Secrets Part II - Why Tell?

So why were the secrets of one siblings spilled to another? When is it ok to tell dirty little secrets?

This sister doesn't make a habit of spilling secrets (that would another sister, the raging sister, who tells every secret of the family...she's the one you tell if you want everybody to know). Anyway, I've talked to this sister regularly for months and she never said a word to me. She kept the secrets (along with our mother who knew most of what was going on as well) until she became too worried and went to the one sister (who was once very close to troubled sister) who she hoped could reach troubled sister. She wanted this sister to talk to the troubled sibling. This sister had already tried talking to troubled sister time and again without success. Due to the downward spiral these two parents were on, she thought it best to call Protective Services to step in since family had not been able to help either of these two parents (and I agree). She was worried about the kids.

So now troubled sister has said this sister (who called CPS) is now out of her life now too. Boy, siblings are dropping like flies around troubled sister.

If you don't agree with her behavior, you're not a part of her life anymore. My feeling is if you are doing something you are ashamed of or have to be embarrassed about, then you shouldn't be doing it. She put herself in this position and now is embarrassed because the case worker who showed up at her house yesterday to investigate was a girl she went to school with. It's a small world after all...

Anyway, the outcome is that another sibling (raging sister prone to over-exaggerations to make herself look better and others worse) is coming down hard on the sister who told the secrets and making it look like other family are mad at her for it (besides the two parents who are now the subject of CPS again). Any excuse she can find to come down on this sister, she'll find it but that's another issue altogether.

To answer my own question in the first paragraph: There are two children at risk. You don't keep secrets when kids are at risk. If my sister didn't have children, then she's an adult and could live how she chooses but when you have kids and neglect your children and make decisions that could put them in harm's way, then all bets are off and dirty little secrets need to be made known so help can be given (or forced in this case, since all past help has been spit on, to protect the children from drug use, loaded weapons, instability, neglect, etc.).

Ahh, the life of family dysfunction. Just in time for the holidays. Right on time.