Mark Caldwell named CAICA Advocate of the Month

Mark Caldwell, proud father of Justin Caldwell, has advocated for his son for years. How many parents have had to lie awake at night for 5 years wondering what has happened to their child that day? How many parents have had their child's adolescents stripped from them, something they can never get back? How many parents have had to fear that if their child does something wrong - even if what they have done is something that under normal circumstances would be dealt with at home and with some therapy - have to fear their child will be taken from them and placed into a system known to abuse children? A system where some children have died as a result of abuse or neglect. How many parents have had to hear stories time and time again that their child is being abused, yet their hands are tied to help their own child? How many parents have learned their child's arm was broken - that they had staples in their forehead - that they were beaten, thrown to the floor, that their heads were slammed to the ground repeatedly? How many? Too many.

Mark Caldwell knows all too well what I am talking about - Dawn Chase is all to familiar with these stories - the same things happened to her son, Christopher. And there are many many more parents who must lie awake at night wondering - what happened to my child today?

Mark and Dawn have worked with CAICA and others in an effort to get the word out and to effect change. All of our hard work is beginning to pay off. Two employees lost their jobs last week at Dozier School for Boys because they abused Mark's son, Justin, and did not report abuse they witnessed. We believe others, too, will lose their jobs for sitting back and watching the abuse without reporting it. It is a federal law that anyone who witnesses abuse who works with children has a duty to report.

Mark has never given up on his son. Justin was thrown into the system when he was 12 - he is now 18 years old. He has not spent one day at home with his father in the past 5 years. The injustices that have occurred are inconscienable. Justice needs to be served in this case - and in the cases of others going through the same thing. It is time for people to come forward if this is happening to their child. It is only when people speak up - and keep speaking up - as Mark has done - that change will take place.

The media has reported about the recent job terminations at Dozier. They did not get the story right - Mark, Dawn, and CAICA are working to get the truth told to the public. Click here for more information, click here for errors in the media.