A Barnesville couple whose three young grandchildren were taken into placement by Schuylkill County's Children and Youth Services agency on Wednesday asked commissioners for help in getting them back, allowing more visits, or at least getting the agency to talk to them.

Commissioners said the matter was not under their control, but said they would meet with agency director Lisa Stevens to make sure the lines of communication were open and that the agency was looking into allegations that the one of the children, a 6-year-old with Down syndrome, was not being properly cared for by his foster parents.

Anna M. Funk and Drew B. Zelonis were accompanied by family and friends as they made their at times tearful pleas at a public commissioners' meeting.

Stevens, who attended the meeting with two caseworkers, declined to comment due to confidentiality. She did say the agency would look into having others care for the children, who are 6, 3, and 2.

Funk told commissioners her daughter, the children's mother, was in the county jail. For most of their lives the she and the children lived with Funk and Zelonis, who is a former district judge.

But in January, they moved with their mother to Tamaqua.

On June 29, after the daughter took the children to visit their father, who is on house arrest in West Penn Township, the agency took them.

Funk said she subsequently learned her daughter failed 28 drug tests, but that there was no order barring the children from visiting their father.

The father has two-hour visits with the children, she said.

Funk and Zelonis said they have tried to get answers from the agency as to why they are not being allowed to care for the children, who have been placed in separate foster homes.

After approaching Commissioner Gary J. Hess, she was finally allowed to see the children for a half-hour visit.

Funk suggested the agency is keeping them apart from their grandchildren because she confronted a caseworker when they were removed.

She said the 6-year-old needs breathing treatments, and that although she gave the agency the equipment, he didn't get his treatments and ended up in the emergency room.

Funk said on her recent visit, the boy had lost a significant amount of weight and had gray circles around his eyes.

Zelonis said the abuse allegations "scare the heck out of us. Nobody's giving us any answers."

Commissioners chairman Frank J. Staudenmeier said the board took the family's situation "very seriously." But it was Judge John J. Domalakes who gave the agency approval to remove the children to foster care. Commissioners have nothing to do with that, he said.

Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. said the agency must sometimes make decisions to remove children for their own safety.

"You guys are in my prayers," he said.