Save the children: how the system failed Gabe
I never thought this would happen to me, no one would thought it would be me, sitting here in a cold lonely cell. I never meant for any of this to happen and it hurts to know I could do something so horrible. I never knew I was this person and I’m so sorry for what I did to these families. How could someone be so cruel. I’m a good person, I’m supposed to help children, not hurt them. I’m disappointed at myself for letting this happen. I’m a social worker and I let everyone down. How could I do something like that. See this is my story and I’m ready to tell it after all these years.
I was a social worker and life was so great, I loved helping children who lived in a bad environment. I loved seeing children able to smile again. I would do anything to make a child smile because most the time they had nothing to smile about. Life isn’t always happy. No ones life is, especially a child in the system. I was the best social worker out there. Every one use to come to me when they needed help. I was always booked with new cases every day. I had so many cases that I could even remember half of their names and I tried my best to make sure every child was safe. Even if it meant I didn’t get enough sleep, I would go to the end of the world to make sure every child seem another day. So much for that, right? Now I’m sitting here wondering what I could do different.
I had a case, it was a five year old little boy. He was so bright and had a smile that would light up your whole world. His name was Gabe, Gabe was very special and needed extra attention. I could just remember every time I would show up to his door step and see him holding that stuffed bear in his hand and sucking on his thumb. I failed him, the system failed him. He was only two when he went into the system. He had a horrible life. His mother was bad on drugs and his father was a alcoholic and was abusive to him and his mother. He lived in a little apartment complex, and it wasn’t in the best of condition. But it was a bed, and food, and a roof over his head so the system overlooked it. That was the biggest mistake of our lives. We could see the bruises and the pale skin, like he hasn’t slept in a few days. But we over look it because we thought some kids had it worse and thought they was more important. We was so wrong. If only we would have took it more serious he would still be here, alive, and breathing and probably happy.
I stopped making visits to his house thinking he would be okay because I needed to worry about bigger issues. I was so packed on other cases and just stopped visiting him. I didn’t realize how much worse thing’s gotten. I wish I would have just visited him. Things got worse over the months. He lost so much weight, he was so tiny for a six year old, more bruises appeared. He was locked up, beaten, and I didn’t even bother to care. His teachers notice and reported it but I didn’t care. I didn’t think it was that bad. He was losing hair and becoming weak, he was crying out for help in his head but his little body could only take so much. Then one day I turn on the news and my heart sank. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I couldn’t believe it was true, that I let this little boy down. Cops appeared all around my house asking questions I couldn’t answer. I was so afraid, not only for me but every one else. The whole system. I was in deep and I didn’t know how to dig my way out. That was the day I was arrested. Because I failed him and now he’s dead now. If only I could change the way I did things.
It’s the day, my day in court. And I’m on trial and so is everyone who failed him including his parents. They was asking so many questions, I couldn’t help but tear up and hope for the best, but that didn’t help. I still lost, and rightfully so. His parents were also convicted of his murder. But if it wasn’t for me, he would still be alive. So as I’m writing today, telling my story from this jail cell I want people to know what I did and In the future I want the system to not make the same mistake I did and fail another little girl or boy in the system. Help them, they deserve happiness and joy. Not hurt and pain. Stand up for what’s right. I hope one day this story helps someone who is in the same situation as me and wants to do it different. Be a better person. Do better. Save the children.