How Could You? Hall of Shame-Tammy Renee Galyean and Randy Jay Galyean UPDATED
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Elkin, North Carolina, foster parents Randy Jay Galyean, 52,and Tammy Renee Galyean, 40 were arrested “on Jan. 22. She was charged with two counts of intentional felony child abuse inflicting serious physical injury.
Tammy is in the Surry County Jail under a $50,000 secured bond.
Randy Jay Galyean, 52, also of Elkin, was arrested on Jan. 21 in Surry County and again on Jan. 30 in Yadkin County. He was charged with felony first degree rape, felony statutory rape sex offense on a defendant more than six years old, two counts of sexual offense, two counts of intentional felony child abuse inflicting serious physical injury.
Randy is in the Yadkin County Jail under a $800,000 secured bond.”
Surry Co. couple face child abuse, sex offense charges[MyFOX 8 2/5/14 By Andrea Cavallier]
“Minors already victims of a sexual abuse case in Wilkes County are now allegedly victims in a second sexual abuse case, which reportedly occurred in a Yadkin County home where the children were placed by social workers.
Two weeks after Randy Jay Galyean was charged with rape and Tammy Renee Galyean was charged with felony child abuse by the Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office, details of the case have emerged showing Wilkes County Department of Social Services officials removed the kids from the home of a father who was sexually molesting two of the girls, and placed them into a home subjecting the kids to more alleged sexual abuse, even knowing one of the caretakers had prior convictions for child abuse in Surry County.
Two of the children contracted a sexually transmitted disease in the melee, according to a warrant for arrest for Tammy Galyean.
Wilkes County DSS officials would not comment on the case, citing privacy laws.
It is unknown if background checks were ever performed on the caretakers, the Galyeans.
“They snatched my kids away from me,” said the children’s biological mother, Virginia Wagoner of North Wilkesboro, Monday in describing the circumstances that resulted in Wilkes DSS removing the four children from her home.
In 2012, Troy Wagoner, Virginia’s husband, self-reported to Wilkes County DSS that he was having urges of sexual acts against his own kids. The admission led to a police investigation and charges.
Court records show that Troy and Virginia Wagoner did not appear in court for a Termination of Parental Rights hearing. The couple no longer have parental rights to the children.
Last week, Troy Wagoner was sentenced in a Wilkes County courtroom after pleading guilty to indecent liberty with child. There, Wagoner learned by the prosecutor that his ex-children had allegedly succumbed to a similar fate, as they were reportedly further victimized by his family friend from Wilkes Assistant District Attorney Kisa Parker Posey.
In addition, the children’s mother and relatives reported that Wilkes DSS was aware of a prior conviction of child abuse by Tammy Galyean when the children were placed with the Galyeans.
Court records in Surry County show Tammy Renee Combs, who later married Galyean, was charged with child abuse in 1994 and 1996. A plea deal to the felony charges resulted in Tammy losing parental rights to her children and being prohibited from being alone with kids. Tammy served probation for her offense.
Melvin Royal, an uncle of the four children, said that his girlfriend, Candy Cardwell, and the Galyeans had conferenced at Wilkes County DSS, where Tammy’s prior child abuse conviction allegedly was discussed with social workers Tameka Hayes and Heather Holbrook.
“Heather said that the conviction would be no problem because it happened so long ago,” said Candy Cardwell.
“Due to confidentiality laws, we are not allowed to comment on any cases,” said William Sebastian on Monday in response to the allegations by Royal and Cardwell.
Sebastian said that DSS guidelines allow for a “safety placement” of children initially removed from a home often relying on parents recommending alternative living arrangements, even if the parents are suspected of child abuse.
According to Sebastian, the safety placement option triggers DSS to complete an investigation on the caretakers including spouses of caretakers who were previously convicted of child abuse.
Placing the children in a home of someone convicted of child abuse is permitted, according to Sebastian.[WTF!!! 
