When detectives asked Michael Beer’s young daughter to demonstrate how Beer handled the toddler state child welfare authorities placed in his care, the girl took a stuffed animal by the arm and hurled it to the floor.
The teddy bear survived. Two-year-old Trystan Eli Frank Adams, the unfortunate foster child, did not. Beer’s career as a foster parent ended when Trystan succumbed to “severe lacerations” to his liver, along with bruising to his kidney, gallbladder, pancreas and rib cage.
More >> Florida’s latest assault on transparency: sealing names of foster parents
Sunday, March 31, 2019
'My birth mother deserves an apology': Forced to give her up for adoption, Liz Wilde's mum Valerie was told it would spell the end of her status as a 'fallen woman'
Forced to give her up for adoption, Liz Wilde’s mother Valerie was told it would spell the end of her troubles as a ‘fallen woman’. But decades later, Liz would discover it was just the beginning of a lifetime of heartbreak
More >> 'My birth mother deserves an apology': Forced to give her up for adoption, Liz Wilde's mum Valerie was told it would spell the end of her status as a 'fallen woman'
More >> 'My birth mother deserves an apology': Forced to give her up for adoption, Liz Wilde's mum Valerie was told it would spell the end of her status as a 'fallen woman'
Minnesota woman convicted of fracturing infant foster son's leg
A Champlin, Minnesota woman will be sentenced next month on a third-degree assault conviction for injuring her infant foster son.
A jury found 40-year-old Melissa Sondrol guilty of fracturing the femur of the seven-week-old boy in October of 2017. Sondrol testified that she did not mistreat the boy and claimed he must have had weak bones. Her claim was supported by an Illinois-based orthopedic surgeon.
More >> Minnesota woman convicted of fracturing infant foster son's leg
A jury found 40-year-old Melissa Sondrol guilty of fracturing the femur of the seven-week-old boy in October of 2017. Sondrol testified that she did not mistreat the boy and claimed he must have had weak bones. Her claim was supported by an Illinois-based orthopedic surgeon.
More >> Minnesota woman convicted of fracturing infant foster son's leg
Arizona police department facing criticism for kicking in door to bring sick boy to hospital
Officers wielding pistols and ballistic shields kicked in the door of a suburban Phoenix home in the middle of the night to bring a sick 2-year-old boy to a hospital after his mother refused a doctor's advice to get him to an emergency room for what was thought to be a potentially life-threatening illness.
The doctor called child-welfare authorities on Feb. 25 after the mother didn't show up at the agreed-upon emergency room, leading police in Chandler to knock on their family's door to check on the condition of the boy, who earlier in the day had a fever of 105°F (41°C) and was suspected to have meningitis.
More >> Arizona police department facing criticism for kicking in door to bring sick boy to hospital
The doctor called child-welfare authorities on Feb. 25 after the mother didn't show up at the agreed-upon emergency room, leading police in Chandler to knock on their family's door to check on the condition of the boy, who earlier in the day had a fever of 105°F (41°C) and was suspected to have meningitis.
More >> Arizona police department facing criticism for kicking in door to bring sick boy to hospital
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Youth often become homeless just after leaving juvenile detention. Can Washington state really stop it?
By the age of 17, David Vanwetter had been in and out of detention perhaps a dozen times.
Often homeless when he went in, he would be right back on the streets when he got out.
More >> Youth often become homeless just after leaving juvenile detention. Can Washington state really stop it?
Often homeless when he went in, he would be right back on the streets when he got out.
More >> Youth often become homeless just after leaving juvenile detention. Can Washington state really stop it?
Parents separated from their kids returned to the U.S. to be reunited. They’ve been detained for almost a month.
Earlier this month, 29 migrant parents from across Central America who were separated from their children last year by U.S. immigration officials returned to the U.S. border.
They asked to be allowed back into the United States to resume their asylum applications and to be reunited with their children, who remained in American foster homes, shelters or with relatives. After about 10 hours of waiting on March 2, the parents were escorted into Calexico, Calif., by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, as a group of immigration attorneys and advocates applauded.
More >> Parents separated from their kids returned to the U.S. to be reunited. They’ve been detained for almost a month.
They asked to be allowed back into the United States to resume their asylum applications and to be reunited with their children, who remained in American foster homes, shelters or with relatives. After about 10 hours of waiting on March 2, the parents were escorted into Calexico, Calif., by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, as a group of immigration attorneys and advocates applauded.
More >> Parents separated from their kids returned to the U.S. to be reunited. They’ve been detained for almost a month.
