'Hundreds-Of-Thousands Of Children Affected:' Petition For Grand Jury Investigation Into DHS

An Oklahoma child advocacy group is pushing for an investigation into Oklahoma Human Services. The petition filed Monday in Oklahoma County is a request for a grand jury investigation. 

“There are horrific crimes that have been committed against children and everybody seems to look the other way,” said Mandy Reed, founder of Oklahomans for Children’s Rights. 

The petition was filed by Oklahomans for Children's Rights, It says in part, they are “requesting this court impanel a grand jury for the purpose of investigating crimes against children and their families.”

In a press conference at the state capitol Monday morning, Representative Justin “JJ” Humphrey calls out alleged problems at DHS. “It is time that we, the Oklahoma people, take back our government,” said Rep. Humphrey (R-Lane). “Massive amounts of evidence and yet nothing is being done.”

Representative Humphrey was at the forefront of a request for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations to launch an investigation of Oklahoma Human Services. But, it has not yet been approved. 

“It's important to push forward because there are hundreds of thousands of children that are affected by this,” said Reed.

Reed says she is hoping to get a grand jury approved, so they can have additional methods to look into individual caseworkers inside of DHS.

“We're not asking for us to go in and tell you a story and you believe us, we have the evidence to prove all the things that have happened,” said Reed.

Reed started Oklahomans for Children’s Rights, the face behind the new petition. But she says she is not alone in this fight. “There are a lot of parents I talk to on a daily basis that we are helping each other push for change, and the stories are all sounding the same,” said Reed.

The petition lays out a list of ten allegations against DHS:

1. Oklahoma Human Services (Formerly OKDHS) administrative staff have failed to report the abuse of children.
2. Employees of the Oklahoma Human Services Department have falsified, changed, destroyed, and withheld documents that will show crimes against Oklahoma children.
3. Employees of the Oklahoma Human Services Department have intentionally committed fraud and perjury in all levels of Oklahoma courts to cover up crimes against children.
4. The administration at the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth has collected evidence of crimes against children and withheld that knowledge in order to protect criminals within the OHS department.
5. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth has collected public dollars to organize the multi-disciplinary teams required to give abused children the professional health they need for protection and recovery. But, the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth does not provide the structure required to provide abused children the services they need in each district. 
6. The Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth has collected public dollars to provide Post Adjudication Review Boards to oversee children who have been separated from their families. But, the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth does not provide the services mandated by law.
7. The administration at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has violated the Constitution of Oklahoma, conspired with publicly elected officials, and obstructed appropriately requested investigations of law enforcement and a legislative body that would bring justice to abused children and vulnerable adults in Oklahoma.
8. The Oklahoma Human Services administrative staff have seized, garnished, and/or ordered child support or financial support without the proper court documents or authority.
9. Collins, Zorn, and Wagner, PLLC have engaged in conspiracy and collusion with the Oklahoma Human Services Department to input fraud and perjury into numerous local and state courts. These acts of fraud and perjury have been used to cover up crimes against children for their personal gain.

“It's not just crimes against children; I mean these are crimes against the families, crimes against the state, these are horrific things that are going on in our state. This is a crime against humanity,” said Reed.

They're working to get petitions moving in multiple counties. To convene a grand jury in any Oklahoma county, a minimum of 500 signatures is required.

Oklahoma Human Services responded in a statement saying: "Oklahoma Human Services is an advocate for transparency and will fully cooperate with any investigation into the agency."