]
“It would depend on the severity of what had happened,” he said. “All things being equal, if we had a judge who said that they (caretaker) couldn’t be around children, no, the child would not be placed there. If the judge said that the person is not to be left alone with children…that would mean that if the other party in a married couple were suitable and they signed a statement that they would not leave the child alone with this person, that could work out.”
Sebastian said that when safety placements are made in other counties, DSS officials rely on each other to ensure that policy is adhered to and that the best interests of the victim are being represented. Other county DSS offices step in and conduct home visits and basic criminal background checks.
“Sometimes there are challenges,” said Sebastian. “The difficult part is determining if the other county has provided services.”
Sebastian indicated that he will investigate the protocols relating to the department placement and background checks.
“You can rest assured I am going to look at the matter,” he said of the case involving Wagoner’s children.
Randy Galyean sits in Yadkin County Jail on a $700,000 bond, according to a pre-trial officer. Tammy Renee Galyean was unable to post a $50,000 bond and awaits trial in Ashe County Jail.
The children remain in DSS custody.”
Kids placed in home of convicted abuser[yadkinripple.com 2/19/14 By Anthony Gonzalez]
“Children are among the most defenseless people in a community, and those who have suffered sexual and physical abuse are particularly vulnerable, and most in need of the best protection and treatment a community has to offer.
If that truly is the Wilkes County DSS policy, then we recommend state officials come in, dismiss all those who adopted such a a policy, and take over the department immediately.
Rep. Sarah Stevens, a Mount Airy Republican who serves as co-chair of the House Committee on Onmibus Foster Care and Dependency, expressed outrage when learning of the case.
Unfortunately, she’s running into some of the same “circle-the-wagon” mentality that we have been, where the Wilkes County DSS appears more intent on avoiding blame than in addressing what would seem to be criminal negligence on their part.
“…We were getting a little bit of runaround (from DSS) on confidentiality rules and personnel rules, as well as law enforcement,” Stevens said about the case. “We understand the need for all of these privacy laws and policies, but we don’t want to see anyone hide behind those policies either, and that’s what’s happening.”
She said that county departments of social services develop and maintain their own set of child placement policies. While we generally think smaller, local government is better, it’s clear the Wilkes County Department of Social Services is incapable of looking out for the children in its care.
And it’s not the only such department. Last week Stevens was in Raleigh discussing a case in Union County where a DSS worker and foster mom has been charged with child abuse after a child left in her foster care was found handcuffed to her front porch.
We wonder how many other cases like this occur across the state, never being discovered?
Stevens said she expects “changes to policies at the highest level,” and we believe those changes can’t come fast enough. While local social service officials in various localities will complain about the state overreaching and getting too involved in local departments, it’s clear someone needs to step in and watch out for these children. Because, at least in Wilkes County, no one there is.”
Change needed in social service policy[Mt Airy News 2/25/14 by John Peters]
“he Wilkes County Department of Social Services is now facing state scrutiny from a team of inspectors with the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency with oversight over Wilkes County DSS.
“A team is present in Wilkes County. All cases are being reviewed. A report will take time and will be released at some point,” said a press spokesperson for DHHS Thursday afternoon.
Recently, it was discovered that Wilkes County DSS officials placed minors already victims of a sexual abuse case from Wilkes County into a home of Yadkin County caretakers who allegedly continued the sexual abuse of the kids. Two of the minors contracted a sexually-transmitted disease, according to a court-issued warrant.
One of the caretakers, Tammy Renee Galyean, was previously convicted of child abuse in Surry County, a case brought to light in 1994 and 1996 by Surry DSS.
The Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office charged Tammy Renee Galyean and Randy Jay Galyean in late January with a slew of sex charges. The duo await trial. The children remain in custody with Wilkes County DSS.
Rep. Sarah Stevens (Wilkes, Surry) said she is happy that DHHS is looking into the Wilkes County cases, but she vehemently expressed frustration with the state system.