Case worker, supervisor terminated by DCFS for 'lack of urgency' in Aniya Day-Garrett case
The case worker and her supervisor who were responsible for handling the case involving Aniya Day-Garrett, the 4-year-old girl who was killed by her mother and mother’s boyfriend, were terminated by the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services.
The system of failures that may have led to the death of Aniya included missed deadlines, poor guidance from supervisors and a lack of urgency to protect the little girl from her abusers, according to the termination letter provided by Cuyahoga County DCFS.
More >> Case worker, supervisor terminated by DCFS for 'lack of urgency' in Aniya Day-Garrett case
The system of failures that may have led to the death of Aniya included missed deadlines, poor guidance from supervisors and a lack of urgency to protect the little girl from her abusers, according to the termination letter provided by Cuyahoga County DCFS.
More >> Case worker, supervisor terminated by DCFS for 'lack of urgency' in Aniya Day-Garrett case
'Evil attracts evil': Judge gives mom life in murder of adopted teen daughter
A woman who plotted the rape, torture and murder of her own teenage daughter pleaded guilty on Friday and was sentenced to life in prison for a crime so barbaric that prosecutors and the judge strained for superlatives to describe it.
One day after her co-conspirator boyfriend was sentenced to death, Sara Packer, 44, appeared in a suburban Philadelphia courthouse and pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, kidnapping, abuse of a corpse and 16 other offenses in the 2016 slaying of 14-year-old Grace Packer.
More >> 'Evil attracts evil': Judge gives mom life in murder of adopted teen daughter
Friday, March 29, 2019
Urbana foster dad sentenced on sex crimes involving young boys
A 63-year-old Urbana foster dad on Wednesday was sentenced to 13 years in prison for sex crimes involving three young boys.
Jeffery McClain was convicted earlier this month of gross sexual imposition and endangering children.
More >> Urbana foster dad sentenced on sex crimes involving young boys
Jeffery McClain was convicted earlier this month of gross sexual imposition and endangering children.
More >> Urbana foster dad sentenced on sex crimes involving young boys
Foster Care Worker Pleads Guilty to Child Endangerment
A foster care worker in Bradford County has pleaded guilty to child endangerment.
Tabitha Dunn of Monroeton was charged in December after a 17-year-old boy in the foster care system told police he was having a sexual relationship with Dunn.
More >> Foster Care Worker Pleads Guilty to Child Endangerment
Tabitha Dunn of Monroeton was charged in December after a 17-year-old boy in the foster care system told police he was having a sexual relationship with Dunn.
More >> Foster Care Worker Pleads Guilty to Child Endangerment
Sex abuse case against former Galesburg foster parent continues
The prosecution of a former Galesburg foster parent moved a step forward Tuesday afternoon.
Dennis K. Donnelly, 70, Glendale, Arizona, made a court appearance Tuesday for his preliminary hearing before Circuit Associate Judge Patricia Walton. Public Defender Dan O’Brien represented Donnelly Tuesday, in place of Knox County Chief Public Defender Dave Hansen, while Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Kerr was present for the state.
More >> Sex abuse case against former Galesburg foster parent continues
Dennis K. Donnelly, 70, Glendale, Arizona, made a court appearance Tuesday for his preliminary hearing before Circuit Associate Judge Patricia Walton. Public Defender Dan O’Brien represented Donnelly Tuesday, in place of Knox County Chief Public Defender Dave Hansen, while Assistant State’s Attorney Brian Kerr was present for the state.
More >> Sex abuse case against former Galesburg foster parent continues
40 ‘credible’ concerns raised to Tusla against foster carers
There were 40 substantiated child protection and welfare concerns made against foster carers last year, the Child and Family Agency has revealed.
Tusla said the figure, provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, were based on cases where there was "credible evidence, on the balance of probabilities, to support the allegation".
More >> 40 ‘credible’ concerns raised to Tusla against foster carers
Tusla said the figure, provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, were based on cases where there was "credible evidence, on the balance of probabilities, to support the allegation".
More >> 40 ‘credible’ concerns raised to Tusla against foster carers
Foster kids removed from juvenile jail that limited tampon access
Oregon child welfare officials are removing foster children from a Klamath Falls residential program located in a county juvenile jail, after lawyers and state lawmakers raised concerns that the girls did not have free access to tampons.
Girls recently were given access to three free tampons at a time, but only if they turned over their used hygiene products to staff.
More >> Foster kids removed from juvenile jail that limited tampon access
Girls recently were given access to three free tampons at a time, but only if they turned over their used hygiene products to staff.
More >> Foster kids removed from juvenile jail that limited tampon access
AZ lawmaker calls police raid to take sick Chandler child to hospital 'excessive'
After a SWAT team broke open a door to take an unvaccinated 2-year-old boy with a fever to the hospital, an Arizona lawmaker is calling for a review of police and child protective services procedures.
