The Evening Telegram
Herkimer NY 13350
June 21, 2009
(copied word for word from news paper)
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ILION - Police arrested an Ilion man and woman on June 21 on charges related to endangering a child.
Albert D. Torres, 41, and Melissa S. Stannard, 36, both of 36 Highland Ave., were charged with endangering the welfare of a child. And Torres was also charged with the second-degree unlawfully dealing with a child, Ilion police said.
The two were arrested after the Herkimer County Child Protective Services office received a complaint, police said. Both were issued an appearance ticket to return to Ilion Village Court at a later date.
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Well, as for today, Wednesday, July 1st, 2009… I made it down to the family court in which I am deathly afraid of. Every time I just think about entering this court room, I have such extreme anxiety attacks that I can feel my heart beat in my throat, my blood pressure rise so high that I feel like Im ready to pass out and my body shake uncontrollable..
I filed papers today for emergency custody of my son today due to the above material that was in the local newspaper about my son’s aunt and her boyfriend. Even trying to write my name and all the information on the papers, my hands just shook, just knowing that I had to face that judge again. The judge who treats me so badly, the judge who criticizes my every thought or opinion and leaves me in tears every time I walk from his court room.
Today as I sat awaiting my turn to see this very judge, I had my awesome boyfriend with me along with 2 great friends who were there for support. I sat there, praying to god, telling him that I needed him, that I wanted him to just let me be ok and to allow my son to come home with me today.
Finally I got in to see the judge. I nervously walked in, and could barely pull my chair in under the table. I remember staring down at the table, unable to even look at him. As the judge began to speak, I felt my heart just sink further and further into the back of my chest, he told me that “the news paper clipping states a child. It doesnt say anything about it being your son, nor does it say anything about it being more than one child. I can’t just hand over your son with out proof that your son is in any danger.”
Just then, I think i swallowed my heart as my tears began to flow. I couldnt understand what he was saying because these two people who have my son were arrested for endangering a child!! Does it matter if my son was hurt? Does it matter who was hurt? They were arrested for endangering a child!! What in the world is this judge thinking??? Just then I looked up at the judge and I told him, “your honor, I came all this way (an hour drive) to take my son home. They were arrested! I never harmed my children ever! I did everything that I had to do for family court! ” . The judge then asked me “where was the proof that showed that I did everything for family court such as the domestic violence course and mental evaluation.” I told the judge, “your honor, I did all that back in 2005, you have all that on file! I never hurt my kids! The only thing I did was ran for safety with them because the order of protection I had was not keeping us safe and no one was helping us. Then being 6 hours away, he still found us! I just want my son home.” I then began to tell the judge about my health and how I am suffering from an inoperable tumor inside my spinal chord. The judge then asked me “what problems does that cause for you?” I told the judge, “the tumor presses on my neurological system”. Before I could finish my sentence, the judge actually had the nerve to ask me “then why do you want your children back with yourself being in that kind of health?”
MY HEART TOTALLY SANK TO THE FLOOR!!! :(
I now have another court date set for July 14th, 2009. I am really hoping and praying that my son is allowed to come home on that day, however I am seeing thus far that this judge has not changed and with my health issues, I may never see my kids again if its up to this judge!!! The judge is up to his old tricks again!!
Since writing this post ~Shie~
may have helped people, but has not within the last 4 days.
~Shie~is a verified member,
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~Nat~ wrote: Wow. I’m so sorry :( That’s awful! I am crossing my fingers for you!
thank you nat… its horrible .. this judge is rotten and being bought..
the one good thing about everything is. finally after 5 1/2 years of writing to people, the white house, congress men, you name it , i wrote to them.. i finally have the bar association investigating this judge for what he is doing and has done to me. if these people feel that this judge has done me wrong by using his powers in all the wrong ways (which he HAS), he will not only have his name in the newspapers and on the local news… but he will be forced to retire.. and i will be put in touch with legal resources to sue for millions.
the sad part about this is, i have already lost 5 1/2 years with my children over this judge.
Vyki wrote: Oh Shie I am so sorry. It is totally insane that you can not get your kids, the system is stupid. I wish I knew what to say to help. Thinking of you.
thank you… you are right.. the system needs to be checked into.. and people shouldnt be allowed to abuse their power. sometimes i wish that i could take their children away for just a year or two to let them feel the incompleteness, the horror and betrayal of the law that is suppose to help protect children… just to give them a taste of their own medicine.
