**UPDATES BELOW
To those wanting to follow this story, my first post on it and links to all the other posts can be 
found here, or at the bottom of the post. Full news coverage can be found here.
This afternoon I heard from a member of Kelsey's family. For all the grieving they must be doing at this moment, they have the right to receive information on child services involvement with Kelsey. They have the right to seek justice for this innocent little girl.
I want to thank her aunt for providing me with a link to two websites dedicated to Kelsey. You may find them here and here. On them you will find a list of contacts provided by the family of government officials, and the media. If you feel inclined- I would ask that you take a moment to express to them the importance of this case, and the importance of providing the family with the information they so desperately need. There is also a forum provided on the first site.
This beautiful happy little girl was stolen from her family, by the hands of her stepfather. Allegations of abuse while her father was away serving our county in Iraq went unheard. After being removed from the home she shared with her mother and step father- amid the numerous allegations, she was returned to the very people responsible now for her death. It wasn't just a tragic death, it was a preventable horrifying act. A brave soldier fighting for his country returned home to this. That is no welcome for any of our heros.
Meeker OK- At only 2-and-a-half-years-old, Kelsey Briggs' tiny body had already endured more injuries than most people see in a lifetime. She had broken bones and bruises from head to toe. The DHS report states that Kelsey had a broken collarbone and faded bruises on her thighs and bottom. A doctor said those bruises were the result of abuse, likely from a beating with an object such as a hair brush. Kelsey's mom, Ray Dawn, said she didn't know how the bruises got there. At that time, DHS told a judge that Kelsey needed to be removed from the home and she was. In February the DA went to court to establish Kelsey as a deprived and abused child. The DA said Kelsey's mother and step-father either perpetrated the abuse or failed to protect Kelsey. Two months later, the judge, acting on a DHS recommendation, allowed Ray Dawn unsupervised visits. Given the history some people wonder why DHS thought that was a good idea. Department of Human Service official George Johnson says, Until you can prove a person has done abuse or neglect to a child, at whatever level; until you can prove that, the courts say you need to be certain of things and that there is enough evidence to prove otherwise. If that means returning a child to a childs home you have to do that. Kelsey's guardian, her paternal grandmother, insists the mothers visits only took place if Michael Porter was not around. Within a month, Kelsey was back in a DHS office. She now has more bruises and what's described as a sprained ankle. DHS staff noticed that Kelsey whimpered and would not walk or crawl. They tell her mom to take the little girl to the emergency room right away. Doctors eventually find broken bones and say the injuries are the result of abuse. DHS remove Kelsey from her grandparents home and continue to investigate. Because of Kelseys broken legs, within a month, the Lincoln County DA is back in court and files a petition saying, in part that Ray Dawn, "either perpetrated the acts of abuse or failed to protect Kelsey. However, a month later, in June, the court allows Ray Dawn to have physical custody of the little girl.
I have asked a few fellow bloggers to share this story with their readers. As I receive their posts, I will add them on here. Anyone else interested in helping this family recieve justice, please share this with your readers, and let me know so I can link to it.
The following bloggers have kindly responded:
Voiceless Victims
Vince Aut Morire
MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Stop the ACLU
SSCA
News Of Doom
Randomized Drivel
Beyond Frazzeled
The Uncooperative Blogger
Whatsakyer
The Conservative UAW Guy
Mudville Gazette.com
Hyscience
Fistful Of Fortnights
Who Moved MyTruth
The Right Place
Blonde Sagacity
A Rose By Any Other Name
Army Girl
Structured Chaos
The Original Musings
Sgt Lori
Kieben
Voiceless Victims, Another Post
IMAO
Riehl World View
Iraq War News
Random Thoughts
Randomized Drivel, Another Post
In Training
Fight For Justice
Fight to Stop Violence
**Update
For more posts on Kelsey as I've followed the case:
#1 The arrest of Michael Porter, video links to news on the case
#2 requested copies of the state child welfare workers records from before her death, medical examiners findings
#3 History of 9 months of abuse
#5 DHS calls for protection- irony
#6 Another victim in waiting
#7 Kelsey's Grandmothers Speaks
#8 Who Killed Kelsey?
