We are aware of the very public conversation going on about events pertaining to our daughters, they said in an email to the Times. Justin Harris, a Republican who sits in the state's House of Representatives, legally adopted the two girls in March 2013 - but handed them over after just six months to a man who would go on to rape the eldest. A mother heard that we were wanting to adopt, he said. Justin Harris. After initiating a private adoption, we were informed in a meeting with DHS, CASA, the attorney ad litem, and Ozark Guidance that we could not adopt the two children unless we also took their older sibling., Harris contradicted himself in the KARK interview later that same evening, stating that Sarah Young asked him, Will you take my three girls? and we said, Yes, we will take your three girls. . Goldsborough said she would watch Mary on a monitor linked to a camera in her room, but usually only entered the room to provide food or water. When the therapeutic foster mother argued that troubled Jeannette in particular should not be placed into the Harris home, she said, Justin Harris waved away her concerns. Arkansas State Rep. Justin Harris and his wife held a press conference to address the fallout related to his adoption of three young girls. Friday afternoon, Rep. Justin Harris and his wife Marsha held a press conference at the state Capitol to address the revelations in this week's Arkansas Times cover story about their failed adoption, which ended in the "rehoming" of two girls in a household where one of them was sexually abused.As Max Brantley wrote yesterday, it was an emotional statement. The sisters were supposed to be moving out of neglect and chaos and into the stability of their forever home. So, sure, higher-ups will get into discussions about what is best and what is not., However, a source familiar with the workings of state-level DHS informed the Times that Blucker supposedly remarked in 2012 that Harris threatened to hold up the budget for the division if he didnt get to adopt those girls.. She stated that Francis had raped her genital area to help her go to sleep, a claim he did not deny. FOLLOW MORE IBT NEWS ON THE BELOW CHANNELS, IBT Fast Start - Let the best of International News come to you. [She] heard about us through the church on Dickson Street [in Fayetteville] where they gave free meals. They came in to one of the church lunches and had me go to the bank with them to have it notarized and all that stuff to take it back to their lawyer. I was shocked they seemed to have that mentality that they could fix these girls in a short amount of time and have a big happy family.. You can have a degree in child development, but thats not a degree in child development run amok, gone wild.. Menu Log In Sign Up elitefts staff 2 hours, 15 minutes, 19 seconds January 20, 2022 Education, Exercise Index, Video & Workouts & Programs WATCH: Back Training with Justin Harris "Dumbbell rows are bodybuilding burpees." It is known as rehoming, a name that describes a practice more common in pet adoption. Justin Harris. An Arkansas politician claims he gave away his two adopted daughters, aged three and six, to a rapist because they were threatening to kill his family, and had already crushed a family pet to death. I don't care what the people of Arkansas think about me. On Tuesday, shortly before this story went to print, Harris sharpened his accusations, telling KTHV-TV, Channel 11, that Blucker the states top official for child welfare knew he gave the girls to another family and did not report it. But Dr. Peter Jensen, acting director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said that did not sound like an appropriate therapy for RAD. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Marsha was showing me these really beautiful pictures of these rooms that they had supposedly set up for the girls, Young recalled. Sometimes you see kids put in a safe environment and all hell may break loose. They think their family is different. Jan Wallis, a former adoption specialist with DHS, knew the two younger sisters. Copyright 2023 IBTimes LLC. And about a month later, the infant's 2-year-old sister was also placed with the couple. The couple, whom the Harrises had known since Marsha and Stacey had been classmates, and the couple seemed like the perfect fit. State Rep. Justin Harris, who gave his adopted daughters to a man who later admitted to sexually assaulting one of the girls won't seek re-election. Justin Harris was born on 1975, is a Preschool owner and operator. But we need your help to do even more. The comments below have been moderated in advance. The girls were at one point placed in the care of methamphetamine users,according to the Times. This article was published more than7 years ago. They were very delightful, fun, energetic never an ounce of threat from them. Instead, they wanted us to do it through the system. Even once the couple began the lengthy process of adopting through DHS, though, he said the agency fought us the whole way. Due to the sensitivity of our daughters story, and out of respect for them, we are asking the public for privacy during this time., (Jeannette was eventually adopted by a therapeutic foster family and is said to be doing well. Chilling 911 dispatch describes how 'overmedicated' midwife mom Lindsay Clancy cut her own wrists before jumping from top window of her home in suicide attempt after strangling her three children, Biden STILL refuses to accept responsibility for classified documents debacle: President says 'the answer is no' when asked if takes blame for sensitive files found at multiple properties, Inside Jim Carrey's secret 'sanctuary': Comedian lists LA estate of 30 YEARS (complete with infrared sauna and tennis court) for a whopping $28.9M after announcing plan to retire from acting at 61, World-first pill for postpartum depression could be rolled out in US by AUGUST, High blood pressure? But this kid was so sexualized, Id never seen anything like it, the therapeutic foster mother said. While the Harts did not have the older sister in their home, they had been in touch with girl's then-foster parents and knew she was a troubled child. In most conversations with us, [Harris] would mention Ceciles name. But by January 2014,Francis had been fired for poor work attendance, the Arkansas Times said. A source familiar with DHS indicated that there may be at least some truth to that claim. Francis lost his job at the school while in custody of the girls due to