Alexander Pedraza of East Hartford sentenced to 10 years in prison for luring Massachusetts teen across state lines to work as prostitute

A 28-year-old East Hartford man was sentenced this week to 10 years in federal prison for luring a 16-year-old girl from Auburn across state lines to work as a prostitute in the Hartford area.

Alexander Pedraza was given the sentence on Tuesday by Judge Victor A. Bolden in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport. The sentence follows Pedraza admitting to a single count of sex trafficking of a minor in February.

More >> Alexander Pedraza of East Hartford sentenced to 10 years in prison for luring Massachusetts teen across state lines to work as prostitute

Texas Mom Flees Supervised Visit With Children

Connecticut child welfare authorities are investigating how a woman managed to flee a supervised visit with her three children and her convicted sex-offender boyfriend.

The Hartford Courant reports that the children have not been located since Crystal McGrath's escape in Waterbury on Feb. 16.

More >> Texas Mom Flees Supervised Visit With Children

Report: Incarcerated kids improperly held in isolation

Children confined or incarcerated in Connecticut's criminal justice system are not getting the services they need and some are being illegally held in isolation, according to a report released Wednesday by the state's Office of the Child Advocate.

The report, which comes following an 18-month investigation, found numerous problems inside facilities operated by the state Department of Correction, the Judicial Branch's Court Support Services Division and a now-closed facility that was operated by the state Department of Children and Families.

More >> Report: Incarcerated kids improperly held in isolation

Willimantic Man charged with threatening DCF, judge in Facebook live video

An apparently disgruntled father was charged early Thursday after state police say he made threats against Department of Children and Families employees and a judge in a lengthy Facebook Live video posted on Christmas about how his children were “kidnapped."

More >> Willimantic Man charged with threatening DCF, judge in Facebook live video

Number of juveniles in detention for minor offenses has dropped since 2015

The number of youth incarcerated in the state’s juvenile detention centers for minor offenses dropped significantly between 2015 and 2017, pulling Connecticut from its number two ranking in a national study tracking juvenile confinement.

That study, released last month by Pew Charitable Trust, found there were 51 juveniles detained in Connecticut for technical offenses, such as violating probation orders or failing to show up for treatment, on a single day — Oct. 28 — in 2015.

More >> Number of juveniles in detention for minor offenses has dropped since 2015

Hotel owner paid cop to leave blindfolded foster kid in his ‘sex dungeon,’ CT police say

It started in October, when Connecticut police say they noticed a person with the email “daddydomboss@baymontct.com” was looking to do a “casting couch interview” with a young Mexican girl.

Now, police have arrested 46-year-old Simon Hessler, whom they accused of trying to purchase an underage foster child so he could have “limitless sex” with her in his “sex dungeon” that he had set up in a trailer near the hotel he owns, according to Fox61.

More >> Hotel owner paid cop to leave blindfolded foster kid in his ‘sex dungeon,’ CT police say

IS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE UNLAWFULLY ABDUCTING BLACK CHILDREN?

A new online petition has been launched by an African American activist named Cecelia Evertez from Newton, Connecticut. Her petition is a plea for justice for the many heartbroken families that have experienced the heart wrenching battle of unjustly losing their children to Child Protective Services.

Statistically, African American children are most affected by this issue, and Cecelia’s issue is that Child Protective Services should not be allowed to submit allegations to the Courts unless backed by documented proof. Cecelia comments, “Child Protective Services will lie and alter records for their own self-interest, and not in the best interest of the child.”

More >> IS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICE UNLAWFULLY ABDUCTING BLACK CHILDREN?

Online petition launched to stop Child Protective Services from unlawfully abducting children

A new online petition has been launched by an African American activist named Cecelia Evertez from Newton, Connecticut. Her petition is a plea for justice for the many heartbroken families that have experienced the heart wrenching battle of unjustly losing their children to Child Protective Services.

More >> Online petition launched to stop Child Protective Services from unlawfully abducting children

Father to serve four years in prison for “reign of terror” against son’s foster parents

Timothy and Dawn Londregan described the "reign of terror" they experienced after becoming foster parents for the infant son of Michael E. Callanan during Callanan's sentencing hearing Monday in New London Superior Court.

Callanan, 40, formerly of East Lyme, had pleaded no contest to threatening to rape Mrs. Londgregan and shoot Mr. Londregan, to calling them hundreds of times, threatening police officers and their families, and to spitting on an attorney following a family court proceeding.

More >> Father to serve four years in prison for “reign of terror” against son’s foster parents

Town again considers fines for police calls to Southington group home

Town officials are again considering fines for police calls to a Birchcrest Drive group, saying the responses cost taxpayers about $10,000 over the past two years.