#9 Mike Porter Gets Bailed OUT
PDF of Application of Arrest Warrent
News Reports:
KOCO "WHO FAILED KELSEY" http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/5235661/detail.html
KOCO WARRANT DETAILS TRAGEDY: http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/5145164/detail.html
KFOR STORY: http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=4068806
NEWS 9: http://newsok.com/article/1666740/
SHAWNEE NEWS STAR http://www.news-star.com/stories/102305/new_20051023066.shtml
SAVE A PARENT http://www.spiritualjourney-site.info/newsreports.php
Meeker girl's death sparks outrage- BLOGGERS MENTIONED , KEEP KELSEY'S STORY ALIVE!
Categories: kelsey
Comments
www.ravingconservative.com
Patti and the Soldiers Angels
soldiersangels@gmail.com
PLEASE let me know if there is anything further I can do.
Going to email Hannity's producer right now...
Structured Chaos.
We must as a country ask for an accounting of the people who let this happen. My heart goes out to her father.
What a sad story, hopefully we can be a voice for this little girl whose voice was stopped way too soon.
I've no words to put to express the loathing and disgust I feel for the mother and stepfather.
This reminded me of Evelyn Miller who also was failed by those who were supposed to protect her.
I will pray for Kelsey, her father, her paternal family, the family who really did love and care about her. I hope somehow justice will be served and peace somehow be restored to her family.
God Bless
~Fyre
http://www.kieben.com/
I will never ever understand how some mutant can do this to a child. I wish he could die in exactly the same way he killed Kelsey. I also will never understand how a "mother" could let this happen to her child. She is no better than he is.
"I'am so tired of all these people alot of people who don't even know these people personaly blaming this on Mike Kelseys step father. The town of Meeker is a very small town and no-one want's to go against some one who is ralated to every one becouse they are all chicken shit. Ray-Dawn killed Kelsey not mike. I'am by the way from meeker. My question is why is she still walking around. Also why has no-one thought of the factor that maybe when Kelsey was being asked all the question on who hurt her leggs, being only a 2 year old little girl that since the breaks were not reconized right away that just perhaps maybe when mike and kelsey would play or by being picked up and carried around that that two may have caused pain to her already broken leggs or thew possibility of when you go questioning a child that age about things that are going on you can easily put the words you want to hear in there mouth. EXAMPLE: Did Daddy Mike Hurt Youre leggs. yes Daddy mike hurt my leggs . He may have hurt them after they were broke but not before. I'am from this little town been there for 25 years, this is more than half my life. While every one focuses on mike this stupid BITCH is going to have another victom. I get my theory about the words in kelseys mouth becouse I have a personal experiance with this. were some one very close to me as achild was going thru a devorice fromaevil wife and he had his daughter my niece for the weekend and He did notice that the little girl had a pretty raw little but from her diaper so he did what every one should do and that is clean her up and put some kind of cream on it well. as any one with a children know that some times as we can tell it stings there butt a little putting that stuff on them. or just by wiping them off that to stings . well to her advantage .the timming just right. did daddy hurt youre pee pee yea. get what iam saying."
un-known | Email | 11.27.05 - 11:09 pm | #
Of course, there is no name and the email address is fake. (What atrocious spelling!)
Thank you for letting me know about the news link! I'm glad that the word is getting out there. They had proof, how could they have failed her so badly?!
They live in Pennsylvania, according to the IP address. I think it's just an idiot stirring up trouble.
I banned them immediately.
I strongly believe that Ray Dawn killed Kelsey and left Mike that day to take the fall for it.
You see she NEVER used to pick up her step-daughter from school. Her comments to Mike were along the lines of "Its your daughter, you go get her" Remind you She Never went and got her from school til this tragic day. Odd hun... Ok in a statement she made to the paper when she left that day "she had a werid feeling" and upon coming back into town she noticed her mom's car not at work and "then I knew" she said.
DUHH!!! She knew she had hurt Kelsey pretty bad! I honestly think this is what happened that day.