performance issues, but Rep. Harris and his wife did not take the girls back at that point. For this reason, parents that may be abusive or predatory can still manage to get custody of children through re-homing. He was told by many people in DHS, These are not the kids you want to just jump into. Thats why Im angry. Harris also claimed that another of the girls 'crushed a family pet to death', further convincing them to get rid of their recently-adopted charges. By Benjamin Hardy . Posts about Justin Harris written by HA Editorial Team. Related To Sherri Harris, Ronald Harris, Lindsay Harris, Alicia Harris. The two youngest girls were taken into the Harts foster home. They said she exerted pressure on people in the local DHS team on Harris behalf. In fact, a past DHS employee at the time came to us and confirmed that the plan at DHS was to seek abandonment charges if we returned the girls.. Three separate bills have now been filed in the legislature to prohibit rehoming, and the governor is supporting such legislation. ), Craig Hart also raised the issue of faith when addressing Justin Harris comments about the girls. She was a kid that needed an experienced family, the mother explained. It was later discovered that Eric Francis had sexually abused the middle child during the time she spent in his home. It is for this reason that rehoming is such a scary practice according to Amy Webb, a spokesperson for theDepartment of Human Services. 'At this time, that situation, as far as we're concerned from the House perspective, is past tense, and we're moving forward and looking at the remainder of our calendar and finishing the month strong,' Gillam said. We could reason with her and talk to her. The mother in that household, who asked that her name not be used in this story, still refers to the girl as my daughter and describes her as simultaneously one of the most disturbing casualties of sexual abuse shes ever encountered and a remarkable, resilient child who she grew to love as deeply as her own biological son. Id take her to parks and she wouldnt run off or act all crazy or beat other children to death she was just another kid.. They say Blucker exerted pressure on the Washington County DHS office on behalf of Justin Harris to facilitate the adoption. Goldsborough also alleged the family would keep the middle child isolated in her bedroom for long periods of time and blast Christian music at her doorway to help keep away demons. Later, at an emotional press conference, Harris placed the blame squarely on the state health services department, which, he said, refused to help when he and his wife struggled with the girls they had adopted. The Arkansas Times piece, written by Benjamin Hardy, also points out that in that state there is no law that prohibits parents from leaving their child in another individual's care. Harris, who has three biological sons, said the eldest girl, who was eight, said she would 'kill everyone in the family'. She didnt have boundaries, Cheryl Hart recalled. Response: 'I don't care what the people of Arkansas think about me. There are far too few foster parents, and children often end up having to stay at the DHS overnight with a worker, sometimes for several days on end because there are no placement options. They played with my adopted son in my home.. He took the death threat so seriously, he said, that he, his wife and their three sons barricaded themselves in a separate room at night for safety. Wallis warned Harris there was a possibility that DHS could charge them with abandonment if they took such action. She was a volunteer and he an intern, confirmed a source familiar with the Harrises. I don't care if I lose my position. Justin is related to Janon L White . But she was such a sweet little girl. We do not do exorcism. "We met a bunch of different families, and we found the parents we absolutely loved," Justin, who came out as gay to his family before his junior . The Harts also said the adoption was allowed to proceed despite their objections because of the direct intervention of Cecile Blucker, head of the Division of Children and Family Services, the arm of DHS responsible for child welfare. Instead, after six months Mr. Harris and his wife re-homed the two girls like pets that didn't work out. We had wanted to adopt from the very beginning. This action directly lead to the rape of the six-year-old girl who Rep. Harris is responsible for and even received government funding to care for through the foster care system. HARRISRESIDENTIAL.CO.UK. Play it now! Another pet, which was a hamster, was hurt but not killed by another child. And Im shocked, because they did work with these children at Childrens House, and they saw how difficult foster parents have it with little kids who have mental issues. The extralegal practice is highly controversial a monstrous act, according to adoption advocate John M. Simmons. We had decided to add on to our house in order to expand the family, and we couldnt have any more children, so at that point we had decided we were going to adopt. Imperial Court of Buffalo, +6 more Alfred State. Help us deliver the latest daily reporting and analysis on news, politics, culture and food in Arkansas. Luke Solomon. Thats something I didnt want for my girls. I knew [Jeannette] wouldnt last five minutes there., But Justin Harris now says he and Marsha were pressured to take Jeannette against their wishes. Those adoptive parents who do it, advocates say, are gambling with the well-being of at-risk children whose entire life experienceshave been characterized by abandonment, separation, grief and often abuse. The lawmaker also said DHS misled him about severe behavioral issues with the girls. They have to learn skills most parents dont have such as how to talk a child down. Therapists need to become involved. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Gradually, the foster mother said, this troubled girls behavior began to change. 2009. 