Letter to DCF: Reporting Child Abuse and Seeking Intervention

This report presents a letter written to the Department of Child and Family Services (DCF) by a concerned individual regarding the alleged abuse and neglect of a child named Annie Mae McClary. The letter details the mistreatment Annie Mae faces at the hands of her stepmother, who is described as an alcoholic and abusive. The writer highlights instances of physical abuse, psychological manipulation, and the child's challenging living conditions, including the need to perform household chores and care for her younger sibling. The letter also recounts a specific incident where Annie Mae threatened her stepmother with a gun. The writer, a neighbor, is requesting the DCF's intervention to protect the child and improve her living situation, either by removing the stepmother or relocating the child. The report emphasizes the urgency of the situation and the potential harm to the child's well-being.

Running head: A LETTER TO DCF
A LETTER TO DCF
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1A LETTER TO DCF
Date
(Sender’s Address)
(Recipient’s Address)
Respected Sir/Madam,
I, the undersigned, am one of the neighbors of Annie Mae McClary. This letter is in
regards to seeking proper intervention from your revered office. The entire community is well
aware of the mistreatment that the child Annie Mae McClary faces at the hands of her
stepmother. The economic status of the concerned family is also poor. The kid does not have her
own mother. Her mother has passed away and the child has started facing problems since her
father has remarried. The present wife, Missy, is known to have been torturing the kid. Thus, I
would like to request the intervention on your part so that the kid is granted a proper life.
The present step-mother of the two kids, Susie and Annie, is known in the community to
be an alcoholic and is majorly known to have been torturous towards the kids. As reported by
Annie herself, “She hit the floor with a force to stagger across the room to drink moonshine as I
lay there, holding my breath, my heart beating so hard I could hear it, waiting, listening, thinking
of what I could do when Missy called, remembering the decapitation attempt by Mrs. Lilla”. The
behavior of Missy towards the children as well as within the house. This has led to the conditions
wherein the children have to hide in their own house for the complete day. The behavior of
Missy is known to be stricter towards Annie rather than her younger sister Susie. The little girl,
Annie, is known to have further commented “our stepmother would whip us with oak switches
for no apparent reason at all”. This reveals the kind of terror that the kids have to undergo during
the time that they have to spend without their father at home.
The abuse that is meted out by Missy is psychological too. The young Annie has reported
that she is made to take part in the house hold activities like scrubbing floors as well as taking
care of her younger sibling, Susie. The child, numerous times has reported to have been called
names by her step mother. The activities of the step-mother are observed to have instilled the
violence within the child as well. I have witnessed the situation many a times. During one such
case, I had been at the house on hearing the sound of a gunshot. I had arrived at the point when I
found that Annie was pointing a gun at Missy and furiously stating “She called my mother a
savage, and I’m going to kill her…She deserves to be shot.”. The situation was brought under
control with the help of another neighbor who was luckily present in the scenario.
The situation within the household is deteriorating day by day. The kid, Annie, is forced
to work for the complete day as is continuously abused by Missy. Thus, I would like to request
an intervention from your part in order to help the child move out of the scenario or relocate
Missy from the house. It is an earnest request on my part for an intervention to help the child
have a better future.
Yours truly,
(Name of the Student)