Manda-leigh Buchman

2790 Manoa Road, Honolulu, HI, 96822

(808)688-8805

mandaleighbuchman@gmail.com

DECLARATION OF FACTS

I, Manda-leigh Buchman, state:

1. I am the mother and only legal parent, of 1 child, Nalah Abigail Oxendine.

2. This declaration is being written to contest the revocation of Family Supervision.

3. This is in reference to the PETITION FOR FOSTER CUSTODY, FC-S No. 18-00227, 09/30/19, In the
FAMILY COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT STATE OF HAWAII.

4. On 10/01/19 I was placed in Phase III of Salvation Army sober residence at Ka 'Ohu Hou O Manoa.

5. On 10/11/19 I started Out Patient care at Women's Way, after completing residential and Intensive
Out Patient classes, required by the 12/19/18 Family Service Plan.

6. I am expected to receive my clinical discharge from FTS before the end of January 2020.

7. I have been participating in7 AA Meetings a week since 09/11/19, and 3-5 Meetings weekly prior. I
have been submitting meeting slips to my counselor, Rachel Savereux, weekly. They have been available
for DHS review.

8. I have a sponsor, Xiara Quigeno, and at least 20 other people who support my sobriety. Either from
my family, the Women's Way program, or from attending frequent meetings.

9. I participate in outings regularly with my 'sober sisters', do bible study, and take domestic violence
classes with Piko, weekly.

10. I have been drug tested and/or alcohol screened each day that I attend treatment since 08/30/19.

11. Each UA, swab, and breathalyzer has come back negative.

12. I immediately went to Hina Mauka Kaneohe location when instructed by DHS, on the day of removal
of my child.

13. On 09/24/19 at Hina Mauka Kaneohe, I tested negative for all drugs and alcohol. This was
immediately following the 'anonymous' report made that I was using, causing my daughter to be taken
into DHS custody.

14. I was never given a hearing 72 hours after childs removal from the family home and am currently still
uninformed of any court date almost weeks later, despite numerous requests to my DHS worker Maili
Taele and my lawyer Randall Shintani.

15. I have several outlets for psychological treatment at Women's Way.

16. I have been seeing Katie Trussel, IMHC, MFT intern, since 12/30/18. Over 20 sessions in 7 months,
and recently, every 2 weeks.

17. I have been treated by Sharron Malloy, MSW at Path Clinic during my stay at residential and am
currently looking for another psychologist outside of the program.

18. I have also been treated by Dr. Thompson, MD throughout my time at the Women's Way program
and received an updated psychiatric assessment 09/13/19, per Out Patient Services Contract. Dr.
Thompson has not yet received the 'Verification of Treatment Form' I requested several times from DHS
worker, Maili Taele, to provide its documentation.

19. I have a DHS approved psychiatric assessment on 12/09/19 with Family Strengthening Center at 801
S. King St, with Dr. Itoga, clinical psychologist.

20. I have kept every appointment with DHS workers since Nalahs birth, except one. This was due the
fact that I was given less than 24 hours to find a new living arrangement for myself and daughter Nalah. I
was not notified by KOP that the visit was still happening and mandatory, since I am no longer allowed
on KOP property since previously that day, due to my discharge.

21. I chose to place Nalah in a CPS approved home during the one day I had to vacate myself and Nalah
from KOP, to avoid breaking the rules of the Family Service Plan. Nalah was then picked up by Chris
Oxendine, her current RCG.

22. I then moved all of my daughter and I's things, cleaned, and child proofed the home at 1765 Ala
Moana Blvd Suite 392, before calling DHS worker to inform her that the home was ready and waiting for
her approval on 09/06/19.

23. I have completed both parent forms [as far as I know]. I am the sole legal parent of Nalah Abigail
Oxendine. I posses her birth certificate as well as her social security card and health insurance card. If
the parent forms are not in relation to her legal birth documents, then I have yet to receive them from
my DHS worker, Maili Taele.

24. Nalah has been to all of her doctors appointments, has all of her shots, and an updated shot record.
Only recently before removal did she grow enough teeth to brush and chew food, so no dentist
appointment was necessary. There have been no dentist appointments made by RCGs since her
removal.

25. Nalah is also rarely eating solid food in the care of Chris and Tabitha Oxendine. I addressed this with
Tabitha and concluded that it is simply out of “convenience”. Because having an extra child is burden,
Nalah is being regularly fed food meant for babies half her age. She is a growing child and every time she
comes for a visit she is starving for solid food.

26.The Therapeutic Nursery at FTS campus has a developmental progress report for Nalah that was
ongoing throughout my stay in residential and Ke Ola Pono. She has been hitting all of her milestones
and has been described as very smart, happy, and with a calm demeanor.

27. During Nalahs attendance at Therapeutic Nursery I met periodically to set new goals for Nalahs
growth and development. Nalah has successfully reached every goal through working with caregivers at
the nursery and practicing with myself at home.

28. Through my continuous treatment in the Women's Way program and Nalahs enrollment in the
Therapeutic Nursery I have been able to provide everything that Nalah needs plus more. She has had so
a many clothes that she has grown out of them before even getting a chance to wear them. She has
numerous toys and has been able to play with all of the top toys on the market for her age group. It has
actually been a task to let go of some of these things because there is just so much. The report says I
was unable to provide RCGs with necessary items for my child. I was not informed at any point since
removal when we would be reunified and if she needed more items due to the length of time she would
be away from me. Maili Taele said that if Nalah stayed for any significant period of time that family
supervision must be revoked so that Chris and Tabitha Oxendine can receive money through DHS. I was
under the impression that this money was being used to purchase necessary items for my daughter, but
it seemingly has not. I currently have all of her necessary items at our residence at Ke Ohu Hau O
Manoa, but Maili Taele has actively ignored my requests to come to the residence since I moved in.

29. It also states in the report that I am unable to provide a permanent family home for myself and
Nalah. According to my DHS worker I am required to be in Salvation Army residence to keep custody of
my daughter which is, in itself, transitional housing. When I leave the program I will have permanent
housing through one of many assistance programs I qualify for such as Pathway of Hope and Rent to
Work. I am currently working on all of the requirements for Rent to Work, including working 20 hours a
week, and have been enrolled in their system since before I started working. I only now am making 20
hours because KOP did not approve of my childcare situation although they originally suggested it. If I
had been making 20 hours since enrollment I would have qualified in November 2019.

30. I am requesting that Family Supervision not be revoked and for a risk assessment of our home at
KOHOM for the return of my daughter immediately.

Executed October, 15, 2019 Honolulu, HI.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

_____________________________________________
Manda-leigh Buchman