Shie, that certainly was a betrayal of justice. That judge should have praised you for your devotion to your parental responsibilities instead of questioning your desire to care for your son. Good grief, does he mean that those of us with disabilities should not be interested in caring for our children?
I am so sorry you were once again disappointed by this horrible man.
: ( ..i dont know what to say. it sucks. you’re definatly inspiring and you go through way too much for one person. i guess the best part in all of that is that you have people next to you who love you..
babacup wrote: It sucks that you have to deal with the same judge. I hope something opens his eyes by the time you go back on the 14th.
Do you know why they were charged with endangering a child? Is your son still with them right now?
i dont know why.. all i know is what the newspaper said.. i will find out the story when i go to court.. as for my son.. i had my mother call to just talk to my son.. casually with out causing concern… and yes, he is still there..
in a way, im glad because he isnt in a home and cps is watching these two so i know for a fact no one is going to be hurt including my son… but then im ticked because my son should have come home with me the other day..
c-eek wrote: Shie, that certainly was a betrayal of justice. That judge should have praised you for your devotion to your parental responsibilities instead of questioning your desire to care for your son. Good grief, does he mean that those of us with disabilities should not be interested in caring for our children?
I am so sorry you were once again disappointed by this horrible man.
exactly!!! i can not believe that this judge had the nerve to say this to me.. these are my children!! my children arent babies.. they are going to be 14, 16 and 18 this year.. im not paralyzed.. yeah, i have issues of health.. but i can still love my children!! this judge has played with my life for the past 5 1/2 years.. and he is still at it!! and it breaks my heart because no matter what i do, he is the boss of what happens and if i get to see my babies… how fair is the system?
srnityblu wrote: Wow, I am soooo sad over this… Has anything come out of the reporter you were in touch with? I think that was last year some time?
I am praying for you girlfriend!
no.. nothing happened.. HOWEVER… through all of my writing.. 2 weeks ago, i received a letter in the mail from the commission of judicial conduct… or should i say, the bar association.. they told me that they received my letter and that they are investigating the judge and my case. i havent told anyone this news because of jinxing myself.. they sent a pamphlet with their letter.. inside it, it stated that if this judge is found to be neglectful of his duties, his name will appear in the newspapers, on the news and will be forced to retire. also i will be given legal resources to sue not only the judge but the cps people who removed my children. these people are above and beyond anyone i have ever contacted before.
i actually went to family court where i live now and there was a sign on the wall asking if you are getting good service in the court room and it gave a website to go too to leave feed back. once i went there, there were quite a few emails… and yup, i emailed EVERYONE of those puppies.. and that is when i got the letter in the mail from these people.
so lets hope that this judge is found to be using his powers in all the wrong ways.
by the way…. he is told by these people that he is under investigation.. when i went to court this day for my son, he never once criticized me… could it be?? could it be that he knows they are researching my file?
bluflames83 wrote: : ( ..i dont know what to say. it sucks. you’re definatly inspiring and you go through way too much for one person. i guess the best part in all of that is that you have people next to you who love you..
thank you bluflames.. you know, for a very long time in life, i always said.. god.. why do you give me so much in life.. im living enough for 15 people.. i just want a break already…. maybe this could be it.. maybe the 14th will be it.. im not a huge religious person but i do believe in god and im hoping that he is by myside on that day… and my son comes home finally!!! my baby boy.. home for good!!
I will be visiting my sister-in-law the day you go back to court, so I won’t be on-line for a while (they do not do computers or TV). We will be there for 5 days.
You will be in my thoughts and I look forward to hearing good news when I get back.
What a jerk!! Seriously, how can he say something like that? I’m really sorry Shie for what you are going through. Nobody deserves what you are being put through.
You’ll be in my thoughts too, Shie and I hope everything turns out alright in the end.
Shie sorry to hear about what happened. You shouldn’t be In that room with that judge. If he doesn’t see that you would never do that to your child then I really don’t think he should be a judge in the first place.
