Will Senator Roach Help Families Victimized by CPS?

On February 23, 2012, Senator Pam Roach (R-Auburn) met with families who have had unhappy experiences with the Child Protective Services (CPS) at a press conference in Olympia, Washington. Chuck and Judy Cox and their attorney, Anne Bremner, were among the guest speakers.

Prior to the press conference, a member of Senator Roach's staff sent an email to interested people. The email stated that "the purpose of the meeting will be to explore the serious problems of CPS and to explore solutions to actions that may cause children harm." Interested people were invited to bring their 1 ½ minute ideas about CPS to the meeting.

Families drove from as far as Vancouver, Washington to attend the press conference. One man, who is hoping to regain custody of his children, said he came because "CPS is incredibly corrupt."

At the public hearing, one lady rose and complained because she was not notified when her son attempted suicide while CPS had custody of him. She also complained that she has not been allowed to see her son "in months." This was unfair to her and to her child because Joshua Powell was permitted to have supervised visitation with his sons in a house he rented.

A paper entitled "21 Reasons CPS Takes Low Income Kids" was given to interested people at the meeting. This paper was written by Catherine Sullivan, a board member of Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economic Rights (P.O.W.E.R.) Ms. Sullivan lists the number 1 reason is because low income families do not have the financial resources to defend themselves from false allegations. While it is illegal in Washington to take children because their families are poor, CPS often takes children because their families cannot afford electricity, health care, housing, etc. Ms. Sullivan also states, "Taking low income kids and selling them to the highest bidders is big business reaping $millions for everyone but their families."

After the meeting, another lady stated that she felt the email from Senator Roach's office was misleading because people were not given 1 1/2 minutes to speak as promised. She expressed her disappointment that Senator Roach did not address her complaint that foster parents are not screened for substance abuse in Washington. She suggests that the state require all foster parents be regularly screened for alcohol, illegal drug and prescription drug abuse.

Senator Roach Meets Judy and Chuck Cox

On February 23, 2012, Senator Pam Roach (R- Auburn) hosted a press conference in Olympia, Washington which addressed CPS and the murders of Charlie and Braden Powell. Guest speakers included the boys' maternal grandparents, Chuck and Judy Cox.

Background of the case: Susan Cox Powell was last seen at her home in West Valley, Utah on December 7, 2009. Shortly thereafter, her husband and their young sons moved into his father's home in Puyallup, Washington.

At the press conference, Mr. Cox explained that he felt his grandsons were being emotionally abused (but not physically abused) when they were living with his son-in-law, Joshua Powell. After Josh's father, Steve Powell, was arrested for voyeurism and child pornography, CPS took custody of the boys. Joshua Powell was granted four hours of supervised visitation with his sons each week at a Department of Human Services facility. An elderly social worker supervised the visits at the DHS facility.

Visitation was moved to a house that Joshua Powell rented in Graham, Washington after he complained that he felt uncomfortable at the DHS facility because other parents recognized him. (After the boys were murdered, it was learned that Josh Powell did not live at the rental house. He still lived at his father's home in Puyallup.)

Although Chuck and Judy Cox had temporary custody of the boys, Mr. Cox felt that the court believed everything that Joshua Powell said about them. Josh's demands were the priority; the Coxes had no rights. If the Coxes complained, DHS reminded them that their goal was to reunify the boys with their father.

Josh Powell did not want the children to attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Therefore, the Coxes were prohibited from taking Charlie and Braden to the LDS church or on any LDS church property.

Mr. Cox complained that granting visitation rights to Joshua Powell after Josh was ordered to a psycho-sexual exam was a "glaring error." CPS knew that Josh was a suspect in the murder of his wife because the West Valley Police Department shared information with CPS. The Utah search warrants were signed by a judge and stated that Joshua Powell was a suspect in the murder of Susan Cox Powell (not merely in her disappearance.)

Unfortunately, the court sealed these search warrants. The only person protected by sealing them was Joshua Powell.

Judy Cox stated that on February 5, 2012, Charlie and Braden did not want to visit their father. She said that Braden seemed to be afraid of Josh. Mrs. Cox stated she had a feeling that something bad was going to happen that day. She didn't call off the visit because she knew she might lose custody of her grandsons if she interfered with Joshua Powell's visitation rights (contempt of court.)

The elderly social worker drove the boys to visit their father at the rental house in Graham on February 5, 2012. After locking the woman out of the house, Joshua Powell used a hatchet on his sons and set the house on fire. He, Charlie and Braden died in the fire.

SB 6603 is one of several bills proposed related to this case and Washington State CPS. SB 6603 would prevent an award of child custody to someone considered a suspect in an active murder case. I believe this is the bill that Senator Roach would like to call "Charlie and Braden's Law."

Another bill related to this case is SB 6604. If passed, SB 6604 will require all Washington State CPS workers to be licensed in social work and bonded.

SSB 6416 (2010) has already passed in the Senate 48-0 and the House 98-0. This new law will give grandparents standing in the courtroom.

Senator Roach concluded the press conference by leading a prayer for the Washington State trooper who was killed this morning.