Department of Human Services reacts to about allegations of abuse
The Department of Human Services told News Five on Thursday that they could not comment on allegations by Gloria Morales and her daughter, Claudia Zetina. But after their story aired on Thursday, there was reaction from the department. According to, Ava Pennill, the Director of Human Services, Claudia is known for behavioral problems and the bruises she claims were caused by caregivers at a girl’s home, were actually the result of an altercation with another teenager. And while Morales, in an emotional interview, told News Five that her children were well taken care of at home, the department claims they were removed due to abandonment, severe neglect, and exploitation. Pennill concludes saying that the department was granted an interim care order by the Magistrate and Family Courts and that Morales can have supervised visits if she follows proper procedure.
Why are we not hearing the Girls story?
I am eager as are other Belizeans to hear her side of the story. I do not want to hear what the mom or the social workers say.
Let the girl speak.
For too long we have our head in the sand and we do not want to deal with what happening at these institution that house these troubled tenagers. I respect Mrs. Ava Penill a lot, but we need a proper investigation. stop the blame game and do your job dept of Human Services.
Thank you Michael Enriquez
well this is a STRANGE ONE. The truth is that the Human Resource3s Department is a miserable failure in delivering the mucgh published and tout about Food for the Poor.
I won’t criticise the Human Services Department because I am sure that they are doing the best they can with the resources available to them. Even though it would be good to hear the child story she is a minor and we have to protect and prevent her from further public exposure. All her peers would know about the awful life she has endured. Therefore the quicker we can get her help and keep this story out of the media thereby restoring some privacy to her the better.
Many of the overall problems in Belize stems from hierarchy within the system wanting to follow what Americans are doing. Truthfully speaking, Americans are sometimes loss too and don’t know what they are doing! Belizeans are capable of being leaders not followers. Use information to better yourself but not to cope with the Jones’.
Anyway, this young girl’s name should not even be mentioned in the news media to further protect her. Yet we see that the media has no scruples in adhering to privacy rights for minors. If there are any privacy rights for minors, in Belize.
All of you that want to hear the child’s story; it cannot openly be shared since she is a minor. Any statement taken from children has got to be treated delicately; I am not saying that children lie but sometimes because their brains are not fully developed, they may exaggerate the situation or may not fully disclosed exactly what occurred. Again, care has to be taken and interviews done with people that are professionals in handling life’s touchy situations.
Please understand me, I am not putting Belize or Belizeans down. I am aware that Belizeans can be independent of following others they look up to. It is alright to look up to others but it is not alright to follow exactly what they are doing. America is a huge country with far more issues than Belize. There is no comparison between the two.
My take on this is, when I see a problem, it is better to attack the problem rather than beat around the bush.
That’s all!
If the Human Development was so sure about their story then why wouldn’t they comment on the situation earlier, why would they wait until the story hit the media. To me that’s some bs, because I’ve heard social workers themselves complaining about Mrs. Penill. My ex mother in law is foster mother she has about 8 boys in her care and they were times when they would misbehave and she would call Mrs. Penill to come in so that they could talk, but she always claims she doesn’t have the time or would make appointments and then cancel at last minute. Sometimes a child being placed in the institution is not always the best thing. These children have been through a lot in life already, so by placing them into a situation like that is only making things more difficult. These boys that was place in my ex mother in law’s care told us a lot about how they’re being treated there and that’s why most of them try to run away. They don’t get much to eat and would go to bed hungry, they would even put the smaller ones to sell food for them at night, because they were still hungry. The homes in Belize are really over crowed so they can’t take care of all of them. Instead of taking these children from their homes because they mother can’t provide for them, then why not assist the mother with food for her children instead of punishing these kids. Sometimes we adults try to do the thing, but instead mess up these children lives.
IF YOU PEOPLE WOULD ONLY KNOW WHO THE MOTHER IS!! GRINGA FOR SURE SET UP HER DAUGHTER TO WORK IN THIS BAR AND WHEN THE LAW CATCH UP ON THEM THEY TRY TO CHANGE THE STORY AND BLAME OTHER FOR IT.
GRINGA IS NOTHING GOOD, THERE IS NOT ONE PERSON IN SANTA ELENA AND CAYO WHO DON’T KNOW HER, GRINGA IS A HUSLTER, DRUNKARD, THIEF, FIGHTER,SHE HAS GIVEN AWAY MOST OF HER CHILDREN WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG. GRINGA IS TO BLAME FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HER DAUGHTER”S LIFE NOW SHE WANT TO LOOK LIKE IF SHE IS THE VICTIM!! FOOL THE TALK BUT DAH NO FOOL DI LISTEN!! GRINGA YOU THE REAP WHAT YOU SOW!!!
macal rivera
As I said previously it takes a village to raise a child and maybe you and the rest of Santa Elena /Cayo would like to assist this little girl and her siblings. No one would like to hear their mother being characterised in the fashion, so if you are not going to be part of the solution then please don’t be part of the problem.
radical Belizean!!
FOR YOUR INFORMATION THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN THERE FOR THIS WOMAN FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS AND ALL SHE DOES IS CURSE YOUR … OUT, SHE DON’T WANT TO HEAR NOTHING AS LONG AS SHE CAN HAVE HER OWN WAY, SHE IS THE CHILD ABUSER OK, YOU GIVE SHE MONEY FOR THE CHILDREN SHE DRINK IT OUT, YOU CALL HER ATTENTION TO IT, SHE CURSE OUT YOUR …, rADICAL BELIZEAN YOU DON’T KNOW NOTHING oK LISTEN TO WHAT i AM SAYING, SHE IS MY RELATIVE OK AND WE HAVE TRIES TRIED AND STILL TRYING TO MAKE GRINGA MAKE A CHANGE IN HER LIFE BUT SO FAR NOTHING.
macal rivera:
It is not about me, you or the woman. As though it didn’t get through the first time you decide to go even further, and you say you are related to this woman? LADA Mercy!!!
As I said before no child would like to hear their mother being ripped apart in public like this no matter what she does. Even if what you are saying is 100% correct. And you said the mother is abusive right? I am done, you can carry on if you want to. Pretty sad state.
i dont think social workers who looks after our children safety would go around removing children from thier homes…something is not right….the mother sounded and looked fake….she even looked evil……she look like and abuser…
Right on RadicalBelizean It’s people like you who would make this world a better place you have true compassion for people no matter the circumstance..
Macal Rivera
How are you related to Gloria JIMENEZ , MOORE, MORALES or whatever she wants to call herself!!!