Kelsey did something wrong in front of the "observer", but not anything the "observer" thought much about. HOwever, when the "observer" left Rae Dawn scolded her a little to roughly and maybe Kelsey was acting werid so she put her to bed knowing Mike was on his way home shortly or she just knocked Kelsey out. When he gets there she tells Mike that Kelsey is taking a nap. Rae Dawn insists on going to get his daughter from school. Mike starts to clean house and hers Kelsey "gurgle" and rushs to her side, where he notices that she is NOT OK and trys to save her. I would love for the OSBI to give us a time line of how long it takes a child to bleed to death after a blow to the stomach. I honestly don't think Mike could have made the fatel blow. It seems it would take some time to bleed to death, not the amount of time that he had with her. Not to mention I have heard that when Rae Dawn returned home that day that she started yelling "what happened to my baby" before she knew it was even her baby and not her husband. I'm not saying Mike is inocent! I dont' know him at all. But the abuse was obvious and it was allowed! They are both guilty I believe they BOTH need to be in jail! The So Called MOTHER, Rae Dawn, the day after her child was murdered was seen runing the town, smiling, and even wearing makeup! Not your typical Greiving Mother!!!!
PUT THE BITCH IN JAIL!!!!!
She has a history of alochol and abuse and is known to be self centered!! I bet she would go as far as hurting Kelsey for attention for herself!!!!
And don't you find it werid also that the STEP-FATHER, Mike filed for a divorce FIRST!!!! If it were your child, wouldn't you divorce the sick bastard immediately!!! and why is it that when the family is trying to seek out justice for Kelsey and it is a planned event - then the maternal grandmother decides to give a statement on tv, right then or never, leaving the news channels no choice but to cover her. What kind of mother does not want justice for her child?? Why rob the attention away from "Justice for Kelsey"??? oh yeah, she likes the attention on her!
I'm putting this as the mother's words - Forget the protest coverage I'll give a statement and tell you what I want out of our mariage and oh yeah, I'm pregnant!
Lets fight for Lance ~ Like he has FOUGHT for US!!! Lets help save other kids from Kelsey's fate!!
That is my 2 cents - Thanks for reading!
I hope this eveel person dies.
However, none of them did the killing. None of them beat that baby to death. None of them was a parent who was in the home and allowed it to continue happening.
But from the publics' treatment of the workers you would think that we did the murder.
For starters, why is mom still free? The blame lies with the parent who committed these acts and the other parent who condoned it.
I know no child welfare worker that would have ignored this baby's injuries. I do know that it is often difficult to remove and then keep the child from returning to the parents. Judges often send them back before workers feel it is safe.
This was a hideous crime which cries out to Heaven for justice. And justice should be meted out appropriately to the two parents who were the FIRST LINE of defense for a helpless, lovely, innocent child.
"Two months later, the judge, acting on a DHS recommendation, allowed Ray Dawn unsupervised visits. Given the history some people wonder why DHS thought that was a good idea.
Department of Human Service official George Johnson says, “Until you can prove a person has done abuse or neglect to a child, at whatever level; until you can prove that, the courts say you need to be certain of things and that there is enough evidence to prove otherwise. If that means returning a child to a child’s home you have to do that.”
Kelsey's guardian, her paternal grandmother, insists the mother’s visits only took place if Michael Porter was not around.
Within a month, Kelsey was back in a DHS office. She now has more bruises and what's described as a sprained ankle.
DHS staff noticed that Kelsey whimpered and would not walk or crawl. They tell her mom to take the little girl to the emergency room right away. Doctors eventually find broken bones and say the injuries are the result of abuse. DHS remove Kelsey from her grandparent’s home and continue to investigate.
Because of Kelsey’s broken legs, within a month, the Lincoln County DA is back in court and files a petition saying, in part that Ray Dawn, "either perpetrated the acts of abuse or failed to protect Kelsey.”
However, a month later, in June, the court allows Ray Dawn to have physical custody of the little girl. By the end of august DHS workers had noticed Kelsey was refusing to eat, had lost weight and was having night terrors."
Yes Slyboots- the parents had the FIRST responsiblity to protect this child, but remember that when they failed to, and DHS became involved- DHS also took responsiblity for this child. It was THEIR JOB to protect this child. And look at what their recommendations lead to.
and i say this with extreme honesty the stepfather should be beaten everyday until he finally expires as much pain and duress should be felt by him as this poor defenseless little girl felt i
my condolances one again to the family
DHS had 4 child welfare case worker reports. ALL STATED THAT KELSEY NOT GO HOME. In fact they stated the child needed to be in out of family placement. That means she should not go home to Mom, Step Dad or Grandparents.
However, a Court appointed special advocate VOLUNTEER from CASA http://www.iiipublicrelations.com/~casa/index.php?page=about
advised that court that the child should be returned to her mother.