Feel more than welcome to email me at ronrodg53(at)yahoo(dot)com
one day i was filling out papers for court.. and i was talking to my friend.. and i called the judge an F’ing A’hole..
all of a sudden, when i showed up for our next court date, the receptionist who over heard me talking to my friend had gone back and told the judge what i had said.. lol
infront of about 15 people.. cps, law guardians, lawyers, you name it, they were there.. the judge stated, before we start.. ms. s#$%%^& I heard you called me an A’hole. I looked at the judge with half a grin, and told him, no i didnt.
this angered the judge and he started to yell at me in front of all these people.. he screamed… ms. s$%%^*, do not sit here and lie to me.. as he continued to read me the riot act, i interrupted him and said, your honor, i never called you an A’hole, I called you a F’ing A’hole. just then, the court room was all quiet. not a sound could be heard.. the judge just looked down at his papers in front of him for a few seconds and continued on with the case.. never speaking to me in such a way again through out that court day..
hahahahaha.. god i love telling my court day story… and i get a chuckle every time… lmfao..
nikko wrote: Crossing my fingers you get him back. :) Yeah Dr. Foreman..what an as*hole!
thank you nikko.. my friend maria told me she is crossing everything including her boobs.. hahahahahaha.. through my tears … i actually laughed.. because she is nothing but boobs.. hahahahaha..
bluflames83 wrote: i hope you get him back too! good luck! : )
thank you bluflames.. :)
babacup wrote: I will be visiting my sister-in-law the day you go back to court, so I won’t be on-line for a while (they do not do computers or TV). We will be there for 5 days.
You will be in my thoughts and I look forward to hearing good news when I get back.
omg.. no computers i could understand but no tv??? wow.. i would be so lost!! hahahahaha.. omg.. 5 days??? holy moo!!
as for being in your thoughts.. thank you..
i hope i have a shread of great news and possibly some awesome pictures to paste on here of my son and i when you get back.. :)
elysium wrote: What a jerk!! Seriously, how can he say something like that? I’m really sorry Shie for what you are going through. Nobody deserves what you are being put through.
You’ll be in my thoughts too, Shie and I hope everything turns out alright in the end.
this judge shouldnt be a judge.. i havent told many about the good news and fortune but if you read above.. finally.. i have the bar association looking through my case file.. i mean, an advocate of casa, its a program here to help keep families together.. went through my file 3 times and even she said there was absolutely no reason i should have lost my kids 5 1/2 years ago..
im hoping that these people see all the horrible things this judge not done to my children and i by keeping us apart.. but read in transcript all the horrible things he has said to myself… the above is nothing compared to some of the things he has said to me. that is like water on a cut compared to the salt he has mushed in my wounds before..
as for being in your thoughts.. thank you.. it means a lot from you and everyone..
Ronrodg5 wrote: Shie sorry to hear about what happened. You shouldn’t be In that room with that judge. If he doesn’t see that you would never do that to your child then I really don’t think he should be a judge in the first place.
Feel more than welcome to email me at ronrodg53(at)yahoo(dot)com
im not sure why you have been banned… but i will reply to you anyways.. i tried to have this judge removed from my case about 3 years ago. i actually filed a petition.. however unknowingly, he had the right to say yes or no if he wanted to go.. and he actually laughed at me and told me he wasnt going anywhere.
im hoping that the bar association sees this piece of article as well during their investigation.. it will be more leverage towards him as i believe i wrote a lot of bad stuff about him on it and what he was doing and how he was treating me.
undeveloped wrote: sorry to hear that. i hope you are alright and i hope your situation gets better!
thank you..
as for me im dealing… im not counting my eggs yet.. they havent hatched and may never hatch.. ya know? i guess that is why i dont ever look far into the future unless i have a stupid dr appt.. :(
you know, in the beginning of all of this.. i was a disaster.. a total suicidal disaster.. probably for the first 3 1/2 years of being away from my children. even now, i dont celebrate holidays or birthdays and usually spend them in bed, sleeping the day away so i dont have to deal.
i remember after every court date, i would just be in tears and hyperventilating, and just thinking of swallowing all of my pills that i had.. i just couldnt handle the pain anymore.. but what kept me hanging on was the fact that my daughter stephanie once told me.. “mommy, if you die, i will die too, because i want to stay with you forever.” and so, as time went on, this one sentence has made me stick it out and suffer through the pain, the hyperventilating, and the tears after every court date.. and although this judge plays with my life the way that he does, i dont know if im in denial or if im just so numb by now.. the tears still flow, but not like they use too.. meaning, its not an everyday, all day thing anymore..
i still think of my babies every day.. and i look at their pictures around the house.. and still wish they were here.. but then i think.. my kids have a life with out me.. my one daughter wishes death upon me, my other daughter has told me that she would visit with me but doesnt want to live with me.. and then there is my son. i have lost a lot in the past 5 1/2 years.. and still i wonder sometimes.. what else can happen.. oh yeah.. the good ol’ tumor.. in which the judge is playing as a card in his hand..
