Housewife of St. Eves

Christina is a stay-at-home spouse in a small bay community. Everyone in the community knows each other. St. Eves is a sunny beach community to raise a family. Being able to sit the porch and see the ocean is one of the joys in life. She looks forward to waking up every morning having coffee with her husband Clint. Client is a professional investment broker. His job requires him to make business trips to New York. They have two children a six-year-old daughter named Haley and a seven-year-old son name Maverick. The family has a prestige reputation in the state. 

Clint considered running for Senate in the past. He met Christina at a charity event. She was the host. It was a fund raiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers. The hospital costs about $2.8 million a day to run, and there is no cost to the patient to be treated. Christina’s nephew Chis was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of two. Treatment depends on the type of cancer. Treatments can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes immunotherapy. Sometimes a patient receives more than one of these treatments. The treatment of children with leukemias and lymphomas is complex and requires the coordinated care of experts including pediatric oncologists, surgeons, radiation specialists, radiologists, nurses, and other professionals. Chris received his treatment at St. Jude. Every year Christina organizes a Spring Banquet dinner to benefit St. Jude. The restaurants in the area provide the meal. 

Client decided to have a family instead of running for Senate. He focused on his family and building his business. He started as a real estate agent and continued to be an investment broker. He had a passion for the business and enjoyed traveling. The business trip allowed him to travel and meet exciting people. Christina became more involved in the community. She is on the board of directors for the Project Paws Alive. Project Paws Alive mission is to provide vital K9 equipment such as stab & bullet protective vests and first aid field trauma kits to law enforcement, fire, search & rescue, and military K-9s throughout the United States. Guardian Ad Litem for children were needed in the county. Christina became a volunteer.

While working as a Guardian Ad Litem she was assigned the case of Molly. A “guardian ad litem” (GAL) is a person the court appoints to investigate what solutions would be in the “best interests of a child.” Here, we are talking about a GAL in a divorce or parental rights and responsibilities case. Molly was a six-year-old girl both of her parents were arrested for drugs and sent to prison. Molly was left to be placed in a foster home. Christina recommends to the court that Molly be placed with her grandmother until her parents were out of prison. When the parents were released from prison, they would have to prove a safe environment could be provided for Molly. She was required to spend one hours a week with Molly to determine if she was adjusting to the unfamiliar environment. Molly loved her grandmother and spent time with her before being placed in her custody. She missed for parents but enjoyed being with her grandmother. One day when Christina was visiting with Molly at her grandmothers, Molly’s dad Matt called from prison to talk to her. Molly talked to her dad on the phone. After she finished talking to him, she wanted to see him. 

Christina had to determine if the phone calls were too much for Molly to manage or if they were a benefit to her. She talked with the Grandmother Alice to see how often he called. How Molly acted after every call. He always called every night between five and six. He only talked to Molly sometimes. He used the phone call to talk to Alice. Matt requested to speak to the Christina to discuss what was going on with Molly regarding the court system. Matt wanted to know if he would be allowed to have custody of her when he was released. 

Over a period of months Matt built a friendship with Christina. Matt knew it was to his advantage to be friends with her. Christina could recommend the court return Molly to him when he was released. Clint was working long hours and started having longer business trips. This worked to Matt’s advantage. Matt called to talk to Alice at the same time every night. Matt noticed that every time he called Christina was there. Christina was spending time with Molly. Christina was visiting with Molly every day. He was concerned about it. He asked Alice what was going on. Alice stated they have become friends. She has children around the same age as Molly. Molly and Haley have become friends and spend time together. 

Christina started taking Molly and Haley to the movies together. Molly would spend the day with Haley on the weekends. They would play together after school. Haley had a birthday party and Molly spent the night with Haley. Five time when Matt called Molly was with Haley. Matt asked Alice to let Christina know he wanted to talk to her, and he would call tomorrow. Matt asked Christina if he could call her house to talk to Molly. She agreed. She sent her telephone information to Classification. The paperwork stated she was the Guardian Ad Litem for his child. She also requested to visit as a legal representative for his daughter. Stating she needed to discuss issue with him regarding Molly. Her request to add the telephone number to his telephone contact list and her request for visitation was approved. 

Christina drove six hours to visit Matt. While processing Christina in to visit, she made a point to inform the staff on duty of her Guardian Ad Litem status. Christina did not bring Molly with her for visit. The staff was alerted that she was the Guardian Ad Litem but did not bring Molly for the visit. Christina and Matts visit was normal with no abnormal activity. Matt returned to the dorm after visitation and started telling his friends, Christina was appointed by the State as a representative for his daughter. Her input in the court could decide if he would gain custody of this daughter. His wife Julie was also in prison. Both were arrested at the same time. 

