Missing Child in Georgia
Benjimin Alexander Whitmore, age 6, is missing from the Liberty County, Georgia, area. (note: "Benjimin" is the correct spelling of his first name - it's not "Benjamin")
The Georgia Division of Family and Child Services (DFCS) is looking for Benji and his birth mother, Mindy Sue Shifflett. Ms. Shifflett absconded with Benji after learning she was wanted in regards to a Child Protective Services investigation.
I, Katherine Henderson, called 855-GACHILD on 15 May 2019 to make a report based on several disturbing things I had noticed about Benji's living situation. Dennis Whitmore, Benji's father and my fiancé, called the number again that following Saturday to add more information and details to my report.
Ms. Mason and Carrie Washington of the DFCS office in Hinesville, Georgia, told us they could not investigate without Mindy Shifflett's address. This information has been a secret for years because Mindy Shifflett does not have a permanent address of her own.
Two weeks ago, DFCS contacted Mindy Shifflett. She hung up on the case worker and turned off her phone. Neither Mindy Shifflett nor Benjimin Whitmore have been seen or heard from since.
Dennis Whitmore is not the primary custodian. In his and Mindy Shifflett's 2017 divorce decree, the custody is 60-40, with Mindy Shifflett being the primary legal custodian of Benjimin.
DFCS claimed to have issued warrants and APBs in this matter through local law enforcement, but there are multiple municipal and county-level jurisdictions involved: the Hinesville Police Department, the Liberty County Sheriff's office, plus entities in Wayne County, Long County, and the GBI. Or at least, this is who is supposed to be involved. Dennis Whitmore has been kept largely in the dark about updates on his son.
On Wednesday 26 June 2019, during a court hearing at the Liberty County Courthouse, the juvenile court magistrate, Judge Linnie L. Darden, III, asked DFCS if they had any leads on Mindy Shifflett's and/or Benjimin Whitmore's whereabouts. DFCS personnel claimed they had sent law enforcement to every address Dennis has provided.
Just in case you were wondering, DFCS put the burden on Dennis and myself to investigate, chase leads, and pound the pavement in search of known associates of Mindy Shifflett and her partner, Matthew "Matt" Messinger, of Jesup, Georgia. Mindy Shifflett's mother, Tammy Sue Strout, her stepfather Bruce Strout, her sisters Brittany Shifflett and Teresa, and her brother Robert have allegedly all been contacted by DFCS caseworkers, including Craig Wilson, in regard to Mindy Shifflett and Benjimin Whitmore's whereabouts, but again, we have no way of knowing what is true and/or what is going on behind the scenes in this "investigation."
We respectfully ask the members of Congress to look into these matters on behalf of the Whitmore-Henderson household. Dennis and I are getting nowhere in dealing with matters on our own. We are about to make flyers and post them at businesses throughout the counties surrounding Liberty County, Georgia.
Thank you for your consideration in helping us find Benjimin Alexander Whitmore and getting him safely back at home in Hinesville, Georgia.
Respectfully,
Katherine Henderson
Sergeant, United States Army, 2009-2017
808 Bradwell Street
Hinesville, Georgia 31313
(405) 317-0441 [cell]
katherine.kate.henderson@gmail.com [email]
kate.henderson@thegossamergroup.us [work email]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katehenderson [LinkedIn profile]
The Georgia Division of Family and Child Services (DFCS) is looking for Benji and his birth mother, Mindy Sue Shifflett. Ms. Shifflett absconded with Benji after learning she was wanted in regards to a Child Protective Services investigation.
I, Katherine Henderson, called 855-GACHILD on 15 May 2019 to make a report based on several disturbing things I had noticed about Benji's living situation. Dennis Whitmore, Benji's father and my fiancé, called the number again that following Saturday to add more information and details to my report.
Ms. Mason and Carrie Washington of the DFCS office in Hinesville, Georgia, told us they could not investigate without Mindy Shifflett's address. This information has been a secret for years because Mindy Shifflett does not have a permanent address of her own.
Two weeks ago, DFCS contacted Mindy Shifflett. She hung up on the case worker and turned off her phone. Neither Mindy Shifflett nor Benjimin Whitmore have been seen or heard from since.
Dennis Whitmore is not the primary custodian. In his and Mindy Shifflett's 2017 divorce decree, the custody is 60-40, with Mindy Shifflett being the primary legal custodian of Benjimin.
DFCS claimed to have issued warrants and APBs in this matter through local law enforcement, but there are multiple municipal and county-level jurisdictions involved: the Hinesville Police Department, the Liberty County Sheriff's office, plus entities in Wayne County, Long County, and the GBI. Or at least, this is who is supposed to be involved. Dennis Whitmore has been kept largely in the dark about updates on his son.
On Wednesday 26 June 2019, during a court hearing at the Liberty County Courthouse, the juvenile court magistrate, Judge Linnie L. Darden, III, asked DFCS if they had any leads on Mindy Shifflett's and/or Benjimin Whitmore's whereabouts. DFCS personnel claimed they had sent law enforcement to every address Dennis has provided.
Just in case you were wondering, DFCS put the burden on Dennis and myself to investigate, chase leads, and pound the pavement in search of known associates of Mindy Shifflett and her partner, Matthew "Matt" Messinger, of Jesup, Georgia. Mindy Shifflett's mother, Tammy Sue Strout, her stepfather Bruce Strout, her sisters Brittany Shifflett and Teresa, and her brother Robert have allegedly all been contacted by DFCS caseworkers, including Craig Wilson, in regard to Mindy Shifflett and Benjimin Whitmore's whereabouts, but again, we have no way of knowing what is true and/or what is going on behind the scenes in this "investigation."
We respectfully ask the members of Congress to look into these matters on behalf of the Whitmore-Henderson household. Dennis and I are getting nowhere in dealing with matters on our own. We are about to make flyers and post them at businesses throughout the counties surrounding Liberty County, Georgia.
Thank you for your consideration in helping us find Benjimin Alexander Whitmore and getting him safely back at home in Hinesville, Georgia.
Respectfully,
Katherine Henderson
Sergeant, United States Army, 2009-2017
808 Bradwell Street
Hinesville, Georgia 31313
(405) 317-0441 [cell]
katherine.kate.henderson@gmail.com [email]
kate.henderson@thegossamergroup.us [work email]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katehenderson [LinkedIn profile]
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