable and pathetic how the media manages to report
such a one-sided story. Do they ever stop to consider what they are
doing the three family members that a jury found INNOCENT??? Now, just
because "Mom" needs more money for her drug use? She didn't mention
however, she wanted $5M from CPS. So the courts have awarded this
'mother of the year' enough cash to do what? Maybe try to get back her
other two kids that she doesn't have custody of either? I doubt it.
But, she's right - $1.5M won't bring Dustin back - but she didn't want
him more than all her drugs and partying to begin with. And, she never
asked the jury "how they could let a murderer walk out of that
courtroom" because she was too busy collecting her payday upstairs
from that other courtroom.
Kimberly Shull
You don't know her so what the hell do you know, to whomever wrote above in defense of the courts. She didn't let the guy walk, the jury did. Why are you so hung up on the mother having money? Because you don't . Sounds like to me you know these people. Maybe you are the disgusting pig that did that to the child. Am I right? Duner?