The judge, even after reviewing the professional social worker's reports stating the child was in danger in the home, sent Kelsey back to the mom.
DHS did not try to appeal the judge's decision because unless the judge had made the decision ILLEGALLY it could not be overturned in the state of Oklahoma.
DHS tried to save that baby. Four professional child welfare workers tried to get her out of the home.
A volunteer and a judge sent her home.
DHS Child Welfare Supervisor #2, appeared on behalf of the MOTHER, did not make a recommendation.
DHS Child Welfare Treatment Worker, appeared on behalf of the MOTHER, when asked is there any indication that the be returned to the PATERNAL grandmothers home throught your recommenation? Response "NOt through our recommendation, no" Placement with the mother would be "phased in"
CASA Worker, recommendation "back with her mother"
________________________
I think you have your facts wrong slyboots. Nice try.
CASA is NOT DHS. It is a volunteer organization serving the court,
Second, we are required to represent the interests of all in the case .
No worker from DHS said..."Send her home to mom".
The DHS worker asked that she be sent to her Maternal grandmother with VISITS phased in. And CHBS, the Comprehensive Home Based Services program would assist and monitor the situation during this phasing in. CHBS is NOT DHS either. It is a contracted organization outside of the agency. They usually work through mental health community centers.
We didn't kill Kelsey. We tried to save Kelsey.
The system is not perfect, God knows, but we did all we could to save her short of kidnapping.
DHS Child Welfare Treatment Worker, appeared on behalf of the MOTHER, when asked is there any indication that the be returned to the PATERNAL grandmothers home throught your recommenation? Response "NOt through our recommendation, no" Placement with the mother would be "phased in"
They where not talking about "visits" being phased in, PLACEMENT was the word they used. Placement means living with, not just visiting.
Please get this part right if you want to respond.
And normally, when someone appears on the behalf of someone, even without having to say anything, it shows support for the one they are appearing on behalf of. How many DHS workers appeared on behalf of the mother- compared to the ones that appeared on behalf of the grandparents?
http://www.usobserverok.com/
It's sickening that Kathie is using her sons so called honorable position in the military to play upon our sympathies. It's one thing to mourn the loss of your child, but yet a whole other story when the poor poor pity me card comes into play- "I'm off fighting for my country while my daughter is back home being preyed upon by a monster." Little did he know that his mother was included in that monster category and still is. The child needs peace and no amount of finger pointing, false accusations, and harassment will bring her back. Focus on her memory, bettering your own life, and moving on - not on destroying others.
and the word spreaded natinaly around myspace.
Some sick person hert his step child!!!
personally i think that is so wrong its not funny.
This person and the wife should rot in jail for the rest of there miserable lifes.
I am dissipointed in the woman for not seeing her child was hert and not blaming the step father
i live with my mom and i dont have a step father but if i did i would not believe that that would happen
he should go and rot in hell for all i care for him
He hurt a inocent little girl.
We will all miss you kelsey.
Rest in peace
no one can hurt you now
we all will miss you
as for theparents they can go the bloody hell
and rot
i also hope they toture him there
same to the mother.
sweetie with those pretty blue eyes
Now that I have seen you
I saw your baby cries
No one seemed to listen
No one seemed to care.
As your baby eyes glisten
But in your heart, daddy was always there.
You fought your own battle
as daddy fought his
and though he was very far away
He never forgot to send you a kiss
Baby I know your smiling
your in a better place,
I have my own babies surviving.
Please honey put a smile in their little face
God gave you a purpose
so young you had to go,
Im sorry for what he did to you,
sorry you didn't get to grow.
But you grew in my heart
very deep in my soul
And now that i know your story
you have my heart in a choke hold
So for daddy if you read this
I know life is very unfair
I haven't seen my kids in a year
But someway i have to let them know im their
I live in your pain
a child taken away
to prove that there are good dads
That live this day by day
Not all Fathers are bad
We are proven to the world that
And in the darkest hour we are soldires
Believe me Lance, now i have your back
To Kelsey baby we miss you
As you look upon the world
Thanks to you i understand
Your story now told
About a baby who lived
But not died in vain
May that law protect all children
and may you protect mine the same
Last I want the family to know
its hard to tell you
I don't want to pass my life like this
and to Kelsey, thank you and love you
like it says on the candle para la nina de ojos azules (baby with her blue eyes) Thank you