Social worker accused of sex crimes no longer with St. Louis County

The social worker charged with felony criminal sexual conduct with a victim to whom he’d been assigned no longer works for St. Louis County.

“Michael Bryant is no longer an employee of St. Louis County,” spokeswoman Dana Kazel said Tuesday. “We continue to work toward a timely resolution of the employment complaint.”

More >> Social worker accused of sex crimes no longer with St. Louis County

Missouri's Foster Kids Will No Longer Be Doped Up Thanks To A New Legal Settlement

Thousands of kids in Missouri's foster care system are likely to benefit from a first-of-its-kind legal settlement under which state officials have agreed to strict limits on how and when kids can be given psychotropic drugs.

The settlement resolves a class action lawsuit charging that Missouri foster care officials failed to safeguard the conditions under which the powerful medications are dispensed. U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey gave preliminary approval to the agreement on Monday.

More >> Missouri's Foster Kids Will No Longer Be Doped Up Thanks To A New Legal Settlement

Jackson County children celebrate reuniting with families

Each year hundreds of Jackson County children are removed from their homes.

Saturday, a celebration was held at Sheila Kemper Dietrich Park in Kansas City to recognize the success stories of families and children who are successfully, and safely reunited.

More >> Jackson County children celebrate reuniting with families

• Meet These Jackson County Parents Who Earned Their Kids Back Through Family Court

Mother gets surprise visit from daughter she gave up for adoption

A North County Mother gets a surprise this Mother’s Day weekend. Saturday, she met a daughter she gave up for adoption 28-years ago.

The mother, LaVonda Scott from Jennings was reunited with her daughter, Shonetta Scott who was adopted and renamed Ariel Howard.

It was an emotional reunion for mother and daughter.

More >> Mother gets surprise visit from daughter she gave up for adoption

CEO of Child Welfare Agency Arrested for Allegedly Choking Autistic 12-Year-Old

The CEO of a child welfare agency was arrested after being accused of putting a child in a chokehold.

Vincent Hillyer, who runs Great Circle Academy in Missouri, was arrested on May 7. A video from March, obtained by KMOV, appears to show him putting a 12-year-old autistic child in a headlock while seated on a couch.


More >> CEO of Child Welfare Agency Arrested for Allegedly Choking Autistic 12-Year-Old

Head of child welfare agency in Missouri charged with child endangerment, assault

The head of a child welfare agency in Missouri that has offices and a school in Independence has been arrested and charged with child endangerment and assault, according to court documents.

Vincent D. Hillyer, president and CEO of Great Circle, has been charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with six felony counts of first-degree child endangerment.

More >> Head of child welfare agency in Missouri charged with child endangerment, assault

Ozark foster mom indicted after child suffered second-degree burns

A foster mother from Christian County was indicted this month on felony child abuse charges after prosecutors say a child in her care suffered second-degree burns.

Shara L. Foster, 30, was arrested Monday on charges of child abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.

More >> Ozark foster mom indicted after child suffered second-degree burns

Felony child abuse charges filed against Ozark foster mom

A child suffering burns from hot water in an Ozark home led a mother to face felony charges.

A Christian County grand jury charged Shana L. Foster, 30, with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in serious emotional or physical injury and first degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in serious physical injury, both class B felonies.

More >> Felony child abuse charges filed against Ozark foster mom

NEW TEXTLINE ALLOWS KIDS IN MISSOURI TO REPORT ABUSE

Missouri will be used as a test state for a new text line that could make reporting child abuse easier.

The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline launched the first emergency text line in Missouri on February 1 to encourage young people to report child abuse.

More >> NEW TEXTLINE ALLOWS KIDS IN MISSOURI TO REPORT ABUSE

Missouri sued over rules for foster parents who have guns

A Kansas City couple claims in a federal lawsuit that state requirements for foster parents who own guns violate their constitutional rights.

Foster parents in Missouri are not prohibited from possessing firearms if they are otherwise legally allowed to do so. But the Missouri Department of Social Services imposes several restrictions on them, The Kansas City Star reports . The rules include storing firearms and ammunition separately, keeping firearms locked in areas inaccessible to children, and keeping firearms in a locked area in any vehicle transporting a foster child.

More >> Missouri sued over rules for foster parents who have guns

Kansas City police discipline 17 officers from troubled unit handling child abuse, neglect cases

Seventeen Kansas City police officers who formerly worked in a unit that failed to properly investigate crimes against children have been disciplined, with seven of the officers no longer working in the department, Police Chief Rick Smith announced Tuesday.

