That seems to be the difference between Larry's videos and Howard's videos, too. Larry's were kind. Howard's were vicious and hateful and demeaning.
Mother wants her kids back
By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com
A mother claiming that her daughter was taken away from her, and placed in a home for "no apparent reason" is still fighting for the release of her child after two weeks of trying.
Arlene Forbes, of Grand Bahama, heartbroken and recently separated from her husband, jobless and left without a choice, sent her kids to live with their father in Nassau, which she later realized was the biggest mistake of her life.
According to her, since that time (in January), her children have been out of school, verbally abused, have run away from their father's home and -- most devastating -- her eldest daughter has been placed in a children's home. All her efforts to get her out were so far unsuccessful.
Forbes admitted that her inability to provide for her children led to the decision to send them to live with their father in Nassau. After an undiagnosed illness, which led to Mrs Forbes becoming disabled in the lower half of her body, she lost her job and her only source of income.
When she received the call about three weeks ago that two of her children, Racquel and Thomas, had run away and no efforts were being made to locate them, Mrs Forbes said she caught the first flight to Nassau from Grand Bahama and went immediately to the police station. Her childen were found four days later hiding out in a wash house in that area. Subsequent to her discovery, Racquel, 14 was sent to the Elizabeth Estates Children's Home.
Telling her story from the beginning, Mrs Forbes, 36, mother of four, said her financial troubles began when her husband left in February last year, fleeing both the island and his family.
"Things got so tough when he left," she said referring to her estranged husband. "He paid child support when he wanted to pay. And he owes a lot in back payment. I would go to court to collect the money but there was no money there."
After months of not having enough to support her childreb Shawnrick, 7, Racquel, 14, Thomas, 11, and Joshua, 3, Mrs Forbes got an affidavit to have the children move in with their father.
The affidavit stated that Mr Forbes inherited a sum of $100,000 from his deceased uncle and was in a better position to care for the children. She stated that she was not relinquishing her parental duty to the children, but that it would be in the best interests of the children if they were allowed to live with their father in Nassau.
However, according to her, that may have been the worst decision she could have made.
After agitating for her daughter's release for several days, Mrs Forbes said this whole process was taking a toll on her, physically, mentally and financially. "It's taking a lot out of me," she said.
According to her, she has been staying at a hotel since she got here at $50 a night, and taxi fees run up to about $45 a day.
Moreover, she said everyday she visits her daughter in the home, she has to watch her cry and face questions to which she has no answers.
"One day my daughter said, 'mommy you are alive and my daddy is alive and I'm in a home -- why?' That hurts me...it's too much for me," she said.
"All I want to do is take my kids back to Freeport with me so that I can take care of my children. My mother and pastor promised to help me. So that's what I want to do. I miss my daughter very much. And that is taking a lot out of me," she said.
According to Mrs Arthur, her attempts to get help from the Department of Social Services have so far proved fruitless. Attempts by The Guardian to reach a social service officer were unsuccessful. The Guardian was also unable to reach the children's father, who did not return calls up to press time.
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/national_local/309993577529625.php