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Dear Friends,

1. ARTICLE ON SARAH IN THE 3.27.03 ARIZONA REPUBLIC: By now you have probably read the great piece about CPS and Sarah in the Thursday Arizona Republic, on page B1. Karina Bland did a great job researching this case and concisely bringing to light that emotional abuse can be a threat to the life of a child. If you haven't yet read the story, here's a link to it on azcentral.com. I can also email you the story, if you prefer:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0327cpssarah27.html.

This story comes directly on the heals of a report from Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley that drastic CPS reforms are urgently needed.

2. WHERE TO GO FROM HERE: It is incumbant upon us that we use the momentum of this article to demand that CPS reforms include standards and protocols for assessing the risks of mentally abusive caregivers, and that these reforms provide case workers the authority to remove the child as appropriate when such risks are evidenced. Therefore, I am urging each and everyone of you to send a letter to Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, Governor Napolitano, our state lawmakers and our U.S. congressman. This letter should make it clear that urgently needed CPS reforms include the creation of standards relating to mental abuse of a child. We should make it clear that child welfare is our number one consideration when we next go to the polls.

Below, I have included the text from the letter I intend to email. You can copy and paste any or all of that text into your own letter or you can write your own. I have also included a list of email addresses you can consider. At the very end of this email, I've also included a complete list of officials, phone numbers, and email addresses if you live in a district other than mine.

PLEASE! TAKE THIS ACTION NOW. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR TO MAKE OUR CONCERNS HEARD.

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TEXT OF LETTER:

Dear Elected Official,

On Oct. 9, 2002, 11-year-old Sarah Stevens was murdered in what police have ruled a "suicide pact" with her mother. This most unfortunate turn of events occurred after warnings to Child Protective Services from friends, school officials, and Sarah's doctors that her mother's mental illness put the child in harm's way and was in fact a threat to the child's life.

In fact CPS, in its infinite wisdom, returned Sarah to her mother's care after Sarah allegedly failed a previous suicide attempt. At that time, Sarah's doctors suspected that Sarah had actually been surreptitiously fed the alcohol and drugs associated with that failed and dubious suicide attempt.

Now, as ludicrous as it sounds, Phoenix Police have ruled Sarah's death "undetermined." As a result, CPS has conveniently sealed the records that would shed more light on the handling of the case and the exact nature of warnings Sarah's doctors made to CPS. Police expect us to believe that Sarah committed suicide by, as the mother's suicide letter suggests, putting tissues in her nose, stuffing rags in her mouth, duct taping her nose and mouth, then binding her feet and hands -- in a drug-induced stupor no less -- until she was dead. Ironically, if the mother had survived her own suicide attempt, she would no doubt be standing trial for Sarah's murder.

This case illustrates the failure of CPS to recognize the risk a child faces when a parent or principle caregiver is severely mentally ill.

While Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley is right on the money with his suggested reforms of CPS, his recommendations must also include the creation of standards for identifying when mental abuse by a primary caregiver threatens the life of a minor.

Sarah's death could have been prevented if only CPS had standards and protocols for identifying when psychological abuse endangers the life of a child. No such guidelines currently exist, nor does CPS have the training to enforce them if they did, according to at least one mental health care professional at Phoenix Children's Hospital familiar with Sarah's case.

By unsealing Sarah's records, we can begin to discover and remedy the flaws that will strengthen the agency and save other children from Sarah's fate.

As our elected officials, I hope you understand that for many of us, Arizona's child welfare, or the lack thereof, is the number one issue we will consider when we next go to the polls. Now, reforming child protection guidelines with respect to emotional abuse issues is the only justice left us in the case of Sarah Stevens.

In the mean time, I implore you to urge that Sarah's case be reclassified as a homicide and that her CPS file be unsealed immediately.

Signed,

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3. PLEASE SEND A LETTER TO THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC EDITOR. I already have sent a letter to the editor of the Az. Republic similar to the one above. I urge you to take a moment to email your own view to the editor as well. Simply address your letter to: [email protected] and be sure to include your name, address and phone number, or they won't run the letter.

4. FOLLOW WITH PHONE CALLS. Don't be afraid to follow your email letters with a phone call. Those numbers, again, are provided below. The Children's Action Alliance and several other agencies emphasize that elected officials are extremely senstive to constituent concerns, especially when coordinated as we are attempting now.

5. DON'T DELAY AND SHARE ANY RESPONSES WITH US. We can make a difference. The more of us who take this moment to create change, the more likely that change is to come. Every voice counts. Please write us at [email protected] when you receive any feedback from your letter recipients, and we'll share your responses with the rest of the network. I'm pleased to report that 5 more have joined our network just since yesterday. Nevertheless, we need so many more to join us.

Yours in truth and action,
Ellen Nusbaum
Founder, Sarah Stevens Child Protection Network

*HOW TO OPT-IN TO THE SARAH STEVENS ACTION UPDATE! Urge anyone who cares about protecting at-risk children (or anyone who knew Erica and Sarah) to please email me at this address to opt-in to the Sarah Stevens Action Update email newsletter. All one must do is email [email protected] with OPT-IN in the subject line. We urge all members to recruit at least two people to the list so that we can begin to build a formidable grass roots effort and actually make a difference.

**Email us at [email protected] for back installments of the Sarah Stevens Action Update.

WHO'S WHO DIRECTORY OF ARIZONA ELECTED OFFICIALS

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano:

Email using this form: http://www.governor.state.az.us/post/feedback.htm, or email directly to [email protected]

602-542-4331


Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley:

[email protected] and [email protected]


To write your Arizona legislators, For Scottsdale/Fountain Hills residents:

Sen. Carolyn Allen: [email protected] , 602-542-4480

Rep. Michelle Reagan: [email protected], 602-542-5828

Rep. John Allen: [email protected], 602-542-5169

If you're not a Scottsdale resident, click here to find your legislators.
http://www.scfaz.com/publish/Listing_of__Arizona_Legislators.shtml


To write our U.S. House of Representatives:

U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth, [email protected], 1-800-874-0467

Other Reps:

James Kolbe, [email protected]

Rick Renzi: [email protected]

John Shadegg, [email protected]

Or, to find your U.S. Rep.

http://www.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep


To write our U.S. senators:

Sen. Jon Kyl: kyl.senate.gov/con_form.htm

Sen. John McCain: [email protected]


To write the Arizona Republic, Letters to the Editor:

Email: [email protected], NOTE: You must include your name, address, and phone number.