“I am unhappy that we had to get to this point. I am unhappy with current rules and the restrictions. I am very curious as to what has happened in the recent Wilkes case, other cases, and we have to change so these things don’t continue to happen,” said Stevens.
Stevens indicated that DHHS under current law does not inspect county DSS operations until well after problems surface.
Stevens said she got a phone call from DHHS 24 hours after the Wilkes County DSS case first surfaced in the news.
“We talked about what we were thinking about doing (at a legislative level). We spoke about Wilkes…but my concern are all kids in every county,” she said.
Stevens is the General Assembly’s co-chair of the Committee on Onmibus Foster Care and Dependency. The lawmaker also indicated that she has been reviewing circumstances surrounding another DSS case out of Union County that had a DSS social worker charged with child abuse for allegedly handcuffing a minor and wrapping a dead chicken around his neck.”
State probing Wilkes County DSS[Elkin Tribune 2/27/14 By Anthony Gonzalez]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update:”Placed in order, a stack of arrest warrants that charge an Elkin couple with a gruesome array of child-sex offenses grows progressively more gut-wrenching with every turn of a page.
The defendant did commit a sex act with juveniles present … did engage in intercourse with a person of the age of 14 years … did carnally know and abuse (a child) under the age of 13 years … did engage in intercourse with a person of the age of 14 years … having assumed the position of parent in the home.
Then the litany grew more disgusting.
The defendant “did intentionally commit an assault that resulted in serious physical injury, CAUSING THE CHILD TO CONTRACT (A) SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE on (a child) who was 12 years old.”
As bad as that sounds, it’s not even the worst of it.
Social workers might well have known of the danger beforehand.
If you’re weak of stomach or just prefer not to know the sorts of depravity of which people are capable, turn the page now because the rest of this story is equal parts heart-breaking, nauseating and infuriating.
The girls — authorities don’t refer to them by name in court documents and we won’t identify them, either — have not been afforded many breaks in their young lives. They (and two siblings) were removed from the Wilkes County home of their parents following child abuse allegations lodged against their father. He later pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a child and was sentenced to five months in prison.
While the criminal case played out, social workers with the Wilkes County Department of Social Services removed the kids from the home and the courts eventually terminated the parents’ rights.
The girls were placed in the Yadkin County home of Randy and Tammy Renee Combs Galyean and that’s where, according to arrest warrants, their situation hit bottom.
Tammy Galyean, 40, has a criminal history that includes a 1996 conviction for child abuse that resulted in a plea bargain in which she surrendered the rights to her own children and was prohibited from being alone with kids.
Any buffoon with a computer and the slightest inkling of how the court system works can find those records in a matter of minutes.
Presumably, some of those people should include professional social workers. Has anyone in Wilkes County ever heard of a background check?
According to arrest warrants sworn to by investigators with the Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office — and this is where the faint of heart should skip ahead — the latest round of abuse occurred between Aug. 2 and Sept. 1, 2013.
Randy J. Galyean, 52, was charged with statutory rape, first-degree rape, two counts of committing a sex offense while in a parental role and two counts of intentional child abuse inflicting serious physical injury.
Tammy Galyean was charged with two counts of felony child abuse related to a sexual act and two counts of intentional child abuse causing serious physical injury.
In both cases, the serious physical injury caused to both girls is trichomoniasis, a STD which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can cause irritation and inflammation of the genitals and make it easier for someone to contract HIV.
Authorities allege that Tammy Galyean intentionally caused a child to contract the disease by “leaving (a sex toy) out with the purpose of infecting (the victim.)”
The warrant charging Randy Galyean with intentional child abuse states that he was “providing care … as Wilkes County DSS kinsman placement.”
In English, that means that someone in the DSS office likely took the recommendation of the girls’ parents — the very people whose rights were terminated by a court because of allegations of abuse — on where to place those kids.
How’s that again?
