Hello, I'm Melissa (Mimi) and my Foster Care nightmare began 2 years and 7 months ago, in 2018.

On May 25th, 2021, I received a call from a Kentucky caseworker advising me Judge Hall ruled against my request to have my grandsons transferred to California so I may raise them. The case worker said she was shock at his decision and I should seek outside counsel to intervene. I've called several attorney's and have been told by all this is going to be a very long and expensive fight. The filing fee's are extremely high and in the Hardin County family court division, counsel must specialize in Juvenile Dependency, DCFS or CPS case law. The system is setup to discourage attorneys from intervening purely on the amount of work involve and the many filing deadlines. The first filing deadline to intervene on the ruling made against me is Friday, June 25th, in person at the Kentucky courthouse.

I need a minimum of $150,000.00 to carry me through this fight.

It is my prayer that together, we can raise enough money so I may retain a lawyer and continue the fight to rescue my grand babies from the clutches of the state of Kentucky’s Foster Care System. The fight is not going to be easy, It is the love and support of family and friends like you that keep me in the fight.

I kindly ask you to make a donation in whatever amount you can afford.

If it’s not too much to ask, will you repost and share my plight with your Social Circle?

With everyone’s help, I have faith the goal of $ 150,000.00 will be reached.

Thank you for taking the time read.

If you're interested in more of my story, please continue reading.......

You know the only reason Judge Hall gave for making his ruling against me was my grandson's have been in their current Kentucky placement too long (2-1/2 years) and he is not going to move them stating a bond has been formed. Judge Hall wants my grandsons to stay in Kentucky foster care to be raised by strangers: knowing they have a grandmother and a host of additional family members in California who love them. I have been fighting for them for over two years? Why? What is motivating his decision?

• The corrupt business of child protective service:



• Nancy Shaefer, conservative activist, killed: Nancy Schaefer, 73, a conservative activist and former officer of the Georgia Baptist Convention, and her husband Bruce, 74, died March 26 of gunshot wounds in their north Georgia home.

Kentucky CPS removed my grandchild from their parents home, when they were ages 1 and 2, they are now 4 & 5. A call was made to Kentucky CPS investigations at the time of their removal and the gentleman said local relatives had been contacted to take the children in, so they wouldn’t be placed in Foster Care and I would be contacted if the placement wasn't approved. Placement wasn't approved and I was not contacted. (that was my first indication something was amiss) CPS placed my grandchildren in Foster Care. My babies were in three different homes the first year alone. I was disappointed but took comfort in knowing the children were having visitation with their parents every week.

My son a his wife were required to complete a six (6) month parenting plan before reunification with their children could be possible. They were having weekly visits with the boys and both completed the plan only to be told they had to go into another 6 month plan. During this time period is when the courts (Judge Hall) took visitation with the boys away from my son.

Now we are in 2019, the children are still in foster care and my son and his wife have both been placed on a 3rd 6 month program. It is at this stage I began to worry, something isn’t right. I traveled to Kentucky for the next review hearing. Sitting in the court house in Kentucky waiting for our case to be called brought an eerie feeling over me. I can’t explain why but there was an aura in the air, a sense that I didn’t belong there. But I brushed it off and remained seated until my children’s case was called.

As I observed what was transpiring right in front of me, I was flabbergasted. The Judge read the summary sheet entered by the cabinet and simply said ok. The summary recommended monitored visits with the mother and still no visitation by the father. My sons lawyer stood, made her arguments why the case should be closed and the children returned home and the Judge responded by reading the summary sheet submitted by the cabinet. The lawyer then asked if my son could have his visitations reinstated, Again, Judge Hall read the same sheet aloud and said no. When my daughter in laws lawyer stood up to make her arguments the judge ignored him. Signed the summary and that was that., court was over

It was at that moment I realized my grandchildren were never going to be returned to their parents. I had a short supervised visit with my grandsons at the CPS office and then returned home to California.

I pondered and prayed and prayed and pondered for the next couple of weeks asking myself who was that woman who brought my grandsons to visit me at the CPS office? How does she treat them and again, who is this random woman? My soul remained unsettled, I kept replaying in my mind what a lawyer I spoke with while in Kentucky told me. “The children will never be returned to the home, CPS needs kids in the system to continue to receive the millions of dollars in Government funding the state receives. As children age out of the system, they must keep a steady stream of kids entering the system. CPS will make up lies and accusations against the parents as a way to keep children in the foster care system.” You can hire a lawyer and file a civil case if you have the money, The system is set up in a way that makes it’s very difficult to navigate. Therefore, your lawyer must specialize in Juvenile Dependency/CPS cases. Many lawyers will not want to do all the work that is required. If I find one that will, it’s going to be very expensive. Someone with a median income couldn’t afford it, the system is designed as such.

So I began calling the CPS case worker, Matthew. He didn’t answer his line, never returned my numerous voice mails. “Hello, this is Melissa calling once again. I’d like information on the steps I need to take to obtain guardianship or kinship care for my grandsons, please give me a call back at your earliest convenience.”

I decided it was time to retain a lawyer. Not one lawyer I called to represent me at this time would take the case. Many flat out refused but wished me luck, some would say let me look into it, talk to CPS and I’ll get back to you. None of them ever called me back. Others would say “I’ll be honest with you, I could take your money but you won’t win. I finally gave up on that quest, realizing I wasn't very knowledgeable on the inner workings of Kentucky CPS. I was shocked but not surprised by the many layers of corruption I discovered as I began my studies.

I drafted an email explaining my plight and intent to obtain guardianship of my grandsons and I was not receiving any compliance from Kentucky CPS. I sent this email to every organization I found online offering foster care or adoption advocacy.

I received only one response, it was from The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in Washington DC. The young lady who contacted me said my situation isn’t something they normally handle but she found it intriguing and will help me as much as she could because CPS should be placing children with relatives. With me being the paternal grandmother she couldn't understand why CPS did not contact me once none of Kentucky relatives could be approved.

Miraculously, I received an email from the case worker after the lady from DC contacted them.

the Kentucky caseworker tried to convince me that my grandsons were doing well in the foster home and would I consider maintaining my grandmother roll and let the foster family adopt them.They call her Mom and haven’t had any visits with their birth mother in almost a year. I respectfully responded no, I want my babies with me,

raised here in California with their family.

CPS sent the transfer paperwork to my county CPS office, I completed all of the training and received my certification by taking classes, modifying my home and preparing a bedroom for the boys. They have matching bat-mobile beds waiting for them. Everyone was in agreement and recommended the boys be transferred to California to be raised by me, their grandmother.

Then Judge Hall dropped is ruling which is what brought me to all of you of you today. I can't predict how this story will end. I'm praying the final act is Mimi, Fezell and Jacion living together happily ever after.

With my sincerest gratitude, I thank you.

Melissa,