Www.lobbyistsofficesofgrw.com has learned that a soap opera is brewing over missing baby Ayla Reynolds.
Trista Reynolds, mother of missing toddler Ayla Reynolds, and her family, released an online statement a few days ago on Facebook addressing events leading up to Ayla’s disappearance.
The Reynolds family provided information on Ayla’s custodial arrangements prior to the girl’s disappearance. The account questions whether a child protective services supervisor acted outside of her authority in transferring the little girl to her father Justin DiPietro.
According to the statement, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services took action after Trista Reynolds, under the influence of alcohol, had an altercation with her sister Jessica Reynolds Oct. 12, resulting in a police visit. Trista Reynolds says the next day a DHHS official told her to “kick the alcohol or lose the kids,” and she entered into substance abuse treatment, starting that day.
Ayla’s Care
DHHS allowed Trista Reynolds’ mother Becca Hanson and sister Jessica to care for Ayla at Jessica’s apartment during Trista’s treatment, the statement said. But on Oct. 17, a DHHS caseworker and CPS supervisor contacted Jessica and told her to give Ayla to Justin DiPietro. The reason given, according to the Reynolds, included the statement “dad trumps the aunt – any day.”
That same day, Lewiston police removed a kicking and screaming Ayla from the Reynolds apartment, the report said, and brought her to DiPietro who was waiting downstairs.
Agreement Reached and Breached
At a family team meeting held Oct. 20 that included Trista, Justin, Jessica and her attorney, two doctors, two DHHS case workers and the CPS supervisor, an agreement was reached, the Reynolds say. Justin would bring Ayla to visit Trista at the treatment facility on Oct. 21, and on Oct. 22 he would release her into Trista’s care at Jessica’s apartment. If Justin failed to comply, the CPS supervisor reportedly said “there would be consequences.”
Trista and her family say Justin did not comply with either requirement. She says she was “stonewalled” by DHHS. Finally, she agreed that Justin could care for Ayla if she and her daughter had regular visits.
Filing for Parental Rights and Responsibilities
Trista filed a petition with Cumberland County Court seeking a declaration of parental rights and responsibilities Dec. 15 at noon. The reasons Reynolds gave for her court filing included infrequent visitation, lack of communication with Justin, and Ayla’s injuries while under Justin’s care. In January, DiPietro told the Morning Sentinel that Ayla suffered a broken arm when he fell on top of her while carrying her and groceries up steps. Trista alleges that Ayla suffered facial bruises in mid-September when Justin took her on a day visit to Chuck E. Cheese, and also returned home from an overnight visit with Justin with a pulled muscle in late September.
The statement says Trista, her mother and brother last saw Ayla on November 21 when Trista accompanied Justin and Ayla to a bone specialist.
Commenter Insight
The comment section of timeline post offered these insights as of Sunday night:
* Justin told Trista that the bruises on Ayla’s face happened when he put her in a Chuck E. Cheese ball pit and other babies beat her up, Trista’s statement said. There is only one Chuck E. Cheese in Maine, according to the Chuck E. Cheese website (it’s in Portland where Trista lives), and the commenter said it does not have a ball pit.
* The site administrator noted two points of interest in the comment section: Trista sought and obtained a green light from the State Police before releasing her statement to the public; and the pre-release version apparently named the CPS supervisor, unlike the version ultimately released.
* According to a Sunday night post on the timeline and posts elsewhere on the net including the Hinky Meter, CPS employee Karen J. Small is related to Justin’s mother Phoebe DiPietro by marriage, and the two are good friends. No one has provided evidence of Small being involved in the custody decisions regarding Ayla. Small is a case worker supervisor at Maine Department of Health and Human Services, according to state records.
Criminal Investigation
Contrary to many news headlines, the Waterville Police Dept. didn’t say Ayla was kidnapped when turning the case over to the State Police.
The police statement said the case evolved from a missing persons case to a criminal investigation. Either a stranger kidnapping scenario or an unauthorized custodial snatch accompanied by a missing persons report would fall within the parameters of that police statement because either one would involve criminal activity.
