Ricky Holland Vanished

Judge Paula Manderfield ruled today that the testimony of Theresa Bronsberg, the Holland foster care social worker cannot testify because her testimony would be both ‘irrelevant and redundant’.

Assistant Prosecutor Michael Ferency tried to plead his case for allowing the testimony of the social worker stating that her testimony is at the “core” of the prosecution’s case. His plea fell on the deaf ears of Judge Manderfield with her “pounding her fists” for emphasis. A brief recess was called after that exchange.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Michael Ferency it is important for the jury to hear just how easy it is for a foster parent to claim a child is in need of special services in order to increase both foster child and adoption subsidies. The ruling also allows Theresa Bronsberg to remain unaccountable for not taking action when she was advised by Ricky’s social worker that he had sustained injuries to his wrists from being tied up with ropes and handcuffs in his bed.

I am reminded of the Holland Home Study that I read. That home study was conducted by Theresa Bronsberg. Theresa Bronsberg would have much to answer to if she were called to testify. In that home study it stated the following:

“…Children that are inappropriate for placement in the Holland foster home include children that have moderate to severe behavior or mental health issues, children with medical needs, and children that have been sexually abused.Children that are fire-setters or who are highly aggressive, oppositional or destructive would also be inappropriate. Children that have serious medical needs, or have physical impairment that limits mobility would also be inappropriate…”

Ricky should have never been placed with the Holland’s. They were not, according to their own Home Study, qualified or licensed to have Ricky in their home. I wonder why the Prosecutor has not mentioned this during the trial.

• Source: DetroitNews.com
• Source: Lansing State Journal

Susan Honeck was called to testify today in the second day of Lisa Holland’s murder trial. Susan Honeck was a social worker assigned to Ricky and she met with him weekly in Jackson, Michigan while he was the foster child of Tim and Lisa Holland.

On one of the visits with Ricky in February 21, 2002 she discovered severe rope burns on Ricky’s wrists.

“His skin was broken, the burn was deep,” Honeck said. When she asked Ricky about the burns, he said they were from the “dog rope.”

“It’s from the rope that they tie me in bed with at night,” Ricky said, according to Honeck.

According to Ms. Honeck’s sworn testimony she filed an abuse and neglect report with the Jackson County Child Protective Services on the same day she saw Ricky’s injuries. However, a week later she received a notice that the allegations were unsubstantiated.

Another quote from the Lansing State Journal article written by Kevin Grasha, regarding Ms. Honeck’s sworn testimony:

During their meeting the next week, Honeck said Ricky’s wrist was healing. When she asked him if he still gets tied up at night, Ricky said his mother and him made a deal: “I won’t pee on the floor, and she won’t tie me up,” Ricky said.

I don’t understand. The only way that I can understand why Ricky Holland was not immediately removed from the Holland home due to this report being filed is that Jackson County Child Protective Services did not speak to Ricky and only spoke to Lisa Holland regarding the injuries. We already know that Lisa and Tim Holland are capable of telling lies to the extreme when it serves their purposes.

This is one instance where Tim Holland’s testimony in his plea agreement has been substantiated. He testified that Lisa had a habit of tying Ricky up. Finally, one statement from Tim Holland has been proven as fact.

I think criminal charges should be filed against Jackson County Child Protective Services and the person or persons who investigated Ricky’s rope burns and did not immediately take action to protect the child in their charge.

I will update this entry as more information comes available.

I will tell you I am having quite a bit of difficulty covering this trial in order to write the entries. The more information that is disclosed, the more painful it is for me to read and write about.