Teenage repeat runaway back home
Moteshia Mothen
(CNS) UPDATED Monday, 11 December: Police say that Motesha Mothen (14) has returned home and is in good health. Mothen, a resident of the Francis Bodden Girls Home, was was reported missing last week for the third time in two weeks. Moteshia Mothen has a long history of running away from the home. She had been last seen at the John Gray High School shortly after 2:30pm Wednesday, 6 December.
The RCIPS thanked the public for their assistance in locating her.
Category: Local News
As a pre-teen in the early 1970’s I was very “disruptive” in school – always talking and distracting other classmates. Why? I would complete my work in less than half of the class period and then start mumbling, showing-off my car magazines, etc. I spent a lot of time out in the corridor looking into the classroom, after being sent out of class for disruption. I was always considered “bad”, despite consistently getting amongst the highest grades in class. I’m sure I was heading for expulsion.
At 14 my parents had the opportunity to send me overseas to school. As I entered 5th Form, I became a model student, passed 7 O Levels on the first sitting, completed my A Levels and went on to have a successful career.
My problem? I was under-challenged at Cayman Islands High School but it was undetected by my teachers (one Headmaster had an inkling and suggested to my parents that I transfer overseas). When I was faced with a more challenging curriculum I blossomed and my behaviour issues disappeared.
My situation may differ from that of the young lady featured in this article but there seems to be something which is not meeting her needs at the FBGH, her school, or in her own home and an appropriate professional needs to be consulted on her case. I would not be surprised if situations like my own still escape detection in our public schools today.
When I was in the government school system teachers had the exact same problem with me, one of them even tried telling my mother that I had ADHD and that I needed to be put on medication ( needless to say my mother had less than kind words for her, as I do not have currently nor ever did I have ADHD) Some of the teachers simply could not handle someone who was advanced and associated the fact that I would finish my work and start moving or fooling around with stuff with me being misbehaved or having a disorder. While some of the teachers could recognize that I was advanced others seemed put off by by understanding of the material, like they never expected to ever have to worry about keeping someone occupied in their classes. As much as we need SEN teachers,staff and resources in school. The government schools also need be trained to look out for children who need the extra challenge like myself and like you and if necessary for the betterment of the student they need to be recommend to be moved to a more appropriate and challenging curriculum. ( Like you eventually I left the government school system and found something that was more my speed, though I will admit it still wasn’t exactly hard for me and my “problems and ADHD disappeared”). While your example was in the 70s my example was in the early 2000s so the same problem exists, sadly.
This country needs to contract with an oversea facility with proven success records, for troubled/ disadvantaged teenagers. These kids need to be separated, for a period, from the environment in which they have become troubled. A new, fresh and different environment would open their eyes for possibilities that life comes with. many formerly troubled kids say”If we hadn’t moved, I would have ended up in jail”. Prospfessional level counseling would make a huge difference. Professional evaluation for potential learning disabilities is necessary.
What Mr. Sanders think about the situation?
If we don’t believe most of these problems are from their homes then we really have a problem. Parents allow them to have they way from the beginning . Try working on the school bus and you will really learn some things.
Have no inside knowledge of the quality of professional care at the establishment in question; however, I can testify that it produced / homed some of the sweetest, kindest, strongest and most considerate girls / women I ever encountered in my school life and adult life.
Many of these girls have gone on to lead very successful and stable lives and I still regard many as dear friends. (In fact, had a tearful reunion with one just a few weeks ago in a government building – where she holds a superior position).
In my opinion, all scrutiny should be primarily directed at the “parents” of these teenagers, as the general public has no idea the early childhood trauma suffered by some of these girls.
A few confided in me stories that make my skin crawl to this day.
– Who
Yet so many of the skin crawling stories I hear, are about the state of affairs in that “home” while I am sure there some exaggerations on all sides the truth has to be in there somewhere
In my opinion, the most skin-crawling factor common to every case is the fact innocent girl children don’t have a safe home of their own.
– Who
This young teenager (soon to be young woman out on her own after high school) needs much more than to simply be picked up by the police and taken back to the same place that she is running from.
She needs proper counselling from someone who actually cares; this little girl needs love and unbiased, non-judgmental role models before it is too late.
None of the “Caring Homes” have had much of an impact in these young people lives from their inception. They have never tracked persons after completion of the program. They don’t measure behaviors ,pre & post testing to see if there was any impact from the counselling. Oh yeah, they don’t have counselling , just life-skills taught by people who are disinterested in their future. Do it right, give the youth who are already facing challenges a fighting chance. Fill them with HOPE and you shall see the difference. Selah.
Perhaps you need to look into why these girls run away from the home.
Now why would you do that? That takes money, and effort, and sympathy for these disenfranchised ladies and young men in our society, the CIG has none of that to offer, just their usual vote pandering job hand outs and fancy fundraising dinners. It’s what happens when you put your officials in a different strata from the rest of us, they can’t see through the clouds they only poke their heads down to see if the weather is still survivable and when it’s election time. When it’s election time you can’t get them to go away
The bigger question is why is she?? There has to be underlying issue or issues and she needs to be able to talk to someone obviously school and where she lives is not working. So sad to see this at such a vulnerable and critical age.
is this child running to something or from something? it seems like she needs counselling by someone who is properly qualified so that they can get to the root of the problem.
Too often people just sum it up to the children being misbehaving , plenty of children are misbehave but very few run away that is why I don’t understand how that can be a valid thought for some people
This young Lady has some serious problems that need desperate help . Why can’t those responsible for her wellbeing see and understand that and help her . When she runaway that’s saying that she’s not happy and is asking for help but don’t know how to ask for it .
Someone please help this young Lady before it’s too late .
There is a fundamental logic-disconnect in these ongoing announcements: If nobody is getting charged for abducting and harbouring a minor (ie consequences), how do we expect anything to change?
Not quite that simple, the law rarely is
She is a minor fostered by the state. It doesn’t get any more simple than that. Who else do you think has permission to harbour her without consent of the legal Guardian?
Please find the portion of the law that makes “harbouring a minor” illegal
what you are referring to is called kidnapping and unless the person is luring or enticing the girls it is not a crime, if the girls are running away from the home by themselves when they get the opportunity and just finding somewhere to stay it is by definition not kidnapping and hence not a crime as far as I can tell from reading the Penal code.
You can’t just make up crimes as they suit your needs, if it not clearly stated in the Penal code or other relevant documents it is not by definition a crime
Hence the laws are complicated,
Actually read the laws and stop acting like a discount lawyer
Incorrect. Harbouring a minor means an adult is assisting a person under 17 to stay away from their parents/guardian. If you have a child in your care without the authorization of a parent/guardian, you could possibly be charged with harbouring a minor.
Of course, if the parents have abused the child in some way, then the child should be turned over to the proper authorities and the decision will be made for that child to be placed in another setting.
Perhaps you could cite the relevant areas of the law that you are referring to for clarity
Love this response
An adult arrested for kidnapping would end this charade in a hurry.
See “Child Abduction and Custody (Cayman Islands) Order 1997.
Agree, I think these girls are running to someone not from someone, and if so they needs to be found and charge accordingly. Luring these young girls with gifts.and also put and undercover worker in the girls home.and stop letting those male drivers there take the girls out when the go on their family visits,let females drive them .