DHS may send 2-year-old girl to Mexico

DHS may send 2-year-old girl to Mexico

Tools

Story Published: Apr 9, 2008 at 5:18 PM PDT

Story Updated: Apr 11, 2008 at 12:17 AM PDT

By Dan Tilkin and KATU Web Staff

Video

HILLSBORO, Ore. – The state of Oregon may try to take a 2-year-old girl from her grandparents in Hillsboro and send her to Mexico to live with relatives of her half-siblings – people she doesn't know.

State officials say they aim to keep the three children together, a move that the grandparents, Luz and Maurice Cephus, are fighting.

The girl at the center of the conflict is 23-month-old Faith Cephus. Her grandparents, (pictured below) who became the girl's certified foster parents, want to adopt her but are living in fear of losing her.

"Her being our blood granddaughter, we thought it was a shoe-in," Maurice Cephus said. "We have a home here. We have an ample amount of space for her. We love her. She's our son's daughter."

But it is not that simple.

To understand why, you have to get a handle on her complicated family tree.

Faith's mother and father are both in prison and are on the verge of losing their parental rights.

That's why the girl lives with her paternal grandparents.

But Faith's mother also has two other children in Oregon, which are Faith's half-brother and half-sister.

The father of those kids is also in prison, and his parents live in Mexico City.

The state is examining whether to send all three children south to Mexico City together, where Faith would live with people she's not related to.

Greg Parker, a spokesman for the Department of Human Services, said the process is just beginning.

"Should siblings remain together? What weight do we give biological grandparents?" Parker said, describing some of the questions involved in such a case. "So it's a tough decision, but it's a decision that we have to make every day, and we start with what's best for the child. Right now it's a little premature to talk about that."

The state said Faith's grandparents need to wait for the process to move forward, adding that a number of court hearings still need to take place before a final decision is made.

That's of no comfort to the Cephuses.

"We're fit to be tied at this present time," Maurice Cephus said. "It's really gotten out of hand. And we don't know what else to do."

Weather & Traffic

Icon
Current Temp 60.0 °F
Overcast
Video
More Weather

Resources and info you need to prepare for the switch to DTV.

Stay Connected

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Viewer Poll

How has Facebook changed your life?

  • I got a job through Facebook
  • I hooked up with old college/high school friends
  • It's how our family keeps in touch / updated
  • I learned odd new things about my friends
  • It's helped my business
  • I'm still on the fence about using it

Marketplace