Case Study: Part 2

Training & Curriculum Specialist Child Abuse: Identification & Reporting Lesson 2 Explore Case Study: Part 2 Reflection	WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG ACTIVITY ID: 27196 Name Certifier Date
This is a fictionalized account of actual events that occurred on a U.S. military installation. The names, exact dates, locations, and service-specific terminology have been changed or neutralized. To create the activities in this and subsequent lessons, we started with the facts of a real criminal investigation and lawsuit. What you will read here goes beyond the facts recorded in the criminal case by imagining details of individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Although much of what you will read here is fiction, the sequence of events and the tragic consequences are very real. While the content in this case study is important in order to bring awareness to the topic of child abuse and neglect, we recognize that it may be difficult to read. After you complete this lesson, we encourage you to take some time to reflect on your own well-being and engage in self-care strategies as needed. Learn more about the scenario that you read in Lesson 1. This time, look for the signs of abuse and neglect that you might notice in your program. Please note again, the details and sequence of these scenarios are fictionalized and expanded to demonstrate what you might see or hear in a program. When you have finished reading Bethany and Braden’s Story, answer the reflection questions. Compare your responses to the suggested answers. The suggested answers will provide additional information that will be helpful when it comes to supporting staff members. In the School-Age Program: Max, a school-age staff member, tried to think what to do next about Braden. Braden completely disconnected from the people around him. He would get very angry and begin destroying things. This afternoon he saw Braden trying to pull the wings off a dying fly. And Bethany had a vendetta against most adults in the building. If you tried to give her a direction, she snapped back with comments like, “Shut up” or “Go away.” Sasha was the only staff member Bethany seemed to like, and she was off today. Max was exhausted. He looked over and saw Caleb, the siblings’ older foster-brother, twisting Braden’s arm behind his back. At first, he thought it was roughhousing but something didn’t seem right. Braden actually looked scared. He got closer and heard Caleb say, “If you lie again, dad is going to burn your mouth so bad you won’t talk for a week.” Bethany only had one friend in the school-age program: a girl named Felicity who would often sit by Bethany when she was having a bad day or had gotten into an argument with another child. After a particularly bad night of “obedience tests” from her oldest foster brother Jonah, Bethany confided in her friend as they huddled together outside on a picnic table. Bethany told Felicity that she was so tired, and showed her the marks on her back from the whippings she got when she failed the “tests.” She didn't tell Felicity what the tests were, but Felicity could tell Bethany was scared. That night Felicity told her mom what Bethany told her. Felicity’s mom called the Millers. She thought they should know what their son Jonah was doing. Melinda Miller thanked Felicity’s mom for calling and for caring about her family. She assured Felicity’s mom that they would take care of everything. She and Felicity’s mom talked for several more minutes about the challenges of raising pre-teens. Bethany wasn’t in school the next day or for several days after. She stopped talking to Felicity and avoided her at the school-age program. Several weeks later, Bethany made a similar confession about the “obedience tests” to Sasha (the school-age staff member). The obedience tests had become more sexual. Bethany was scared of Jonah and told Sasha she did not want to go home. In the Community: Neighbors always said the Millers were a great family. They were active in the community and attended all the neighborhood events with their five children. They had a reputation for being strict, though. A school friend of Caleb’s told his parents he was scared of Mr. Miller and didn’t want to get yelled and refused to play at the Miller house. He mentioned the rubber tubing that was placed in different areas around the house. He told his parents that the children got hit with the tubing for not cleaning up fast enough. It happened one time while he was there. His parents asked a few questions and made sure he wasn’t hit. Then they explained that some people use spankings to discipline their children. From that point on, they always made sure their son invited Caleb over to their house to play. They always looked for any signs that the children were mistreated, but never felt anyone was in danger. Reflection Questions: What signs of abuse or neglect did staff members and neighbors notice? There are many signs that the children were being abused. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for all the people who care about a child to put the pieces together. Here are signs that people noticed: At the school-age program: Max and Sasha both saw and heard evidence that the children were being mistreated. Because the children were 10 and 11 years old, most of the evidence came from things the children said to staff members or other children. Max witnessed a physical interaction between Caleb and Braden. Bethany admitted her experiences to Sasha. In the Community: The neighbors heard verbal signs of abuse. Extended crying, screaming, or other distress is a likely sign that a child is in danger. What signs of abuse or neglect were present but unknown outside the family? No one outside the family knew the extent of abuse the children were experiencing. No one knew that the older children were being forced to assault or discipline the younger ones. No one knew that food, water, and medical treatment were being withheld from Bethany and Braden. What events in the Miller's family life could cause stress? What should have triggered family supports? Two new foster children were introduced to the home. Bethany and Braden had multiple foster placements prior to the Millers. The instability in their lives might have caused them stress. Bethany and Braden might have used behavior that adults found challenging. Challenging behavior can increase stress in adults and make children more vulnerable to abuse and neglect. We do not know about the professional lives of Derrik and Melinda Miller. We know they are active-duty, so it is possible that they were experiencing job-related stress due to long or irregular hours, deployment, frequent moves, or other factors of military life.