The police department arrived at the house with the emergency responders. When they entered the home, Julie had been making shake and bake. Also known as the "one-pot" or "shake and bake" method, in this scenario meth is produced in a two-liter soda bottle. Cold pills are mixed with common but harmful household chemicals, producing enough meth for the user to get two hits. The shake and bake method require only pseudoephedrine pills, circumventing laws passed restricting the sale of copious quantities of over-the-counter decongestants, cold, and allergy remedies. But the shake and bake method is in no way safer than the old meth labs. If the bottle is shaken the wrong way, or if any oxygen gets inside of it, or if the cap is loosened too quickly, the bottle can explode causing harm to anyone close by. Molly was playing the floor. The bottle exploded and Molly was severely burned on her shoulders and back. 

Molly was rushed to Shand’s Burn Center she was admitted to the hospital for treatment. All the dead skin and tissue from the burned area had to be removed. She required intravenous fluids containing electrolytes, and antibiotics. Antibiotic ointments had to be applied to her burned area. The hospital room had to be warm and humid. She was placed on a high-protein diet. She was in severe pain and required intravenous pain medication. As she began to heal skin grafting was required. The area was so large skin grafting was needed to close the wounds. Cosmetic reconstruction surgery was performed to give Molly a normal life. The reconstruction surgery covered most the scars. Molly had to stay in the hospital for months. 

Julie was arrested for Possession of Drugs, and child cruelty. When Matt arrived at the house he was arrested for possession of drugs. Both were sentenced to prison. Matt’s sentence was five years. Julie’s sentence was seven years. He knew he had also been doing shake and bake in the house with Molly. The only difference was the bottle never exploded with him. He was heartbroken about Molly being injuries. He continued to write Julie in the prison. He was in love with her and wanted the two of them to be together when she was release. Matt would be released first. His goal was to gain custody of Molly. 

Matt took the advice of Christina and enrolled in Narcotics Anonymous while in prison. He attended meeting inside the Medical Complex. The meeting was hosted by the psychology department. It is open to all inmates and provides a positive and drug-free environment for those trying to change. The inmates that attend the meetings become close, due to the bonds developed by sharing their stories. It helps them to relate with each other and recognize the problems they share. By attending Narcotics Anonymous it will show the judge that he is making a change in his life. He also committed to attending the meeting when released. 

Matt wrote to Julie and told her about his plans to get custody of Molly. Julie supported him and continued to write back to him. They continued their relationship while in prison. They both wanted to be reunited with each other and Molly. He encouraged her to attend Narcotics Anonymous and enroll in self-improvement classes. Matt also enrolled in a parenting class offered through the Chapel. The prison version is appropriate for both incarcerated mothers and father who are parenting from prison. Parenting and drug abuse programs were developed as part of the Re-Entry program. A program to assist inmates with entering back into society and become productive citizens. One of the goals of the parenting class is to develop health family relationships. The class also covers parenting topics such as bullying, cyber safety, and age-appropriate media. It also discusses correct ways to discipline your children. The appropriate discipline based of the severity of the behavior and the child’s age. It also extinguishes the difference between discipline and abuse. Participants in the program report improved perception of the important of fatherhood, increased parenting skills, and more frequent contact with their children. 

Children with involved father are less likely to drop out of school, use drugs and alcohol, commit crimes, and become teenage parents. When fathers do not reside in the home, the quality of the co-parenting relationship is still critical for positive child outcomes. Fathers in prison need skills and opportunity to establish positive contact with their children and improves their chances for health family functioning upon release. Parenting classes are recommended for anyone in prison with children. Matt knew the more he did toward self-improvement would help his chances of getting custody of Molly. He also strived to have a good relationship with Christina. Her testimony in court could help him get Molly. 

After taking the class he learned the importance of being a father to Molly. How she needed him. It also improved the relationship with Alice. Alice supported him in the goal to change his life and gain custody of Molly. Alice did not want Julie to ever see Molly again. Molly suffered more than either of them would ever know. She was thankful that Christina was being a part of her life. The friendship Molly built with Haley made her feel like a normal person. Molly was always dressed in clothes to hide her scares. After she spend the night and Haley saw the scares on her back, she still treated her the same. Christina then knew Molly had been hurt physically as well as mentally. When Christina took the case, she did not know about the burns. She was only told both of her parents were in prison for drugs. The burns were confidential medical information. She could not obtain the information before being appointed as the Guardian Ad Litem in the case by the Court System. Once she was appointed the Guardian Ad Litem, she did not read the entire case. She was informed about the case by the supervisor prior to taking the case. The fact Molly parents were arrest for drug charges were public record and could be discussed at the time. Christina asked Alice how Molly was burned. Alice did not discuss it with her because she wanted Matt to get custody of Molly. Alice knew Julie wanted custody of him also. The case worker had already told her that the parents still had their parental rights and could petition the court for custody when released. Christina decided to find out from Matt how she was burned. 

Officer Jamison at the prison was concerned with the safety of Molly. She consulted with Classification and verified with Christina was the Guardian Ad Litem in Matts case. Once the information was verified, she started monitoring telephone calls Matt had placed. All inmate telephone calls are recorded and subject to monitoring and using the phone constitutes consent to the recording and monitoring. The recording may be used as evidence in criminal investigations and subject to disciplinary action. The message is also recorded to advise the called party. Acceptance of the telephone call constitutes consent to the recording and monitoring. Jamison monitored the telephone calls for weeks.