Birthfamilies

Country singer Mindy McCready is dead after an apparent suicide, just one month after her boyfriend commits suicide.  Her children, Zane (age 6), and Zander (age 10 months) were placed back in foster care last week, as McCready checked herself back into rehab.

In November 2011, she made national headlines when she kidnapped her then 5-year-old son the boy from her mother, Gayle Inge, who had legal custody with her husband, Michael.  McCready had taken her son to her home in Arkansas, saying she had “concerns over his safety”.

Compassion-fatique-tips

After authorities found Zander days later hiding with his mother in a closet in her home, the Arkansas Division of Children and Family Services took custody of the child and placed him in foster care.

In December 2011, she won back custody of her son, instead of her mother. She met her “soulmate” David Wilson, gave birth to his son, Zander, less than a year ago. However, her happy ending didn’t last long.

On January 13th, David died of what was first ruled a “self-inflicted gunshot wound”; however, police were still investigating last week.

On February 6th, a judge had ordered her committed to a mental health facility after she admitted she had been drinking too much, and her sons were placed in foster care again. Her father said she was also abusing prescription drugs again.  McCready spent just one day in rehab before she was allowed to go home.

She was found last night dead of a gunshot wound at the same location her boyfriend had died. She shot the family dog before turning the gun on herself.

Please pray for Mindy McCready’s sons who still remain in foster care in Arkansas!

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Earlier this month, I told you how, one night, a few years ago, I saw my child’s birthparents on the news when they were arrested for committing a violent crime.

Well, last week, I learned that the birthparent has been released early.

How did I know?

A few years ago, I set up Google Alerts for names of birthfamily members for both our children.  My intention was to know if our son’s grandmother had passed away since she lives in another city.

Here’s how to set up Google Alerts.

I set up Google Alerts for my name, my family members’ names, birthfamily names, my blog name, foster care, etc. I receive an email each week with a list of links that mention these terms, only if the terms are used on the internet that week. (One family member name is the same as a fisheries expert on the West Coast so I receive an alert with that name at least once a month.)

Have you set up any Google Alerts?

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When Birthparents Make the News

Birthfamilies

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Healing from the Grief of a Failed Adoption

Adoption

Today we have special guest, Annette from Fried Green Tomatoes and Sweet Tea sharing her touching story with you… My story is different than many, in that my husband and I did not decide to Foster but rather we were asked by a teenage mother to adopt her baby that she was unable to care [...]

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3 Tips to Make Family Visits Easier for your Foster Child

Birthfamilies

The visits your foster child has with their birth family after their removal can stir up emotions that a child simply can’t understand or process. In 2009, our family had a bright and beautiful 2-year-old little girl join our family for 3 months. Her attachment issues were severe with extreme clinginess, incessant whining, night terrors, [...]

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What Do You Tell Kids About Their Past?

Adoption

This week, I received a question from a reader that applies to nearly every adoptive family in the foster care community. How much do you share with your children about the reasons they are adopted? Here is an excerpt from the message I received: Hi there! We have recently completed our first adoption of a [...]

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