Dad retained custody despite numerous child abuse and neglect allegations; now 11-year-old boy is dead from "suicide" (South Lake Tahoe, California)

Why the hell did dad DAVID ELLIOTT have custody of his 11-year-old son? And who gave it to him?

Family Services has been investigating this custodial father for 8 years over concerns regarding lack of supervision, physical abuse, parental drug use, and lack of household necessities. The most recent contact was only a month ago. Yet all were "unsubstantiated." I'm convinced these so-called investigators are deaf, dumb, and blind.

Although she had "joint custody," Mom was only awarded visitation on weekends and holidays. This despite the fact that Dad was unable to maintain heat or hot water in the home for the past six months. (Note that the dimwit investigators said this claim was "unsubstantiated," then turned around and handed the dad "placement prevention funds" to help restore gas services to the home.)

On Daddy's side, Family Services offered him "parenting" classes, help with obtaining Medicaid, and provided "counseling" for both father and son. (They were also facilitating "contact" between the boy and his mother by phone. Isn't that special? But why was this necessary? Was Dad cutting off phone contact? Was Mom's access restricted, despite the fact that it doesn't appear that she was the one with all the problems?)

It looks like these damn authorities were bending over backwards trying to accomodate (if not coddle) this deadbeat, abusive, and neglectful father. While this poor little boy is having to get Family Services involved just to talk to his mom on the phone. WHY?

After all the b***sh** these people have been putting out over the past 8 years, it's now claimed the boy's death was a "suicide." And that there were no signs of "foul play" or "abuse," so no charges are pending against Daddy.

What a freaking crock. Even if Daddy didn't have a direct hand in this boy's death, he had a role in this. And the agencies who went out of their way to keep this boy in his father's home and away from his mother.

Mom says she supports an investigation. And so do I.

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20091218/NEWS/912179979/1056&parentprofile=1056

Friday, December 18, 2009
Child welfare officials investigate South Lake Tahoe boy's death
Sheriff's office finds no signs of foul play
By Roseann Keegan

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif — Child welfare officials are investigating the suicide of an 11-year-old Stateline boy to see if a lack of supervision played a role in his death.

The Nevada Division of Child and Family Services released a report this week regarding the Dec. 14 death of Chandler Nash-Elliott, a fifth-grader at Zephyr Cove Elementary School.

The report states that Family Services has been involved in the boy's life since 2001 due to concerns of lack of supervision, physical abuse, parental drug use and lack of household necessities to care for a child. The report states that those claims were unsubstantiated.

It's unclear at this time why the case remained open at the time of Chandler's death. A case worker met with the boy and his father, David Elliott, as recently as Nov. 19, according to the report.

Chandler lived with his father in their Tina Court home on Kingsbury Grade where his body was discovered.

Elliott could not be reached for comment. A phone number previously used to reach the father has been disconnected.

Chandler's mother, Marie Barstow, had joint custody with visitation on weekends and vacations. She was in Arizona when Chandler died. Barstow said she planned to spend Christmas with her son.

Barstow said she supports any investigation into her son's death.

“I welcome it,” she said.

Barstow called Chandler's caseworker in November to complain that Elliott's house was without heat or hot water for six months, she said.

Ben Kieckhefer, public information officer for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, said the report's claim of lack of household necessities was linked to that issue.

The report also states:

• The division made referrals to the family to DCFS–Intensive Family Services, Medicaid and referred the father to parenting classes for dealing with pre-adolescent youth.

• The family did not use DCFS–Intensive Family Services. The social worker was working with the family on obtaining Medicaid and counseling.

• The division provided the family with placement prevention funds to help restore gas services in the home, even though the report states that claims of lack of household necessities was unsubstantiated.

• The division also facilitated contact between mother and child by phone, and confirmed that the child was seeing the school counselor three times a week and was often eating lunch with the school counselor.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office concluded its investigation into Chandler's death Thursday. Spokesperson Sgt. Jim Halsey said there were no signs of foul play or abuse related to the death and that there are no charges pending against the father.

Zephyr Cove Elementary Principal Nancy Cauley said she was unable to comment on the school's involvement in the case due to district policy.

The report also stated that the division will be offering services to the family to address grief and loss. Barstow said she has not yet been contacted.