The younger social worker looked at the crowd of angry neighbors, then at the officer, who gave a slight shake of his head—signaling that trying to force seven kids away from a protective neighborhood block right now would cause a riot.
“Fine,” the lead social worker said, snapping her folder shut. “We will leave the children under the temporary supervision of Mrs. Miller for exactly fourteen hours. Tomorrow morning at nine o’clock, we return with the transport vans and a police escort. If the biological mother has not signed a temporary custody agreement, or if the court does not grant an emergency injunction, the children will be separated and placed into the system. You have until 9:00 AM.”
She looked at Mom. “As for you, you need to report to the precinct for your formal statement regarding the abandonment charges. Come with us.”
