Kingfisher Foster Family Wants DHS to Reevaluate Policy

By Adrianna Iwasinski, NEWS 9

KINGFISHER, Oklahoma -- An attorney representing a foster family in Kingfisher addressed some questions during a court hearing this week about why a child was allowed to be placed with an unknown relative.

Attorney Dan Stake asked if the Department of Human Services rushed the transfer of a little boy from his foster home into the home of an out of state relative he'd never met. Stake also asked if the decision was in the best interest of the child.

The child, 17-month-old Lawrence Hotaling, has been living with his foster family for the past 10 months.

This was the first time Shiela Morgan fostered a child, and she took her responsibility seriously. That's because Lawrence is a special needs child. He has asthma and has some other medical needs that are both costly and require special attention.

"He needs constant attention, and I was able to provide that," Morgan said.

Then a few weeks ago, DHS notified the foster family he would be moving to Florida to live with his grandfather, a man he'd never met.

"They rubber stamp everything. It's like they don't have a heart," Morgan said.

Morgan said she objected to the transfer because she wanted time for Lawrence to transition and get to know his grandfather before he was taken away to his home. She said DHS should reevaluate their policy.

Stake said DHS could have given more notice

"They definitely rushed it. They provided my client with the minimum notice that was required by statute," Stake said. "Who in their right mind would think that this instantaneous transfer of this 17-month-old child from this family that loves and cares for him and with whom he's bonded, who would think that it makes sense to just pluck him from that environment and place him with people he's never met?"

On the DHS Web site, it states the rights of foster parents. They include the right to be notified and the right to actively participate in the case, but Morgan said that never happened. She initially fought the transfer in court and won, but this week a judge ruled the transfer would take place, and Lawrence is now in Florida with his grandfather.

"At least he'll have a second family that he can fall back on if needed. We will always be waiting for him," Morgan said.

DHS has not yet returned calls regarding their transfer policy, but it is standard policy to do what is in the best interest of children.

The decision to place a foster child across state lines is made by the child's caseworker, but in most cases, those caseworkers do try to place a child with their biological family if at all possible.