Reflection

WWW.VIRTUALLABSCHOOL.ORG

ACTIVITY ID: 27196

Name

Certifier

Date

This is a fictionalized account of actual events that occurred on a U.S. military installation. The names, exact dates, locations, and service-specific terminology have been changed or neutralized. To create the activities in this and subsequent lessons, we started with the facts of a real criminal investigation and lawsuit. What you will read here goes beyond the facts recorded in the criminal case by imagining details of individual’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. Although much of what you will read here is fiction, the sequence of events and the tragic consequences are very real. While the content in this case study is important in order to bring awareness to the topic of child abuse and neglect, we recognize that it may be difficult to read. After you complete this lesson, we encourage you to take some time to reflect on your own well-being and engage in self-care strategies as needed.

Learn more about the scenario that you read in Lesson 1. This time, look for the signs of abuse and neglect that you might notice in your program. Please note again, the details and sequence of these scenarios are fictionalized and expanded to demonstrate what you might see or hear in a program. When you have finished reading Bethany and Braden’s Story, answer the reflection questions. Compare your responses to the suggested answers. The suggested answers will provide additional information that will be helpful when it comes to supporting staff members.

In the School-Age Program:
Max, a school-age staff member, tried to think what to do next about Braden. Braden completely disconnected from the people around him. He would get very angry and begin destroying things. This afternoon he saw Braden trying to pull the wings off a dying fly. And Bethany had a vendetta against most adults in the building. If you tried to give her a direction, she snapped back with comments like, “Shut up” or “Go away.” Sasha was the only staff member Bethany seemed to like, and she was off today. Max was exhausted. He looked over and saw Caleb, the siblings’ older foster-brother, twisting Braden’s arm behind his back. At first, he thought it was roughhousing but something didn’t seem right. Braden actually looked scared. He got closer and heard Caleb say, “If you lie again, dad is going to burn your mouth so bad you won’t talk for a week.”

Bethany only had one friend in the school-age program: a girl named Felicity who would often sit by Bethany when she was having a bad day or had gotten into an argument with another child. After a particularly bad night of “obedience tests” from her oldest foster brother Jonah, Bethany confided in her friend as they huddled together outside on a picnic table. Bethany told Felicity that she was so tired, and showed her the marks on her back from the whippings she got when she failed the “tests.” She didn't tell Felicity what the tests were, but Felicity could tell Bethany was scared.

That night Felicity told her mom what Bethany told her. Felicity’s mom called the Millers. She thought they should know what their son Jonah was doing. Melinda Miller thanked Felicity’s mom for calling and for caring about her family. She assured Felicity’s mom that they would take care of everything. She and Felicity’s mom talked for several more minutes about the challenges of raising pre-teens. Bethany wasn’t in school the next day or for several days after. She stopped talking to Felicity and avoided her at the school-age program. Several weeks later, Bethany made a similar confession about the “obedience tests” to Sasha (the school-age staff member). The obedience tests had become more sexual. Bethany was scared of Jonah and told Sasha she did not want to go home.

In the Community:
Neighbors always said the Millers were a great family. They were active in the community and attended all the neighborhood events with their five children. They had a reputation for being strict, though. A school friend of Caleb’s told his parents he was scared of Mr. Miller and didn’t want to get yelled and refused to play at the Miller house. He mentioned the rubber tubing that was placed in different areas around the house. He told his parents that the children got hit with the tubing for not cleaning up fast enough. It happened one time while he was there. His parents asked a few questions and made sure he wasn’t hit. Then they explained that some people use spankings to discipline their children. From that point on, they always made sure their son invited Caleb over to their house to play. They always looked for any signs that the children were mistreated, but never felt anyone was in danger.

Reflection Questions:

What signs of abuse or neglect did staff members and neighbors notice?
There are many signs that the children were being abused. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for all the people who care about a child to put the pieces together. Here are signs that people noticed:
At the school-age program: Max and Sasha both saw and heard evidence that the children were being mistreated. Because the children were 10 and 11 years old, most of the evidence came from things the children said to staff members or other children. Max witnessed a physical interaction between Caleb and Braden. Bethany admitted her experiences to Sasha.
In the Community: The neighbors heard verbal signs of abuse. Extended crying, screaming, or other distress is a likely sign that a child is in danger.
What signs of abuse or neglect were present but unknown outside the family?
No one outside the family knew the extent of abuse the children were experiencing. No one knew that the older children were being forced to assault or discipline the younger ones. No one knew that food, water, and medical treatment were being withheld from Bethany and Braden.
What events in the Miller's family life could cause stress? What should have triggered family supports?
- Two new foster children were introduced to the home.
- Bethany and Braden had multiple foster placements prior to the Millers. The instability in their lives might have caused them stress.
- Bethany and Braden might have used behavior that adults found challenging. Challenging behavior can increase stress in adults and make children more vulnerable to abuse and neglect.
- We do not know about the professional lives of Derrik and Melinda Miller. We know they are active-duty, so it is possible that they were experiencing job-related stress due to long or irregular hours, deployment, frequent moves, or other factors of military life.