COM 0193.005 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER OF EAST HAWAII CASE SUMMARY Second Quarter This child comes from a very dysfunctional family with a long history of both child abuse and criminal behavior. His father has been returned to prison for violations of parole. Along with his siblings, the boy has been on the receiving end of severe physical abuse as his father has a violent temper and "controls" all members of the family by both physical abuse and threats of retaliation. The father is believed to have beaten his girl- friend to death in earshot of the children who huddled with their mother in a room downstairs. The father is also believe to have killed another person, although the evidence was never sufficient to convict him. The mother continues to support her husband. The boy's sisters were sexually abused as well as beaten by their father. The family lives in a rural part of the Puna district of the Big Island and maintains their isolation with a driveway that is hard to access and is patrolled by dogs. Despite such a bleak family, the boy has demonstrated personal strengths. He is participating in an organized church group, attends school and seeks opportunities to break the isolation of his family. He has been cautious not to reveal too much about the family's "secrets," yet is seeking ways to help himself. He is capable to being successful in school and has not demonstrated a violent nature. The Friends of the CAC-EH provided funds to pay for a correspondence course during the summer. This enabled the boy to be promoted to the 8th grade this fall. The boy has the potential to be successful in school if provided support outside of his family. The Child Protective Service social worker is working to support the boy's ability to function in school and be involved in community activities. So far this twelve year old has avoided problems with the law and is not active with Juvenile Probation.