00:00. This couple, the girls fourth set of parents in two and a half years, has now legally adopted them. I felt it was better. We took all of the kids we had to church and Sunday school. The teen claimed she would watch the girls for a few hours every day after school for several months -- a length of time disputed by the Harrises. They had even put an addition onto their house in anticipation of one day adopting. Casting out demons: why Justin Harris got rid of kids he applied pressure to adopt "Rep. Justin Harris blames DHS for the fallout related to his adoption of three young girls, but sources familiar with the situation contradict his story and paint a troubling picture of the adoption process and the girls' time in the Harris household." After the traumatic start to their young lives, the story of these little girls is one of hope, survival and resilience. They are fighters.". It is an approximate forecast of how rich is Justin Harris and could vary in the range between $556.5K - $1.6M. One of the many people who contacted the Times after the original story broke was a therapist who works with children with reactive attachment disorder and who is familiar with DHS. (Count 1: Malice Murder. The former DHS employee confirmed this account. See above to learn how much money does Justin Harris makes a year. A lawyer for the Harrises, Jennifer Wells, denied to the Arkansas Times that exorcisms and telepathy are part of the couples beliefs. As she points out, these families are not vetted in the same way an agency would vet other potential parents. The older girl, who would have been about 6 years old at the time she entered the Harris household, presented an imminent danger to his older three sons, Harris said. Id watch her from a camera. Justin Harris and Dani LaMartina are guests on this episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk to discuss training, recovery, and diet in lifting. We care deeply for the girls but we were failed by DHS, Harris said at his press conference. Cheryl and Craig Hart were opposed to the Harris adoption from the beginning. But regardless of the facts of this particular case, DHS is often culpable in failed adoptions, she said. They were not a challenge compared to a lot of kids weve had, but we were familiar with their kinds of behaviors, Cheryl Hart said. That is why, in 2011, Young approached the Harrises and asked them to adopt her daughters, then in foster care. Select this result to view Justin Harris's phone number, address, and more. We decided to adopt two girls. State officials also did not act when they learned that theHarrises had given the girlsto another family, according to the Times, until it was too late. This is God's plan. The Harts said that a local team working on the adoption including themselves, DHS caseworkers, adoption specialists, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and therapists from Ozark Guidance, a mental health provider made the Harrises fully aware of the girls history of neglect and sexual abuse and cautioned them that they were unprepared to handle children from such a background, especially considering their home included young boys. Equally as painful is being promised a family that you will never have to say goodbye to and then losing them. Do not sell or share my personal information. SCOTUS Nom So one day in late 2011, a few months after they were first introduced, Young met with the Harrises. We dont want to identify exactly which child did what. The second best result is Justin Harris age 20s in Dayton, OH in the Fairlane neighborhood. The Harrises learned that this behavior could be related to the girl's diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder (R.A.D.) At the Friday press conference, Justin Harris said he and Marsha had their biological sons sleep in their room for their protection from the young sisters. That is when they decided to give the girls to the Francis family, and at that point began sending all stipends they received to them. (Photo credit: Gonzales Photo - Tor Atle Kleven). The Harrises categorically denied all of Goldsborough's claims. I'm sure by now nearly every one of you has heard about Arkansas state representative Justin Harris's decision to "rehome" his two . More shocking still: WhatHarris did, unofficially giving away an adopted child, is not illegal in Arkansas. The story first . The rehoming of Mary and Annie officially came to the attention of DHS on March 28, 2014, thanks to an anonymous call to the child abuse hotline operated by State Police. Sign Up. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Their attorney, Jennifer Wells, said in a statement: Exorcisms and telepathy are not part of the Harrises religious practice. Yet their lives quickly began to unravel. The foster kids are cominginto the foster system because they have been abused or neglected. Justin Harris said they took Marys toys away from her at the suggestion of professionals from Ozark Guidance. For the most part, Harris peers in the legislature are keeping quiet about the controversy, but the public at large is paying attention to the story. I care what my wife thinks about me, and I care what my three sons think about me,' said Rep. Harris, Rapist: Francis pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault in the second degree. They were not allowed to be around each other because of the Harrises belief in demonic possession and telepathy, she said. She had been assigned their case while the girls were still living with the Harts. Justin Leroy Harris, 48. Republican Justin Harris, who gave away his two adopted daughters, aged three and five, to a man who later sexually abused one of them, is facing calls to resign State representative Justin. Working in association with. State Rep. Justin Harris claimed that the state Department of Human Services (DHS) threatened to charge him with child abandonment and take away his biological children, according to a report Thursday in the Arkansas Times. And nothing is gettin' better." According to the Arkansas Times, the girls were adopted through the Arkansas Department of Human Services. But things quickly took a turn for the worse as the middle child, also diagnosed with RAD, began to act out despite regular therapy sessions, the Harrises said. "There was a group coming in from Alabama that was supposed to pray over the children and get the demons out as an exorcism," according to Goldsborough. At some point before he was arrested and after his firing, Francis and his wife gave the two girls away to another family, where they are now living. It is her opinion the Harrises called Cecile Blucker to expedite things.. Months later, the Francises transferred the girls to yet another family. He then added: 'You don't know what we've been through this past year. The middle girl came maybe two months later she had a potential adoptive family that for some reason changed their minds very suddenly and said she had to be out right away, so we took her, too..

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