Tennessee Kidnaps 3 Boys from Mentally Disabled Mom – Refuses Grandmother Custody in Favor of Adoption to Strangers
A grandmother is fighting to save 2 generations of her family from abuse by the state of Tennessee. Through no fault of her own, her family is being ripped apart, in a terrifying sequence of events that could happen to anyone. She is afraid for 3 of her grandsons who were seized by Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) from their mentally disabled mother. They have suffered horrific abuse in foster care. Now the state is attempting to sever all family ties so that they can adopt them out to strangers. She is also fearful for the life of her 33 year old daughter Tara, the boys' mother, whose mental illness became much worse after the boys were taken. When they learned of the abuse of the boys in foster care, the sense of utter helplessness to protect them pushed her daughter over the edge. The law provides for families to do what families do - for those members who are capable to step in and help other family members who are incapacitated in some way. However, in this family's case, the state seems determined to keep that from happening. The State of Tennessee has cut off all contact between the boys and their family, accusing the grandmother of not being "objective" because she believes that Tara would get better if she had a relationship with her children, and because she does not trust DCS and has repeatedly said that DCS "stole" her grandsons. In addition, the State wants to remove her as her daughter's conservator (guardian) and place her custody under the custody of a mental health doctor instead, thereby opening the door to remove all of her parental rights so they can adopt out her children.