angry clouds of discontent

Family feud focuses on disabled pair's home

[The following comments will be made with the assumption that you have taken the time to read this article that was posted today]

I CANNOT believe the slander that the Cincinnati Enquirer has printed. Granted, I am biased because this is my family, but this entire article lacks research and is unfounded. As a Master's social work student, I'm appalled at the accusations and lack of investigation made into this situation on the part of the Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Service Board.

"They were living (in) really foul, and very bad conditions. They were taken out of his custody and then Tom (their nephew) stepped in and was taking care of them.

I love how this statement was made by Glenda Cordell, the owner of New Hope Health Care, the agency that provides my great aunts services through the Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services board, as if she was somehow involved in protecting my aunts from the harmful situation my great uncle had them living in. I will not defend my great uncle Tony, who is not the target of most of this article, because he is an alcoholic and did not take care of my aunts. But it was MY FAMILY who stepped in, not Hamilton County, to get my great uncle kicked out of the house and have my Uncle Tommy move in with them. My great aunts even stayed with my family, in our home, for a period of time while their house was fixed up, as the living conditions were horrid.

Since my Uncle Tommy has moved in with them is when Hamilton County Board of Developmental Disabilities got involved, so that my great aunts would have the opportunity to attend school or work in a day hab. He set up services so they would have care throughout the day while him and his wife are at work. They were taken to Reds games (which Carol is a HUGE fan of the Reds), church and involved in family gatherings, etc., which they never were given the opportunity before.

And now they are accusing my uncle Tommy saying, "Accusers say he is trying to boot the sisters out of the house so he can sell it and pocket the money." Who are these alleged accusers? Please do step out of the woodwork and explain yourself? My great aunts were abruptly taken from their home without out any notification or justification. There was an alleged physical abuse charge, but NO investigation. My uncle was never ordered to court, NOTHING! Yet they want to say: "Thomas Currens Jr. and his wife could not be located by officials and weren't at either of the two court hearings held on the issue," as if they have even tried. My uncle is not in hiding. His mail is being forwarded to his new address, and anyone with half a brain should be able to figure that out. He was never notified of these said hearings. I cannot get over how ridiculous this is.

We had no idea where my great aunts were FOR MONTHS! They spent the holidays with strangers. Their caregiver wouldn't even let my grandmother in even though they were begging to see her. My grandmother ended up getting blasphemous disorderly conduct charges because the aid called the cops. We were told to not return to the house unless we had a lawyer because a restraining order had been filed. But explain to me what accusations are against the rest of us?? There are none. So tell me what justice is being provided to my aunts by denying them their RIGHT to see their family? Maybe Hamilton County wants that trust and the $128,340 under their control.

Another uncle of mine has hired a lawyer and this WILL BE fought. But the whole situation seems rather fishy as Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Board are giving his lawyer the runaround. I would love to send this to Kimball Perry, the author of this retched article, but now we have to watch our every word and move so that our actions are not misconstrued as they clearly have been doing to my uncle.

This is not as eloquent as I would like, as I wrote it in the heat of the moment.  But I have posted responses under the comments section of the article that are more fact, less feeling, under the name of socialservice9.  We'll see if the Enquirer deletes them as they have already done to some posters.