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Parents and witnesses tell committee DCYF removed children over homelessness and allege record problems
Summary
Two witnesses told the special committee they believe the Division for Children, Youth and Families removed children because of homelessness and alleged DCYF withheld or redacted records, delayed approvals and failed to provide resources; the committee heard calls for stronger oversight and whistleblower protection.
Grisely Glenn, a mother who told the Special Committee on the Family Division of the Circuit Court that her children were taken from her after she became homeless, described an ex parte removal and a sequence of local welfare interactions she says produced no shelter or support. "They took the 3 older ones and left her with the most vulnerable," Glenn said, describing an affidavit signed by a DCYF Manchester staffer and a lack of assistance from Manchester City Welfare.
Another witness, Donald Gilbert, said he has seen what he described as systemic record withholding and redaction and warned that local offices had been instructed not to create certain records. "Office of the Child Advocate testified indicating that DCYF has been hiding records and forging records to the Office of the Child Advocate and the attorney general's office," Gilbert said to the committee.
The testimony raised multiple specific concerns: witnesses said removals were triggered when families faced homelessness, that kinship placements were denied after home studies, and that a foster-home permitting process had taken months. Glenn said her 14-year-old son was sent alone to a hospital for evaluation and described worsening behavior after the removal. Gilbert said some caseworkers linked to high-profile cases were moved between offices rather than removed and described obstacles for whistleblowers inside DCYF.
Committee members responded with sympathetic remarks and asked staff to trace constituent relations complaints. Chair (identified in the transcript as chairman Land) said she would "look into" how constituent relations processes are handled and noted the difficulty the committee faces if the department declines to participate in hearings. Members and witnesses also referenced an ACLU report (If I wasn't poor, I wouldn't be unfit) and an ongoing federal lawsuit, which witnesses said complicated oversight efforts.
The committee did not take formal action but asked staff to follow up on how constituent complaints are routed and whether oversight channels — including the Office of the Child Advocate — have full access to records. The panel scheduled further meetings and said it would seek more documentation before recommending legislative changes.
