I need to vent and I need some help....

I need to vent and I need some help....

Ok, this is related to what I posted on aliaspook's thread this morning about her FSIL. I had told her about my 15 yr. old cousin who has been in a lot of trouble this year. Well, she is supposed to be in a program, but my aunt has her home this summer, doing nothing. Home alone, after she ran away, had sex with a strange man, used drugs and tried to commit suicide various times. Well, finally today my aunt decides she can't be left home alone, so my aunt takes her to work with her to keep her close. Well, my cousin found some sort of spray cleaner, huffed it and it stopped her heart. LUCKILY, she is still alive and in the pediatric icu, but I know, NOTHING WILL CHANGE. I have an extremely close knit family, so it's not like this is something I can sit back and say, well let me know what happens. As much as I hate to say this, my aunt is a completely unfit mother. She does not want the best for her daughter, and she cares more about herself and her nights out than she does about her daughter. This has been going on for too long, and I need to do something about it. I don't know if I should call CPS, or what. I just wanted to know if anyone is a social worker or anything or anyone who knows what I can do? Or if I can do anything at all. Thanks.

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

im not a social worker, but i work in the mental health field with adults. some of them came to my program straight from juvenile residential programs. these programs seem to have helped, or at least provided a safe living environment with 24-hour care. i know nothing about how to get someone into one of these programs, but i do know two names- kolbourne school in massachusetts, and kids peace in pennsylvania. fm me if you need any more info. good luck...

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

I hope everything works out for your cousin and I hope she is okay, she will be in my thoughts!

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

You can call CPS and report EVERYTHING and it will be completely anonymous. Your cousin is still a minor and she needs help.

Do not be afraid to call CPS, either, no one will ever know it was you that called, and it is definitely what this child needs if the mother isn't doing anything to help her.

Good luck I know it is a hard decision

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

Thanks. I think I am going to call CPS tomorrow. I just feel like I am betraying my family by doing that. I don't know why. My aunt really is not a bad person, she is just so messed up that she can't possibly care for her children the way they need it. I worked in a residential school, so I know how that setting can help my cousin. I just don't know how to go about helping to get her into one. So if anyone knows, I would love to hear some input.
Thank you ladies who did respond. It was very appreciated!

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

Now that she is in a hospital, they are obligated to notify the authorities through their social workers. Maybe you can contact the hospital social worker and discuss the problem.


Good Luck!

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

Thanks mlp. This is like the 7th or 8th time she's been in the hospital in a year, and they just put her in a day treatment facility, and they let her get home tutored. It's BS. I'm just really worried that one of her 'attempts' to commit suicide is going to work. I feel so sick I am so worried.

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

I second what Mo said Is the hospital aware of what really happened? Good luck

Re: I need to vent and I need some help....

They are because once they found out exactly what happened, they had to transfer her to a different hospital where they specialize in heart problems. Or something like that.