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December 11, 2006
A message to advocates - let us band together in 2007,
 Yesterday,
December 10th, was the the 10th Annual Worldwide Candle Lighting
Ceremony in memory of children who have died. CAICA sponsored
and dedicated a new
Lifetime Memorial Website for all
children who have died in treatment settings, the juvenile justice
system, and the foster care system. I offer you to visit the site,
share your comments, and light a candle.
Because we just recently learned of
this event we were unable to organize a community ceremony,
something we plan to do next year and urge others to do the same.
For more information visit
http://www.compassionatefriends.org/2006_WCL/2006_WCL_Intro.htm.
Instead, we held our own ceremony
at home. My husband found the perfect sugar cookie candle "for the
children". As he lit the candle, we watched the
slideshow on the new memorial
website . Behind each face is a story, stories many of us know all
too well, stories that bring tears to our eyes and pain in our
hearts.
Preparing this website was one of
the hardest things I have had to do. But there was comfort in seeing
the faces of those of you who are out there working hard to make a
difference. If you would like your picture added to the website,
feel free to e-mail it to me along with your name, a link to your
website, if you have one, and a short description of what you are
doing to make a difference in the lives of children. It sends a
message that we are not alone.
Also, if you have a picture of a
child who died in treatment, in the juvenile justice system, or in
foster care, that you did not see on the website but would like to,
please send them along with the child’s name and the cause of death.
If you would be interested in
sharing reciprocal links with CAICA, please e-mail us at
info@caica.org.
You can visit our links page at:
http://caica.org/LINKS%20PAGE.htm.
I would like to address the issue
of face-down prone restraints, as this has been the common cause of
death in many of these children. Texas paved the way in banning
prone restraints, it is my hope we can help other states to follow
their lead.
 I
urge you all to read the
Information and Resource Packet
about the death of 7-year old Angellika “Angie” Arndt.
Everyone should know who Angie is, and everyone should know her
story. I believe her story will help others better understand what
can, and does, happen to children in facilities when inadequate
training and unqualified staff are caring for some of our most
delicate and precious children. Angie's was not an isolated incident
and it is our hope her death will not have been in vain, but rather
it will bring about awareness and change.
Included in the packet are links to
websites of those who have worked diligently to bring about
awareness of this issue. I thank them for their continued efforts.
Parents who seek help for their children should not fear their child
could be abused, neglected, and worse, could die. Laws, rules,
regulations, and proper training should all be in place in an effort
that these things stop happening, and when they do happen, that
those responsible are held accountable for their actions.
Or their inactions.
 What
about Martin Lee Anderson’s case when the nurse stood by and watched
as guards beat him, shoving ammonia capsules up his nose until he
died?
She was not the only one.
Undoubtedly there were other staff
who heard Angie’s cries for help, other staff who could have seen
she was turning blue before she died. What about the staff holding
her ankles? Didn't they know something was wrong?
 And
undoubtedly there were other staff there who heard Joey’s pleas for
help when he said “I can’t breathe”, during the time he was beaten
and restrained, the restraint that caused his death. Instead, their
conclusion was, “If you can talk, you can breathe.” And sadly there
are many, many more like this.
People who work in these settings
need to use common sense and stop causing these needless and
horrifying deaths.
As we put a close to 2006 and move
forward to 2007, let us all work together in an effort to eliminate
these needless and reckless deaths.
I wish you all a happy and safe
holiday season!
Isabelle Zehnder
Founder and President
Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)
www.caica.org
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