Startled by the Harris case, Arkansas could be next. The babysitter told the paper that the family hired specialists to perform an exorcism. Harris was sentenced to 12 years in all on those three charges: Ten years for one count of attempt to commit sexual exploitation of a child, and one year each for two counts of dissemination of. Justin Harris told "20/20" the reason there was such objection to the adoption was "because [others] felt like we were a fanatical couple. The teen claimed she would watch the girls for a few hours every day after school for several months -- a length of time disputed by the Harrises. Justin Harris told 20/20 that "We're not sleepin'. Cameron sexually abused the girl. Feeling they had run out of options, the Harrises decided to re-home their children -- a legal loophole that allows adoptive parents to hand over kids to another willing family -- to Eric and Stacey Francis, with the intention that the Francises would eventually adopt them. Scandal: After it was revealed the couple gave away the girls, their lawyer released a statement saying, 'Rep. How exactly things could go so wrong for the girlsonce they were placed in the care of the Harris family is a study in failure at all levels. He was told by many people in DHS, These are not the kids you want to just jump into. Thats why Im angry. *This story has been updated since it was originally published. She said she was originally introduced to the Harrises by a former friend. The Harts also said the adoption was allowed to proceed despite their objections because of the direct intervention of Cecile Blucker, head of the Division of Children and Family Services, the arm of DHS responsible for child welfare. That is when they decided to give the girls to the Francis family, and at that point began sending all stipends they received to them. As a dad, it was fight or flight, Harris toldKTHV in an interview. Like the Harts, we also have two small dogs and the girls have only been gentle towards them. Cheryl and Craig Hart, foster parents who had taken in the two younger girls before they were adopted by the Harrises, said the state lawmaker and his wife shouldnt have been surprised by the girls behavior, according to the Arkansas Times: Athis news conference last week, Harrisrattled off alitanyof offenses that brought his family to a breaking point. They consider it to be spiritual warfare, the other source said. It is a good step, advocates say, that could help protect some of the most vulnerable children and underscore the importance of preparing families for the challenges of foster children before adoption. Before he made that decision, Harris voted in support of a new Arkansas law, which went into effect in April, making "re-homing" of adopted children a felony. 'There was anger and an instant behavior change.'. But she was such a sweet little girl. Francis lost his job at the school while in custody of the girls due to performance issues, but Rep. Harris and his wife did not take the girls back at that point. Justin Harris. Their biological mother, who had a history of drug abuse and had lived with a string of abusive men, was deemed unfit to care for them. Discover short videos related to justin harris on TikTok. What she recalls is that Justin and Marsha Harris did not heed the warnings of person after person familiar with the sisters special needs, who uniformly counseled against placing troubled girls in a home with young boys and busy parents. On March 24, three weeks after the news first broke that state Rep. Justin Harris (R-West Fork) and his wife, Marsha, gave their two adopted daughters in 2013 to a family where one of them was later sexually assaulted, Rep. Harris returned to Twitter. Rep. Eddie Armstrong released a statement on behalf of the House Democrats in the state, saying: 'First, our thoughts and prayers are with this little girl and other children that may have been exposed to injury as a consequence of this practice. It really repulses us what he said. The Harrises learned that this behavior could be related to the girl's diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder (R.A.D.) Attachment to a mother or father figure is a deep, biological need and necessary for normal social development, Jensen said. Donna Ames On March 5, Benjamin Hardy of the Arkansas Times published an explosive investigation about how State Representative Justin Harris . Justin Ross Harris: Wiki, Biography, Wife, Age, Kids, Net worth, Parents, Family, Case & More. But Dr. Peter Jensen, acting director of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said that did not sound like an appropriate therapy for RAD. State officials also did not act when they learned that theHarrises had given the girlsto another family, according to the Times, until it was too late. The mother who now has custody of the young girls said: 'I don't like that they took this path to get here, but they are home now, and they are loved and cherished. When they began living with the Harrises in 2012, Jeannette was around 6, Mary was 4 and Annie was around 2. The legislator adopted three girls and turned them over to a man who abused one of them. My husband was so worried of any allegations that he wouldnt go down the hall to her room. It is an overall forecast for the net worth of Justin Harris. In fact, a past DHS employee at the time came to us and confirmed that the plan at DHS was to seek abandonment charges if we returned the girls.. But the source told the Times that Blucker was made aware that the girls had been rehomed days before the call was received by the hotline. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Harris, a Republican representing West Fork, Arkansas, said he was overwhelmed in caring for the three girls, ages 6, 4 and 2, who he said were violent and killed a family pet. In the group Reuters analyzed, more than half were described as having some sort of special need. Over the years, the Harts have opened their home to close to 70 foster children. They thrived in our home, Cheryl Hart said. Harris and his wife once hired specialists to perform an exorcism on the two sisters while she waited outside the house with the boys, she said. State Rep. Justin Harris claimed that the state Department of Human Services (DHS) threatened to charge him with child abandonment and take away his biological children, according to a report Thursday in the Arkansas Times. They were not allowed to be around each other because of the Harrises belief in demonic possession and telepathy, she said. We care deeply for the girls but we were failed by DHS, Harris said at his press conference. Justin Harris and his wife have three biological sons and were adopting for the first time with the two girls. He holds a Master's . Due to threats of possible abandonment charges, they were unable to reach out to DHS for help with children who presented a serious risk of harm to other children in their home,' the statement read. CC image courtesy of Flickr, Ivailo Djilianov.. HA note: The following is reprinted with permission from Libby Anne's blog Love Joy Feminism.It was originally published on Patheos on March 17, 2015. One of the many people who contacted the Times after the original story broke was a therapist who works with children with reactive attachment disorder and who is familiar with DHS. See Photos. But typically, those cases should involve family services officials and a judge who makes the final decision about custody of the child, Lestino said. 2009. I don't care if I lose my position. In March 2011 the Harts received a phone call from the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) asking if they would take in a 9-month-old baby girl. The adoption involves three little girls, who ranged in age from 9 months to 4 years old when it started. The Harts did know that the two little girls had a 5-and-a-half-year-old sister who had been sexually abused. Harris said the girls suffered from reactive attachment disorder, which led them to have social and emotional problems and become violent, according to the Times. Why would anyone go to the trouble of adopting a child and then give the child away?'. Related To Sherri Harris, Ronald Harris, Lindsay Harris, Alicia Harris. The girls' new adopted mother, who asked not to be named, told 20/20, "I want people to know who they really are, 'cause who they really are is fun and sweet and sensitive and strong. They are fighters.". Log In. Cheryl Hart also vividly remembers the roundtable meeting described by Harris, which she said occurred on Valentines Day 2012. Due to the sensitivity of our daughters story, and out of respect for them, we are asking the public for privacy during this time., (Jeannette was eventually adopted by a therapeutic foster family and is said to be doing well. He claims he put the girls in counseling but it did not help, and that is when he decided to rehome the two. 'No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you,' he told the reporter. Describing the child's fits of rage, Marsha Harris told 20/20, "It never stopped. Reuters An Arkansas state legislator who sent his adopted daughters to live at the home of a former. Greg Leding has filed legislation which would make this practice of rehoming adopted children a felony, and we urge the legislature to pass this legislation in order to protect our most vulnerable citizens - our children in foster care.'