Marcus Fiesels Gift To Other Foster Children Keeps Him Alive
As everyone knows Marcus is CASOO's number one poster child. Marcus was the first child we openly searched for last year with our flyers and his loss deeply effected us. It is with that heart felt loss that we continue to look for other children and get the changes needed within our systems. Today is a day that Marcus will be carried on in history and kept alive forever by legislation that was passed in Ohio. Children will now be and can be safer with the ways foster parents will be allowed to become part of that area of tending to your or anothers child. Ohio State Sen. Gary Cates-R-West Chester, on Tuesday said,"the legislature is a reactive body( and reacts) most of the time to unfortunate situations." Cates and his collegues deserve some praise for the way they have reacted to Marcus death at the hands of David(whos in Kentucky on trial as well for criminal acts towards Marcus) and Liz Carroll. On Tuesday the Senate unanimously passed a series of reforms for foster care systems here in Ohio. The reform is designed to prevent other children from suffering the fate Marcus suffered last summer when he was wrapped in a blanket and duct tapped in 100 degree weather while both the foster parents and Mr. Carrols girlfriend went on a week-end vacation. Assuming the House gives final approval to companion legislation. And Sen.Cates along with others urge them to do so with out delay. A task force of legislators, public children services agencies, advocacy groups, and foster parents helped Cates and Sen. Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond to draft the reforms. Among key provisions: * Increasing training for foster parents who take in special needs children like Marcus from 24 hours to 36 hours. ** FBI background checks on all foster parent applicants and adding foster parents to finger printing database's. *** Improving cooperation and information sharing between various public agencies so problems uncovered by one are available to others. **** Expanding the list of offenses that would disqualify someone from becoming a foster parent. Had these been in place 18 months ago surely Marcus would be celebrating his 4th B-Day. However hind sight and what if's can never bring Marcus back to be loved by someone who would have cherished him no matter the illness. But with the legislation that is taking place from Marcus demise as a foster child other children in the system his brief life that is and has been for ever silenced will not have passed on unnoticed. Marcus Fiesels legacy to other children will and can be the new rules being set into motion as safe guards for other children in Ohio who may or may not stand a chance of being placed into foster care. Thank you Marcus for your undieing contribution to other's. If ever anyone deserved a medal CASOO believes it is you our little soldier who fought but was lost in the battle. Happy Fourth Birthday Marcus you are a History maker. May you rest in peace.