Thanks for the commentary. From the research I've done, it looks like a lot of these programs are having an identity crisis. They don't know which category they fall into, and don't understand how the Interstate Compact applies to them. In this case, it's a bit of a hint that their application packet includes the IC form. If this is not complied with properly is it a Federal offense?
We are desperate. My husband hasn't eaten in three days, and I could pack my clothes in the bags under his eyes. Finally, a relative of the mother emailed us some photos of the child, taken last week at Redcliff. He looked so skinny, sunken in, dirty, and hot. I couldn't stand it. I haven't stopped crying since. I don't know how his mother sleeps at night. I just can't comprehend how she could do something like this to her own child, when he just plain doesn't deserve it. She needs to trade places with him. They made him smile for the picture, I know his fake smile. His face didn't even look the same. It broke my heart, and my husband was crushed.
We hadn't given any thought to a lawsuit. At least, not against Redcliff. We felt they had just made some really bad choices in accepting the child, when there were red flags all over the application. They were very slow to respond to questions or requests, and at some point, they quit responding at all. We've been immersed in trying to find a way to get him out, dealing with a crazy Family Court system (which was apparently a total waste of time, effort and money, since they NOW say it has to be a court order from UTAH). We have so much documentation, we're running out of room to store it all. Until recently, they seemed to be okay with sharing information. But they still chose to ignore the findings of the psychological evaluation which stated this was contraindicated. But now, things are changing. And not for the better. Now they are basically saying the fact that the parents have JOINT legal custody means NOTHING. They are treating my husband like an intruder in his son's life. Now they are telling us things that just don't even sound LEGAL, but refuse to confirm it in writing. Usually if someone won't stand behind a statement in writing, they are afraid of something. We have been allocated 15 minutes per week to get progress reports from his counselor, and that's been our lifeline. I'm afraid they will take that away from us now. That would be like a stake through my husband's heart.
I did get one chuckle today. The guy at Redcliff said he has a young son, and he's going to put his son through the "program" when he's older, just for the great experience of it all. My fantasy would be to open my own wilderness therapy camp in NH, have an unrelated third party sign a consent form and pay to enroll HIS INNOCENT SON in it, have a couple of paid strangers abduct his son without his knowledge, and remove him from his home and bring him to ME. I could show his child a really good, character-building wilderness experience. I would let him eat plain oatmeal every morning, and if he was really good, I might give him a chance to earn some sugar or spices (no kidding, they actually DO this). We'd hike all day in extreme temperatures, stop somewhere and dig a latrine, and sleep under a tarp. I'd hire a licensed social worker to visit the child once a week and talk to him. I would give him a 15 minute report on his son's progress once a week, but he could not see his son or speak to him for 30 - 60+ days. He could send his son letters, but his son's letters back to him would be routed through his worst enemy to decide IF he should receive them. He'd just have to take MY WORD for it that his son is safe and doing just fine. I wonder how he would feel. Would he be angry? Would he be hurt, knowing he couldn't help his child? I honestly don't know. He's just a businessman. Do businessmen cry? Maybe they only cry when they lose money.
I'm sorry. I'm just blowing off steam. And I'm sleep-deprived. We'll be spending the weekend hashing this out, and trying to figure out the next step. This just can't go on much longer. My husband is not going to survive this if we can't do something effective very soon.
Thanks for the support! WE NEED IT!!!!