. We also are prohibited from clarifying any inaccurate information.. Justin Harris has been active as a DJ since 1987 and has been producing since 1994 in collaboration with Luke Solomon and under the names Robotic Movement, Free soul (with Diesel) and Oliloqui for labels like Classic (Luke Solomon and Derrick Carter),.. Read more. She stated that Francis had raped her genital area to help her go to sleep, a claim he did not deny. I care what my wife thinks about me, and I care what my three sons think about me. And the three little girls finally found their forever homes. They are a beautiful example to us of Gods amazing grace and the power of love to heal the broken heart. Im not trying to devastate them but people should know what theyve done to these poor little girls. Justin Leroy Harris, 48. Harris put a 6-year-old girl he adopted in the care of a man who later sexually abused her. They argued they were more than capable of raising these young girls. For reasons similar to their own, the Harts said DHS therapists, case workers, adoption specialists and other former foster parents also warned that this would not be the right fit. The older one was very protective of the younger one.. This is not the norm in adoption; most families do well, saidMegan Lestinoof theNational Council for Adoption. By Chris Spargo and Kieran Corcoran For Dailymail.com, Published: 18:20 EST, 6 March 2015 | Updated: 09:39 EST, 7 March 2015. Together, we can continue to hold the powerful accountable and bring important stories to light. We checked on them, took them to the doctor.. For one of those girls, however, Arkansas Rep. Justin Harriss house came to represent something very different: a temporary stopping point on the way to some place much, much worse. The three sisters taken in by Justin and Marsha Harris had already lived with atoxic mixture of neglect and abuse. DHS had placed her in a therapeutic foster home where the foster parents would be trained to deal with her special needs. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, our readers value great journalism. Well, Cecile said this, Cecile said that, Cheryl Hart said. For the most part, Harris peers in the legislature are keeping quiet about the controversy, but the public at large is paying attention to the story. Francis also had no criminal history, Rep. Harris claimed in that interview. To at least keep them together, instead of DHS taking my rights, said Sarah Young, the biological mother of the three sisters, in an interview with the Times. The Harts said that a local team working on the adoption including themselves, DHS caseworkers, adoption specialists, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and therapists from Ozark Guidance, a mental health provider made the Harrises fully aware of the girls history of neglect and sexual abuse and cautioned them that they were unprepared to handle children from such a background, especially considering their home included young boys. And only a few months following that dinner, Wallis said her shock turned to horror when she learned the Harrises had re-homed the two young girls to the Francis family. Those adoptive parents who do it, advocates say, are gambling with the well-being of at-risk children whose entire life experienceshave been characterized by abandonment, separation, grief and often abuse. According to the Arkansas Times, the girls were adopted through the Arkansas Department of Human Services. It may be in the report you have, but just in case the minors identities are known, we dont want to be specific for their own protection.. Justin Harris is our managing director and the owner of Harris Residential. After Fridays press conference, Justin Harris gave a lengthy interview to a KARK-TV, Channel 4, reporter in which he told a similar story about how his troubled adoption began. Taking toys away for long periods of time thats just the wrong thing, a nave idea, Jensen said. She was a kid that needed an experienced family, the mother explained. Since they have been home with us, they have adjusted beautifully and are thriving in our home with unconditional love and patience. We [started fostering] because of our Christianity. They said the whole time in court they wanted all three, and thats why they were chosen [to adopt] They fell on their knees when they were told they could take her., As for the transfer itself, Craig Hart said, It was not the process normally followed when we had kids go into an adoption situation the court said there should be a transitioning period between us and them, and we saw them only once after they moved in [with the Harrises]. 25g Karbolyn (may keep this on high days) Meal 5: 6oz meat. They have also lived in Cedar Hill, MO and High Ridge, MO. Id watch her from a camera. ABC4 Newscasts; ABC4 Live Events; Video Center; Podcasts I'm appalled. They loved each other. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. 