Voices for Children report shows racial disparity in calls to Nebraska abuse/neglect hotline

A report by Voices for Children in Nebraska shows children of minority groups are more likely to be the subject of maltreatment reports to the state's child abuse/neglect hotline.

The report, "Equality Before the Law: Race and Ethnicity in the Front End of Nebraska’s Child Welfare System," examined calls to the child abuse and neglect hotline and the immediate child welfare system response.

More >> Voices for Children report shows racial disparity in calls to Nebraska abuse/neglect hotline

Omaha-area child welfare contractor sues state over switch to Kansas nonprofit

The Omaha-based agency that manages Omaha-area child welfare cases is legally challenging the state’s decision to award a new contract to a different agency.


State officials signed the new contract with St. Francis Ministries, based in Salina, Kansas, on July 3. The five-year contract is for about $196 million and includes an option for two more years.
More >> Omaha-area child welfare contractor sues state over switch to Kansas nonprofit

Contractor, some child welfare advocates disgruntled with HHS changes in Omaha

The state of Nebraska finalized a child welfare contract for the Omaha area this month with a Kansas-based company amid concerns by the current contractor and some child welfare advocates.

The $39.2 million annual contract with Saint Francis Ministries will last five years, with an option for two additional years.

More >> Contractor, some child welfare advocates disgruntled with HHS changes in Omaha

Half of kids languishing in foster care were under age 7 when they were removed from homes

Ninety-three Nebraska children have been out of their homes, in foster care, for five years or more.

That is a great concern to Kim Hawekotte, executive director of the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office, and it disturbs her even more when she considers that nearly 20% of them were under 4 years old when they were removed from their homes.

More >> Half of kids languishing in foster care were under age 7 when they were removed from homes

Parents, former DHHS investigator speak out about drug testing policy change

Hundreds of messages, comments, emails and phone calls followed a KETV NewsWatch 7 investigation about a policy change impacting child abuse and welfare cases in Nebraska.

The new policy, formalized in October of 2018, states that Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services investigators can no longer do drug testing on parents or children involved in a child abuse or neglect case, and that testing can only be court ordered.

More >> Parents, former DHHS investigator speak out about drug testing policy change

ACLU report questions police presence in schools, says programs fuel ‘school to prison’ pipeline

In one case, police were called over elementary school-age brothers yelling and cursing at each other.

In another, a school employee referred a student for stealing a candy bar from her desk.

A third involved a middle school student caught writing on her desk.

The ACLU of Nebraska cited these and other cases in a new report questioning how school police programs operate in Nebraska. The report, released Thursday, says the programs fuel a “school to prison” pipeline and disproportionately affect students of color and students with disabilities.

More >> ACLU report questions police presence in schools, says programs fuel ‘school to prison’ pipeline

Police reports detail fights, sex crimes at Iowa academy for troubled youth

In February, a Lincoln, Nebraska, mother of a 15-year-old student at Iowa's Clarinda Academy told police that a staff member assaulted her daughter.

The girl fell and hit her face on the floor, causing bruising, after the facility's director, Brad Honnald, tried to restrain her, according to a police report. 

The next month, eight teens attempted an escape that resulted in a 32-year-old staff worker Nathanial Bennett suffering broken bones and falling unconscious and left another staffer injured.

More >> Police reports detail fights, sex crimes at Iowa academy for troubled youth

Woman found guilty of abusing foster child

A jury found a metro woman guilty of child and sexual abuse in court on Monday.

Kim Carrera was found guilty of three felony charges. They included tampering with physical evidence, intentional child abuse with no injuries and sexual abuse of a protected person.

Bellevue Police arrested Carrera in 2015 when it was suspected she was having inappropriate sexual contact with a 17-year-old foster child who had been placed in her care.

More >> Woman found guilty of abusing foster child

Nebraska DHHS begins training on new child welfare practices

Nebraska's child welfare agency is moving forward with a new approach to child welfare cases designed to help more youths stay with their families.

The plan was outlined Thursday as part of a series of meetings held throughout the state. The new approach encourages case workers to spend more time with at-risk families, discuss solutions to their problems and work with them to create a network of positive influences, such as relatives or neighbors.

More >> Nebraska DHHS begins training on new child welfare practices

Foster mom accused of holding 10-year-old boy in locked basement storage room

Federal prosecutors have charged a 34-year-old Macy woman with felony child abuse and kidnapping for locking her 10-year-old foster son in a basement storage room so she could go have fun.

