Opinion ID: 6227009
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Department Removes K.W. from Relative Care

Text: On Friday, December 6, 2019, after putting K.W. on the bus to school, Grandma B. left for a day trip to attend her niece’s graduation, about three hours away in northwest Oregon. She planned to return later that evening and arranged for her son, Mr. W., to pick up K.W. Mr. W.’s daughter and K.W. attended the same after-school day care, and Mr. W. was on K.W.’s approved pickup list. They planned for K.W. to stay at Mr. W.’s house until Grandma B. returned later that evening. 1 K.W.’s mother’s parental rights were later restored, and he has since been placed with her. 2 A child is considered “legally free” when no one holds parental rights and the child is legally free for adoption. See RCW 13.34.210. 4 In re Dependency of K.W. No. 99301-7 While Grandma B. was driving to Oregon, a department social worker sent her a text message to see if she would be available to meet the following Wednesday. Grandma B. responded, “I am out of town but I will connect with you when I am back next week.” 4 Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 802. As it was Friday afternoon, Grandma B. intended to get back in touch with the social worker the following Monday. The social worker texted Grandma B. back, “Who is [K.W.] with while you’re out of town?” Id. Grandma B. did not respond immediately because she was driving. The social worker did not call Grandma B. or any other relative at that point, but she contacted K.W.’s school. The school staff said K.W. had already gotten on the bus to day care but mentioned that he had a cell phone and tried to call a person labeled “Mom” that day. 4 CP at 795. The social worker went to the day care and spoke with K.W., who said he was staying with Aunt H. for six days. Concerned that Grandma B. might have left K.W. for six days, that Aunt H. might not have childcare while she was at work, and that K.W. might have contact with his mother, the social worker took him into custody. The Department and the court-appointed special advocate (CASA) repeated these allegations multiple times in the record over the next several months. Grandma B. consistently stated that she had always planned to return to Washington the same day and pick up K.W. from her son’s house, and she submitted an e-mail from her 5 In re Dependency of K.W. No. 99301-7 supervisor confirming that she requested one day off work and a receipt showing that she rented a car for one day. When Grandma B. learned that K.W. had been taken into department custody on the afternoon of December 6, she immediately drove back to Seattle. She tried to call the social worker to find out where K.W. was but got no answer, and when she saw the missed text message, she responded that she was on her way back. These events all happened within the span of two hours. The Department placed K.W. in respite care for the weekend, 3 and the following Monday, moved K.W. to the home of a prospective adoptive family. 4 Aunt H. contacted the Department that Monday to inform them she was able to be a permanent placement for K.W. because her work schedule had changed. She also pointed out that she was a certified home care aide, submitted a background check, and submitted a home study that had been completed in 2013. The Department informed her that K.W. was already placed with a prospective adoptive family. 3 While in respite care, K.W. said he was scared of returning to Grandma B.’s home, though he did not say why. He later filed a declaration saying that he felt safe with his grandma, he did not know why he said he felt unsafe, and he considered her house his home. 4 While in this first prospective adoptive family’s care, K.W. said he did not want to go back to Grandma B.’s home because he was scared of a man named Mr. R. He said that Mr. R. is “rude” and hits him, but that Mr. R. does not live at Grandma B.’s home. 4 CP at 797. In his subsequent declaration, K.W. retracted this statement as well, stating that it was a long time ago when Mr. R. was mean to him, and he felt safe in Grandma B.’s home. Also, while K.W. was with this prospective adoptive family, his braids were cut off. 6 In re Dependency of K.W. No. 99301-7 However, within less than one week, that family informed the Department they would not adopt K.W. and asked for him to be removed from their care.