By the time I got to him, Bill Sebastian, the director of the Wilkes County Department of Social Services, had lawyered up, which is probably a wise move.
“Mr. Sexton, Due to the ongoing review/investigation regarding this case I cannot make any comment,” Sebastian wrote in an email. “If you would like to speak to our agency attorney, his name is Paul W. Freeman.”
Freeman didn’t return messages seeking comment. But what could he say? What could anybody say?
Willful blind eye
As it turns out, Sebastian did talk to the Yadkin Ripple. He told the newspaper that DSS guidelines allow for a “safety placement” and that social workers often rely on a parent’s recommendation for a temporary home even if that parent (or spouse) were suspected of child abuse.
He went on to say that putting a child in the home of someone convicted of child abuse is allowed under DSS guidelines, a mind-boggling statement.
“All things being equal, if we had a judge who said that they (the caretaker) couldn’t be around children, no, the child would not be placed there,” he told the paper. “If the judge said that the person is not to be left alone with children … that would mean that if the other party in a married couple were suitable and they signed a statement that they would not leave the child alone with this person, that could work out.”
Unless it didn’t, and a new round of sex abuse charges resulted because more care wasn’t taken in that placement.
Sebastian did, however, pledge to investigate the protocols and procedures related to background checks. The state Department of Health and Human Services lurched into action and launched an investigation of its own.
According to Chapter VII, section 1408 of the N.C. Family Support and Child Welfare Manual — there’s a mouthful — the local DSS is in charge and thus responsible for background checks, home visits, etc. when a child requires a safety placement.
Local social workers also have access to criminal and civil databases above and beyond what’s available to the general public.
“Please note that the policy does not state that a parent facing abuse allegations relinquishes his or her parent right to make placement decisions on behalf of the child,” wrote Kevin Howell, a spokesman for the state Department of Health and Human Services. “The parent facing abuse allegations maintains his or her ability to have input regarding with whom the child may be temporarily placed.”
“Ability to have input” surely doesn’t equate to sticking a child in a home with someone with a child abuse conviction.
Either way, none of that is going to help these two girls now. The truth is that there is little the state can do other than plead, withhold money and dispatch an overseer from Raleigh after a lengthy written back and forth.
Firing Sebastian (or anyone else involved) is ultimately a local matter and will be up to Wilkes County authorities. Stupid, lazy or negligent, whatever the root cause for putting those children in danger, none of those things is against the law.
Oh, and the victims? Because of privacy laws, no one can officially say much other than they remain in DSS custody. Somehow that’s not very reassuring.”
Sexton: DSS rules, procedures no excuse for child abuse [Winston-Salem Journal 3/18/14]by Scott Sexton]
A search of the North Carolina records shows that Tammy has a court date of 1/26/15 and Randy has a court date of 1/25/15.
Update 2: “In the case that led to an investigation into the Wilkes County Department of Social Services, a conclusion has finally been reached for foster parent Randy Galyean, who was living in Boonville at the time of the incident leading to arrest.
Galyean pleaded “no contest” in the Yadkin County Courthouse Wednesday under Judge David Hall for the abuse of two young girls who were placed in his custody by Wilkes DSS. The saga that began in early 2014 ended with Galyean receiving a punishment of four consecutive sentences, each 25-90 months, leaving Galyean with a minimum of 8 years and 4 months.
As part of the plea deal, Galyean received two counts of legal guardian allow sexual act upon a child, two counts of indecent liberties and two counts of parental role sex offense with a child. The initial charges against Galyean included statutory and first-degree rape of a child.
Upon his release, Galyean will register as a sex offender for 30 years and maintain no contact with a minor for the remainder of his lifetime.”
Foster parent receives conviction[Elkin Tribune 1/30/15 by Karen Holbrook]
There are no words. HOW ARE CONVICTED CHILD ABUSERS ABLE TO BE APPROVED TO BE FOSTER PARENTS?