The ordinance review committee discussed a draft of the proposed fines at its meeting Wednesday.  Despite support from some committee members, the committee chair and town attorney raised concerns that an ordinance could get the town entangled in a costly federal lawsuit.

More >> Town again considers fines for police calls to Southington group home

Family court judges face the wrath of unhappy litigants and legislators

Family court judges in Connecticut have come under attack in recent years by unhappy litigants, some of whom have resorted to threats of violence and anti-semitic and racist Internet posts.

The 25 to 30 judges who preside each year over 50,000 cases, including divorces and child custody/visitation disputes, have also faced intense scrutiny by lawmakers during confirmation hearings, despite steps Judicial Branch leaders say they've taken to reduce costs, conflict and delays in family court cases.

More >> Family court judges face the wrath of unhappy litigants and legislators

DCF gave up on Matthew Tirado, as did his own lawyer

In a legislative hearing on the death of the autistic teenager Matthew Tirado, state Sen. Leonard Suzio, R-Meriden, charges that the state Department of Children and Families “gave up” on the boy. DCF Commissioner Joette Katz responded that she had no authority to do otherwise.

This exchange has caused much discussion, most of it among people who are not juvenile court lawyers.

More >> DCF gave up on Matthew Tirado, as did his own lawyer

Parents oppose greater oversight of their home-schooled kids

Connecticut home-school advocates and parents on Wednesday called an ongoing Office of the Child Advocate investigation into home education discriminatory and an invasion of privacy.

The home-schoolers’ criticism of Child Advocate Sarah Eagan is a response to her recent report finding that Connecticut doesn’t have a safety net for children withdrawn from public schools for home education. That April report was a follow-up to another prompted by the February 2017 death of a 17-year-old boy with autism who was removed from school by his mother.

More >> Parents oppose greater oversight of their home-schooled kids

State Sues East Hartford Social Worker, Company, Charging Medicaid Fraud

The state is suing an East Hartford-based clinical social worker, contending that she and her behavioral health company billed the state about $1.84 million for psychotherapy services that were never provided.

More >> State Sues East Hartford Social Worker, Company, Charging Medicaid Fraud

Parents who lost parental rights say goodbye to their children

Waterford — The parents whose rights were terminated by a Superior Court judge saw their children for the last time on Thursday.

Judge John C. Driscoll issued the decision on April 13 in Superior Court for Juvenile Matters in Waterford, severing the parental rights of Kirsten Fauquet, 26, to her five children, ages 7, 5, 3, 2 and 1, and of John Stratzman, 27, her partner and biological father of three of the children.

More >> Parents who lost parental rights say goodbye to their children

Teen shelter in Southington neighborhood isn’t welcome by some

The presence of  the Birchcrest Drive shelter, called the Winifred House, among single-family homes isn’t welcome by some neighbors. They’ve started a petition to have the state Department of Children and Families move the home, saying runaway teens and police calls is a disruption to the neighborhood. Town officials have joined the effort and are considering an ordinance that would fine The Bridge for “excessive” police calls. The town has also asked for help from state and federal lawmakers.

More >> Teen shelter in Southington neighborhood isn’t welcome by some

Threat Of Deportation: A Trigger For Toxic Stress In Children Left Behind

On a snowy Saturday morning in January, Selvin, 13, and his mother were in the basement of the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church in New Haven, to support a friend in sanctuary. As they sat there, the boy tried to push away thoughts of how it would be when ICE came to take away his own mother, who is also under a deportation order.

“I’m going to be alone with my little brother and my dad,” Selvin said. “Sometimes I feel I don’t want to talk to anybody. I just go to my room, lock the door, and I feel depressed.”

More >> Threat Of Deportation: A Trigger For Toxic Stress In Children Left Behind

What foster kids want: a place to call home

Growing up in foster care, Christian Cruz trusted very few people as he struggled to find a place to call home.

Too many people had let him down.

More >> What foster kids want: a place to call home

DCF Chief Defends Actions Prior to Death of Hartford Teen

HARTFORD — During a recent legislative hearing the Department of Children and Families and other entities defended their actions concerning the starvation death of an autistic, non-verbal Hartford teenager, stating it was up to the legislature to change laws to help prevent future tragedies.

The sometimes tense two-and-a-half hour Committee on Children hearing came following a critical report from the Office of the Child Advocate on the circumstances that led to 17-year-old Matthew Tirado’s death last year.

More >> DCF Chief Defends Actions Prior to Death of Hartford Teen

State ceases admissions to its only locked facility for boys who break the law

The state’s lone prison for young males convicted of offenses not serious enough to land them in an adult prison last week took in what is expected to be its last admission as the state moves forward with plans to shutter the Connecticut Juvenile Training School by July. Over the next several months, the 39 youths incarcerated at the maximum-security facility will be released to their families or sent elsewhere.

More >> State ceases admissions to its only locked facility for boys who break the law