Shortly after 2 a.m. Sept. 15, Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services went to Krista Parker's home after getting a call at about 2:20 a.m. about a boy locked in a storage room.

More >> Foster mom accused of holding 10-year-old boy in locked basement storage room

Report finds 'disturbing' increase in sexual abuse, suicide among Nebraska children in state care

Reports of sexual abuse and suicidal behavior among children in the care of the state increased again last year, according to a report issued this week by the state’s watchdog over Nebraska’s child welfare system.

Julie Rogers, the inspector general of Nebraska child welfare, described the increase as “disturbing” in a statement accompanying the report.

More >> Report finds 'disturbing' increase in sexual abuse, suicide among Nebraska children in state care

• Child welfare report shows more suicide attempts, sexual abuse reported

Krist blames Ricketts for abuse, deaths in state child welfare program

State Sen. Bob Krist blasted Gov. Pete Ricketts on Thursday as personally responsible for the sexual abuse and deaths of dozens of children in the Nebraska child welfare program.

Ricketts and his administration "have buried their heads in the sand and done nothing to fix the problems," ignoring the warnings outlined in investigations as well as calls from lawmakers to act, Krist said.

More >> Krist blames Ricketts for abuse, deaths in state child welfare program

Nebraska study shows lopsided percentages of minority children in foster care

The office that checks up on kids in foster care reported Thursday that the number of minority kids in out-of-home care is out of proportion.

On March 31, African-American children, as well as Native, biracial and Latino children, were overrepresented in the population of kids in foster care and other types of out-of-home care, according to the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office.

More >> Nebraska study shows lopsided percentages of minority children in foster care

Editorial: Nebraska adopts needed reporting requirements on state ward abuse allegations

Findings last year by Nebraska’s state inspector general for child welfare about the troubling extent of sexual abuse of state wards jolted state officials.

During 2013-16, at least 50 Nebraska children suffered sexual abuse while in the state’s care or after being placed in an adoptive or guardianship home, Julie Rogers reported.

More >> Editorial: Nebraska adopts needed reporting requirements on state ward abuse allegations

Prosecutor plans to appeal ex-Omaha fire captain's sexual assault sentence

Three girls who looked to Lee Dunbar as a father were, instead, sexually assaulted by him.

A jury decided as much in January.

On Friday, Douglas County District Judge Marlon Polk sentenced Dunbar, a 67-year-old retired Omaha fire captain, to the minimum sentence of 15 years on each of the five first-degree sexual assault counts he had been convicted of.

More >> Prosecutor plans to appeal ex-Omaha fire captain's sexual assault sentence

Nebraska child welfare caseloads improve, but still fail national standards

A Department of Health and Human Services official told state senators Thursday that vacancies for child welfare specialists and trainees and turnover for those positions went down in 2017.

More >> Nebraska child welfare caseloads improve, but still fail national standards

Victims testify against foster father accused of sexual assault

Two victims gave testimony Tuesday against their former foster parent and retired Omaha firefighter, Lee Dunbar Sr. He’s accused of sexually assaulting his former foster children.

More >> Victims testify against foster father accused of sexual assault

State senator says legislature must oversee child welfare system in wake of abuse cases

A state senator says the legislature has a role to play as the state addresses cases of sexual abuse within the child welfare system.

More >> State senator says legislature must oversee child welfare system in wake of abuse cases

Report calls for changes in handling of state ward sex abuse cases

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) -- An extensive report calls for improvements in the investigation and handling of sexual abuse cases involving juveniles in state care.

The Office of Inspector General of Nebraska Child Welfare released the report Wednesday. It outlines an extensive investigation into whether the Department of Health and Human Services was taking adequate steps to prevent and respond to sexual abuse of youth in state care.

More >> Report calls for changes in handling of state ward sex abuse cases

Lincoln senator calls for more oversight of Nebraska child welfare

A Lincoln state senator is calling for more oversight of Nebraska's child welfare system to address child sexual abuse of state wards and those adopted from foster care.

The Department of Health and Human Services responded quickly, balking at the idea of more legislative oversight, saying that already falls to the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee.

More >> Lincoln senator calls for more oversight of Nebraska child welfare

• Senator calls for more oversight of child welfare system