Three years ago, numerous pleas for help were made by Kristy Newberry Brooks to the Union County, NC Department of Social Services, once the devastated mother learned that her toddler was being sexually abused by her biological father during visits with him. Despite medical and professional confirmation of this continuing sexual abuse, the Union County DSS chose not to protect this child. *It’s also important to note that Kristy’s case with DSS was supervised by Wanda Sue Larson (the Union County DSS/Child Protective Services Supervisor who was arrested on child abuse charges in late 2013 after a foster child was found chained to her porch with a dead chicken around his neck).* At present, the Union County Department of Social Services chooses not to review the Child Protective Cases which were supervised by Wanda Sue Larson.
Although medical records evidencing sexual abuse were presented, the Union County custody court Judge continued to permit unsupervised overnight visits between the toddler and the perpetrator father. The abusive father is financially supported by family and friends that are economically and socially connected within the Union County, NC community. (There are also other independent cases/reports of sexual abuse committed by this perpetrator against other young female extended family members.)
With no other place to turn and in an effort to protect her daughter, Kristy took her daughter and went into hiding in December 2015. Strangely, neither the Union County DSS nor the Union County Sheriff’s department made any plea to the public for assistance in locating this child. No amber alert was issued. No Missing Persons report was completed. It was almost one year later before any public plea to locate this child was made on behalf of the abusing father by the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
With threats of federal charges against family members being made by US Marshals, together with the inability to continually financially provide for herself and her daughter while in hiding, Kristy turned herself in to US Marshals in January 2017, anticipating that her daughter would finally be protected from her abuser. Sadly, Kristy Brooks was wrong. Kristy was arrested on felony charges and jailed in Union County. Kristy’s daughter was returned to the clutches of her abuser.
Thanks to the support and generosity of representative Fern Shubert for providing the funds needed to release Kristy from jail, Kristy is now preparing to defend herself from the egregious charge of Felony Child Abduction. At present, local new stations WBTV, WSOC and FOX 46 are actively investigating and reporting this story and the documented Union County corruption associated with this and other local cases. Unfortunately there are numerous whistleblowers in the Union County community and associated with this case that will not go on the record due to fear of retaliation as the list of culprits in this case dips far into the local and state government employee pool.
Although a full Federal Investigation is needed into this case and into Union County Local Government, Kristy is forced to have her case tried in the County and before the Judge that has already failed to protect her little girl from continued sexual abuse.
The Judge on this case is now requiring Kristy to pay the following in order to even see her daughter: $150.00 Supervised visit Application Fee; $140.00 per week for a four hour visit with her daughter, which is to be scheduled at the discretion and whim of the abuser father with no specified prior notice to Kristy; Child Support to the abusive father; Attorney’s fees of the abuse father. Kristy must also procure funds to pay Attorney’s fees to defend herself against the Felony Child Abduction Charge.
This Mother needs our help. Despite her smile at times, she is hurting and so is the rest of her family. Because of the control the abuser father has over when and where visits with her daughter will be and he has been given the authority to schedule these visits at a moment’s notice to the Mother, employment is not an option for this mom. Not many employers are willing to hire someone knowing that they are going to need extensive time off, at the spur of the moment, to attend supervised visitations and numerous court hearings. The family has exhausted all their resources that could have been applied to legal fees. This Mother, Little Girl and their Family need our help.
The Family Court and Child Protective systems in Union County, NC have failed this little girl, her mother and her family. They are being extorted for speaking up and seeking help from the governmental agencies created to provide such help and protection. Every little bit will greatly help this family and the fight ahead. Thank you in advance for your compassion, generosity and support to benefit a brighter future for this Beautiful Little Girl, her mother and their family.
Thank you to The Future Of Our Children Radio Network and the Judicial Accountability Movement (JAM) for their support of this family and many other families and children.
