Following the removal of Rosealee’s children from her care, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) issued a statement on Friday about the agency’s decision.
Rosealee shared during a live stream on Thursday that her children had been removed from her custody. The action was prompted by an earlier live stream during which she shared that she sometimes has suicidal thoughts and thinks about stabbing her son, daughter, and partner Jakes to death.
Some supporters of the popular TikToker criticised the CPFSA’s actions online, but the agency defended its decision, highlighting that it has a legal obligation to ensure the care and protection of all children. In a newly released statement, CPFSA CEO Laurette Adams Thomas said that prior to Rosealee’s viral video, the agency had received multiple reports of alleged abuse.
“The CPFSA had previously received multiple reports through our anonymous reporting system of alleged abuse being meted out to both of Rosalee’s children. Our investigation into this matter was already under way, and we had tried to talk with Rosalee multiple times, but she was consistently uncooperative, which hindered our investigation,” Adams Thomas said.
Due to the nature of Rosealee’s latest video, Adams Thomas said that the agency had to act swiftly to protect the children from irreparable harm.
“Following a recent TikTok live session by Rosalee earlier this week, in which she stated that she felt to burn down the house and ‘stab up’ her children and spouse, we decided to escalate our investigation process and safeguard her children by removing them from her care,” Adams Thomas stated.
According to Adams Thomas, in situations such as Rosealee’s where there are allegations that a child is in need of care and protection, the CPFSA or the police must secure the child, in accordance with the Child Care and Protection Act and the agency’s mandate. The parent or guardian of the minor must also be notified that the child is in the CPFSA’s care and will be placed before the court within 48 hours.
Additionally, the child’s guardian must be notified of the date, time, and location of the court hearing so they can be present. Rosealee’s case was scheduled to be brought before the court on September 19.
The judge’s decision has not yet been made public. According to Adams Thomas, the child’s location is not shared with their guardian in cases like this to maintain their safety. Explaining the procedure further, she said that during this initial hearing, the court will grant an interim order for a period of 30 days for the CPFSA to conduct further investigations into the alleged abuse.
“When the period for the interim order has expired, the findings of the CPFSA’s investigation are brought back to the court to determine whether that child may be returned to their parent or caregiver, or if they should be placed into the care of the state under a Supervision Order or Fit Person Order,” Adams Thomas stated.
She went on to clarify that information claiming to be from the CPFSA about Rosealee’s case that had been previously circulating on social media is false.