~sigh~ sometimes i wonder if being a good person in life is really worth it.. having a heart of gold and trying to do the right things in life ya know? because look at what life hands you back.. ~bleep~
On 7/14/09 I made it to Herkimer, NY in front of the judge that I fear for another round. I found that the reason my sister n law and brother n law were arrested were due to them giving their 16 year old a tattoo on her hip. (themselves). I have to say that I am kind of relieved that a child was not abused as in being hit or beat. My son is safe, thank god. So much relief that I feel.
As I sat in front of this judge, I couldn’t help but feel that this judge actually had a very nice disposition towards me. I’m not sure if it was because I prayed really hard asking God to let him have a caring heart being that he knows about my health condition or what, but he was very nice to me. What a change. I have to say I was truly amazed.
The night prior, I had prayed to God asking him to please let these people understand, I am dying, I just want my babies home. If not for me, for my children so that they can have a bit more time with me before I do go. I asked God to please let these people understand and to have a little bit of a heart inside. I think with all of your prayers and my prayer, they may have been heard this time! So thank you!
Although my son isn’t home with me today, Court didn’t go all that bad yesterday I do have to say. Of course, I did have tears and I balled but, that’s just me I suppose because of just wanting this crap done with and my babies home already.
But yesterday I waited for my sister n law to come out of the court room and I told her, Melissa, I’m dying. This tumor that was caused by blunt forced trauma has grown and is now touching my brain stem. I just want my children home. I want to spend the rest of what I have with my kids. Please don’t take that away from me.
You see, back when I had to do 3 months of visits with my kids and then I got to go for custody of my kids; in which this very sister in law went to court and told a bunch of lies and got my custody and everything taken away from me. So in place of it, I was to do 3 months of visits through CPS so that lies couldn’t be said and then go for my custody with out a hitch. However, I called for 5 months to get these set up. Every time I called, I was told, “they didn’t have the papers to make the visits.” I even went to the family court to get these papers in which they too didn’t have the papers. I didn’t know what else to do except sit back and fight in the background writing to people who would take me seriously because obviously, these people were playing games with me. I told Melissa this yesterday in the elevator as we were leaving… I am not sure she really believed me. She then told me, then lets go set them up now. I said, fine.. let’s do this.. I need my son home! As we walked to CPS and got to the window to set these up…. she heard for herself that they didnt have these papers and that they never got these papers 2 years ago when they were suppose to help me set up the visits. She just looked at me. I started crying and I told her… I told you… I never ran out on my kids!! I tried to get these set up… I tried like hell and they kept playing games with me. I told you… My kids are my life.. I would never run out on my kids.. I told you..
Finally, she heard those words from someone else… that the papers were never ever received!!! She now knows the truth!! She knows that i wasn’t lying!! All I could do was cry because CPS made me lose 2 extra years with my kids and to know that my sister in law who thought all these years that I was a horrible mother who didn’t care and just ran off… didn’t just run off and didn’t care.. That I really did try and that CPS was messing with me..
Melissa is now on their case and is pissed about this situation. She has their phone number and is calling them today to get this all situated today! She is getting my visits set up with me and my son! My 3 months will be starting soon… That means.. after my 3 months is done… I will be able to bring my baby boy home!!!
So although court didn’t go as I wanted it too… My day went pretty well!! The truth came out!! I was made to be shown that I didn’t just run out on my kids! I was telling the truth and CPS themselves told Melissa that!
So today I have a bit of a smile on my face.. I have been waiting 5 1/2 years for my kids… 3 months is going to fly by!! I can’t wait!!! :)
Oh Shie that is fabulous news!!! I bet you are bouncing off the walls now. I can finally uncross my fingers now, they were starting to ache a bit
Congratulations!!!
Shei, I am still in away from home, I am on my sisters computer and wanted to see how things went in court for you. It looks like good news to me. It is crazy that it has taken this long to get things straightend out, but now you can stop being angry about the time lost, and look forward to the time you will get to spend with your son, and hopefuly your daughters.