Through Kelsey
Smith-Briggs' Eyes
What Do DHS Visitation
Logs Tell Us?
Kelsey Smith-Briggs - a
child, not a purpose.
By Barry Jon
Investigative Reporter
http://www.usobserverok.com/articles/kelsey/kelsey-visitation.htm
Lincoln County, OK -
The story of Kelsey Smith-Briggs'
death is hard no matter which version you choose to believe. Looking
back on the tumultuous nine months of custody battles from January
2005 through the fateful day of October 11, 2005 we hear countless
renditions of what was happening when Kelsey was with one person or
another. We speculate using timelines and we reason with the aid of
testimony, but only once do we get a glimpse on a level playing field.
Only once do we have the opportunity to see through the eyes of an
impartial third party. Only once, when all things were equal, do we
have the occasion to compare apples to apples.
The month of April
2005 elevated concerns over Kelsey and threw DHS into a frenzy. The
events between the 14th and the 25th are highly debated. Where was
Kelsey and when were her legs injured from the time she sprained her
ankle till the day she was diagnosed with two broken legs? Even the
very nature of the injuries are as contentious as the timeline. The
dispute over accident versus sinister is deliberate by experts to this
day. DHS files and the OCCY reports show caseworkers' inability to
conclusively determine either the nature of the injuries or the
whereabouts of Kelsey when they occurred. Interestingly enough,
although District Attorney Richard Smothermon was already involved in
Kelsey's case at the time neither he nor one of his Assistant DAs
conducted their own investigation.
Without a cause
identified Kelsey was removed from the guardianship of her paternal
grandmother (Kathie Briggs) on May 3rd and taken into DHS custody to
be placed in a foster home. Kelsey was placed by DHS in the home of
Gayla Smith (Kelsey's maternal grandmother) where she remained for a
month and a half from May 4th until June 15th. During this time
visitation for her paternal grandparents (Kathie & Royce Briggs), her
mother (Raye Dawn Smith) and her step-mother at the time (Ashley
Briggs/ Lytle) were scheduled at DHS offices. Kelsey's father (Lance
Briggs) was out of state during this time and according to DHS
visitation logs her step-father (Michael Porter) had one in-person
visit with Kelsey during these six weeks. These visits were Kelsey's
only in-person contact with these people while she was in foster care.
The visits took place
at DHS offices in designated visitation rooms where participants could
be observed through one-way glass. Observation consisted of one or two
DHS aide workers at any given time. These aide workers would then
write notes on what they observed throughout the visit. This is our
glimpse of Kelsey's interaction with these people while on a level
field. This is where we see through the eyes of a trained DHS worker
unconnected to either side of the custody battle.
Kathie Briggs:
Paternal Grandmother
The first scheduled visit after
Kelsey was taken into DHS custody on May 3rd was with her paternal
grandmother on May 6th. According to the log the first thing Kelsey
did was "yell at GM (grandma)." Keep in mind Kelsey had not seen her
grandmother since she was removed from her house three days prior.
During that visit Kelsey tried to bite her on two occasions, attempted
to hide from her and ultimately "crawled over [to] the corner and
covered up like she was going to sleep." Strange behavior for a child
having been deprived of their grandparent for several days.
Kelsey's second
scheduled visit was on May 9th with her mother, Raye Dawn Smith. The
DHS aide remarked, "Kelsey was very excited to see her mom" and
"Kelsey seems to be very comfortable with Mom." The two "read books
and watched TV" and when the visit was over "Kelsey gave Mom two big
hugs." Kelsey's mother was seen "crying when she left today."
What follows over the
next many weeks remains consistent with few variations. When her
grandparents were present Kelsey continued to "swing her arms like she
was trying to hit GM," "scream" "throw all her books across the room"
"cried most of the visit" "hitting her head with her hand and telling
the grandparents to 'stop it'" "scratch grandpa" "continue to be mean
to grandpa" "pinching and pulling at grandpa's arm" "Kelsey yells at
grandpa 'No, No'" "trying to be mean to GM by pulling her hair" "keeps
to herself, not wanting to interact with the grandparents" and
attempted to hide from them so often it was noted as "She has been
doing this at every visit." Why would a little girl pretend to "hide"
when her grandmother was around so often it caused DHS to note "She
has been doing this at every visit" but not once display this activity
while in the presence of her mother?
Finally, on July 6th without any call or warning Kathie Briggs simply
did not show for a scheduled visit where Kelsey was waiting. Instead
Kelsey's step-mother, Ashley, came alone. When DHS case worker Yolanda
Hunter asked where Kathie was Ashley "told worker that [Kathie] would
not come to the office because DHS told in court what a bad person she
was and she did not want anybody to state any more bad things about
her." Not that DHS had lied or even stretched the truth, but she just
didn't like "bad things" being said about her.
When we cast our eyes on Kelsey's visits with her mother, Raye Dawn,
we see "excited to be with Mom today" "She went right into her arms"
"hugs and kisses today" "Kelsey talked the whole visit" "Mom painted
Kelsey's fingernails" "Kelsey told Mom she missed her" "she woke up
when she heard Mom's voice." Just as the outbursts with her
grandparents were consistent so too where these notations when Kelsey
was with her mother. On one occasion, June 3rd, Kelsey was noted as
"very agitated today and would not do anything GM tried to do" but
when her mother showed up for her visit right after, the observer
stated "Kelsey's attitude changed with mom. She was happy and very
playful in this visit. Aide did not observe any outburst with mom."
There was a switch turning on and off inside of Kelsey; she reacted
the way she felt.
On one visit Kelsey "told her Mom that Daddy Mike hurt her head." At
the time of the visit, May 18th, it had been more than 16 days since
Kelsey's last contact with Michael Porter. The aide noted it and
Kelsey's mother, Raye Dawn, spoke with DHS regarding Kelsey's
statement. The very next day Kelsey had two scheduled visits: first
with her grandparents, Kathie & Royce Briggs, and the second to follow
immediately after with her mother and Michael Porter (Porter's first
since Kelsey went into DHS custody). When the aide went to retrieve
Kelsey from her visit with the Briggs, Kathie claimed "when Kelsey saw
Mike she crawled up on her lap and said she did not want to see him."
Yet, when the aide "carried Kelsey into the room she was happy to see
Mom and Mike." "At no time did Kelsey show any fear of Mike." Two
weeks later in a visit with Kathie they "were sitting on the couch
talking about their feet when aide observed Kelsey saying Daddy Mike
hurt my feet" yet Kathie "did not comment on this." Kelsey mentions
Mike where the aide worker can hear her only twice (once to her mother
and once to Kathie) but only the mother acknowledges it. Who exactly
was and was not looking out for Kelsey?
Kelsey while with her
grandmother Kathie Briggs
Never before and never after are we able to gain such insight into
Kelsey's view of the people in her life. Her actions tell the tale of
how it made Kelsey feel when placed in the same room but with
different people. Fascinatingly, DA Richard Smothermon fought and won
for the suppression of this evidence during the trial of Kelsey's
mother, Raye Dawn; sadly only one of the virtually countless
mishandlings of Kelsey's case. Raye Dawn allowed her daily life to be
an open book to DHS. Even in testimony DHS stated that she was
"completely cooperative" and that she did "everything that was asked
of her." Yet, Kathie Briggs abruptly refused visits with her waiting
granddaughter because "she did not want anybody to state any more bad
things about her." Even if we ignore what the logs tell us about
Kelsey's time with Kathie Briggs, the relationship she had with her
mother from just these logs is still significant. Once again, actions
speak louder than words, and Kelsey's actions spoke volumes.
Kelsey's Visitation Logs
Kelsey's Version