More >> Kansas City police discipline 17 officers from troubled unit handling child abuse, neglect cases

6-year-old girl hit by car on KC highway strayed from foster home at least twice

A 6-year-old girl had run from a state foster home for at least the second time shortly before Christmas when she was hit by a car at night on U.S. 40 and suffered life-threatening injuries, Kansas City police said.

Just 10 days before the accident off Phelps Road, patrons at a biker bar on the same corner called police to come get the girl, whom they had found wandering in the dark along the four-lane highway.

More >> 6-year-old girl hit by car on KC highway strayed from foster home at least twice

Local foster parent faces child abuse charge

A local foster parent faces a child abuse charge in Greene County after a grand jury indicted him for allegedly shaking and striking an infant in his care.

According to online court records, John D. Grant, 34, of Bolivar is charged with class B felony abuse or neglect of a child — serious emotional or physical injury in Greene County Circuit Court. He was indicted by a grand jury in August and arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 28.

More >> Local foster parent faces child abuse charge

Bolivar foster dad accused of shaking 3-month-old baby

A Bolivar foster father has been accused of shaking a 3-month-old child who became unresponsive and had to be hospitalized for more than a week.

John Grant, 34, was indicted by a grand jury in August and arrested Tuesday on a felony child abuse charge.

More >> Bolivar foster dad accused of shaking 3-month-old baby

Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Hot Springs Family Whose Kids Were Seized in 2014

The Eighth Circuit Court of appeals has ruled in favor of a Garland County family, years after authorities seized their children from their home.     
                                                                
On January 12, 2015, child abuse investigators removed seven children from the home of Hal and Michelle Stanley in Hot Springs. At the time, investigators said they had reason to believe the children were being abused. The Stanleys homeschooled their kids, and gave them a substance called "Miracle Mineral Solution" (MMS). The FDA warns MMS can be hazardous.                             

More >> Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Hot Springs Family Whose Kids Were Seized in 2014

1 In 4 Foster Kids In Missouri Are Taking Strong Psychoactive Drugs And The State’s Not Keeping Track, Lawsuit Says

Foster kids in Missouri are overmedicated with powerful drugs that keep them in “chemical straight-jackets,” putting them at risk of harm, according to a class-action lawsuit calling on the state to improve the care it offers the youngest people in its charge.

At least 23% of the 13,500 children in the care of the state’s Children’s Division were taking one or more psychotropic drugs as of December 2017, according to court documents. This mirrors a national trend: Children in foster care are at least twice as likely to be taking these powerful drugs than kids outside the system, according to an analysis of Medicaid data.

More >> 1 In 4 Foster Kids In Missouri Are Taking Strong Psychoactive Drugs And The State’s Not Keeping Track, Lawsuit Says

Missouri family questions state's child abuse hotline after reporting allegations

A Missouri family questions what really happens when people call the state's child abuse hotline for help.

They reported allegations of abuse and are stunned at the lack of response and investigation. The family says they’ve made repeated calls to the hotline, the social worker assigned and even the county supervisor. More than a month has passed and there has been no investigation.

More >> Missouri family questions state's child abuse hotline after reporting allegations

Case Over Psychotropic Drugs Given To Missouri Foster Kids Now A Class Action

A lawsuit charging Missouri officials have failed to properly oversee the administration of psychotropic medications to children in foster care was certified Thursday as a class action.

Finding that they face “a substantial risk of serious harm,” U.S. District Judge Nanette K. Laughrey certified a class consisting of all children in the state’s foster care system who are receiving psychotropic drugs.

More >> Case Over Psychotropic Drugs Given To Missouri Foster Kids Now A Class Action

Lawsuit Exposes State in Taking Kids from Parents and Heavily Drugging them with Psychotropics

Foster children in Missouri have been dangerously over-medicated with antipsychotic drugs — intended to treat conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia — to manage behavioral disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a new civil rights lawsuit, which instead effectively puts them in “a chemical straightjacket.”

More >> Lawsuit Exposes State in Taking Kids from Parents and Heavily Drugging them with Psychotropics

Abuse reports shut down his Alabama boys home. Now he's opened another in Missouri

The religious home for young boys promises to be a safe haven for those struggling with drugs, alcohol or a "rebellious spirit."

On the website of The Joshua Home — in Pineville, Mo., south of Joplin — anonymous parents credit "Brother" Gary Wiggins and his wife, Meaghan, with turning their sons' lives around through Christian study, prayer and love.

More >> Abuse reports shut down his Alabama boys home. Now he's opened another in Missouri