Director of children's transition facility arrested

   A Hardin County woman has bonded out of jail after she was charged with interfering with child custody and enticing children to leave their family.

   Diane Black Freedman was arrested in Round Rock this week while trying to bring 3 children to the commissioner of family and protective services.

   It all started about nine months ago when Child Protective Services used Diane Black Freedman to investigate a Hardin County family.

   After investigating Freedman believed the children were being abused and neglected.

   However CPS conducted a second investigation and decided Freedman's conclusions were wrong.

   Freedman is a licensed professional counselor.  She founded the Roosevelt house in Silsbee in 2008.

   The Roosevelt house is a transitional living facility for children who have been abused or neglected.

   Freedman's involvement with the Roosevelt house is the reason CPS asked for her help in the investigation.

   The children's family adopted the three children from Russia several years ago.

   Freedman has statements from the children in which they say they have been abused and neglected.

   However, the Hardin County Sherriff's office believes the living conditions for this family are--in its terms--adequate.

   And the Sheriff says Freedman does not agree with CPS or the Sherriff's office and that's why she took the children to Austin.

She believed she needed help from the state agency.

 "I did not kidnap the three children from Russia, I sought a safe haven for them with CPS, there's no doubt they've been severely abused and neglected and that they need protection," said Diane Black Freedman."

 "People disagree with me and CPS every day and there's other avenues to take, but not that way," said Sheriff Ed Cain.

 A board member of the Roosevelt House, Mark Sparks, says Diane Black Freedman has done an excellent job as Director.

  He says every one is innocent until proven guilty.

  But the board put her on indefinite leave from the Roosevelt House.

  Child Protective Services says any allegations by Freedman about CPS's ability to protect children in general are unfounded and not based on reality.