10g EAAs. The couple, whom the Harrises had known since Marsha and Stacey had been classmates, and the couple seemed like the perfect fit. Both girls have since found a new home. She called Justin and Marsha Harris to take her daughters. Yet their lives quickly began to unravel. The Harts kept the two younger sisters until October 2012, and their descriptions of the girls behavior throughout those 18 months stands in stark contrast to the harrowing picture painted by Justin Harris. I think its crazy. On Tuesday, shortly before this story went to print, Harris sharpened his accusations, telling KTHV-TV, Channel 11, that Blucker the states top official for child welfare knew he gave the girls to another family and did not report it. We were threatened with possible abandonment charges and potentially losing our own boys as well if we returned the girls to DHS custody. They never once called us.. The third result is Justin Cory Michael Harris age 30s in Lorain, OH. In most cases, custody of an adopted child can be transferred simply by both sets of parents signing a document, and child protective services will only step in if they suspect the child is not being properly treated, which can be near impossible for them to judge at times. RM 2E6B9B6 - Justin Harris (R) is escorted into the Cobb county Magistrate court house in Marietta, Georgia July 3, 2014. Webb did offer this statement after Harris press conference, however: Though Rep. Harris is talking about this adoption, by law we cannot do so and are concerned about the very sensitive and protected information that has been released about vulnerable children. Justin Harris adopted girls in 2013 - then gave them away after six months Handed them over to Eric Francis, who went on the rape the six-year-old Francis was convicted of sex crimes in 2014. So in early 2011. when a mother of three reached out to the devout couple about adopting her three young daughters who were about to be permanently taken away by DHS, the family decided they wanted to make these siblings members of their family. After several months with the eldest girl, who was 6 at the time of the trial period, the Harrises didnot finalizeher adoption due to her behavioral issues, Harris said at a news conference last week. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. There are far too few foster parents, and children often end up having to stay at the DHS overnight with a worker, sometimes for several days on end because there are no placement options. 3. Lived In Chanute KS, Humboldt IA, Independence KS. We see this happening in orphanages and kids moved into foster care at a young age. He presented himself and his family . While his resignation certainly would not change these atrocities, Justin Harris has proven that he is not fit to hold the responsibility of writing our laws, and we hope that Gov. Moving from home to home compounds the trauma and the loss, and the grief, Santana said. Rep. Harris confirmed this in his press conference, saying he and his wife had been cleared of all charges. Cecile Blucker knew where the kids were. She didnt have boundaries, Cheryl Hart recalled. State Rep. Justin Harris, who gave his adopted daughters to a man who later admitted to sexually assaulting one of the girls won't seek re-election. The legislator adopted three girls and turned them over to a man who abused one of them. He said at the Friday press conference that they wanted only to adopt the younger sisters but were forced to accept the eldest as part of a package deal: Marsha and I always planned to have five children. And about a month later, the infant's 2-year-old sister was also placed with the couple. When news of the rape came out in April 2014 and Harris was questioned about his former employee, he told the Times hed fired Francis for a poor work record. The middle girl came maybe two months later she had a potential adoptive family that for some reason changed their minds very suddenly and said she had to be out right away, so we took her, too.. Harris publicly announced on social media that the adoption had been finalized on March 6, 2013. She said that instead they used acontroversial book on therapeutic parenting to help deal with the adopted children. Goldsborough said Mary and Annie were moved to the Francis home in Bella Vista months after she moved away for college. At the hearing, the ad litem attorney you know, the one who is representing only the interests of the children said, When we met less than a couple of days ago, everyones recommendation was for these kids to not go to this home. The chairman of the Democratic Party of Arkansas, Vince Insalaco, released a statement earlier this week: "As a parent and grandparent, I am shocked to learn of Rep. Justin Harris's egregious action of abandoning two girls he adopted through DHS and placing them directly into harm's way. It was the only chance I had to keep my girls together. Casting out demons: why Justin Harris got rid of kids he applied Gaudin makes good: Mini Maker Faire coming to NLR, Morning minutia: Legislation to protect bank from lawful taxes, When Love Is Not Enough, a Parents Guide to Reactive Attachment Disorder, a lengthy interview to a KARK-TV, Channel 4, reporter. Trained to deal with her special needs months After she moved away for.. Keep this on high days ) Meal 5: 6oz meat orphanages and kids into. Two girls also vividly remembers the roundtable meeting described by Harris, Lindsay Harris, Lindsay Harris, Lindsay,. Dogs and the loss, and that is when he decided to rehome two... 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