"I want to sit down with stakeholders about this," said state Rep. Kelly Townsend. "That was excessive. It's a scary thing."
More >> AZ lawmaker calls police raid to take sick Chandler child to hospital 'excessive'
"I want to sit down with stakeholders about this," said state Rep. Kelly Townsend. "That was excessive. It's a scary thing."
More >> AZ lawmaker calls police raid to take sick Chandler child to hospital 'excessive'
A CPS investigator was dating a convicted felon. Then he was charged with murder
Manatee child protection services investigator Gwendolena Fernandez was supposed to be working on a Wednesday morning last December when detectives serving a search warrant found her at her boyfriend’s North Port home, just after arresting him on murder and other charges, according to an internal affairs report.
Fernandez was allowed to have a seat outside as detectives searched the home. Her cell phones, including one issued her by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, were seized and searched during that time.
More >> A CPS investigator was dating a convicted felon. Then he was charged with murder
Fernandez was allowed to have a seat outside as detectives searched the home. Her cell phones, including one issued her by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, were seized and searched during that time.
More >> A CPS investigator was dating a convicted felon. Then he was charged with murder
Thursday, March 28, 2019
9 young people overdosed last year while under DCF’s watch
Three youths under the watch of the state’s Department of Children and Families died of overdoses last year, and six others suffered nonfatal overdoses — the most since state officials declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency five years ago.
The nine cases, disclosed in a recent state report, have set off alarms among child welfare advocates. While it’s unclear if it’s a grim, new trend or a tragic anomaly, they said the overdoses underline how much the drug crisis is still buffeting DCF, the agency charged with helping protect children from abuse and neglect.
More >> 9 young people overdosed last year while under DCF’s watch
The nine cases, disclosed in a recent state report, have set off alarms among child welfare advocates. While it’s unclear if it’s a grim, new trend or a tragic anomaly, they said the overdoses underline how much the drug crisis is still buffeting DCF, the agency charged with helping protect children from abuse and neglect.
More >> 9 young people overdosed last year while under DCF’s watch
Child sexually abused while in DSS care awarded $534,000
A boy who was sexually abused while in a group home run by the South Carolina Department of Social Services has been awarded $534,000 in damages.
A federal jury in the United States District Court in Spartanburg returned a verdict Friday in favor of the child.
More >> Child sexually abused while in DSS care awarded $534,000
A federal jury in the United States District Court in Spartanburg returned a verdict Friday in favor of the child.
More >> Child sexually abused while in DSS care awarded $534,000
When the state kicks down your door and takes your child over a fever
In February, Arizona police officers broke down the door of a private home with their guns drawn. They weren’t there to rescue a hostage. They were serving a court order against parents who declined to take their child to the hospital for a fever, and they left with three children now claimed by the state.
More >> When the state kicks down your door and takes your child over a fever
More >> When the state kicks down your door and takes your child over a fever
Man gets death for teen's rape, murder, dismemberment
A man who killed and dismembered his girlfriend's 14-year-old daughter as part of a rape-murder fantasy he shared with the teenager's mother was sentenced to death Thursday.
More >> Man gets death for teen's rape, murder, dismemberment
More >> Man gets death for teen's rape, murder, dismemberment
Lawyer: Child welfare workers had sex next to foster child at Dallas hotel
A lawyer for a child in Oregon's foster care system plans to sue the state after the lawyer says the child saw two state workers having sex in the hotel room where the child was staying.
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the attorney further contends the state sent the child to a juvenile detention facility as punishment after the child reported the incident.
More >> Lawyer: Child welfare workers had sex next to foster child at Dallas hotel
The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the attorney further contends the state sent the child to a juvenile detention facility as punishment after the child reported the incident.
More >> Lawyer: Child welfare workers had sex next to foster child at Dallas hotel
Lawsuit: 10-year-old was drugged, sexually assaulted in US custody
A Guatemalan father is suing two nonprofits that house migrant children for the US government, alleging his 10-year-old son was forced to take psychotropic drugs and sexually assaulted while in custody.
The father and son, identified in the lawsuit as J.E.B. and F.C.B., allege that US officials forcibly separated them at the border in February 2018. From there, according to the lawsuit, F.C.B. was first placed in the custody of a migrant shelter run by Southwest Key in Arizona, then later transferred to the Shiloh Treatment Center in Manvel, Texas.
More >> Lawsuit: 10-year-old was drugged, sexually assaulted in US custody
The father and son, identified in the lawsuit as J.E.B. and F.C.B., allege that US officials forcibly separated them at the border in February 2018. From there, according to the lawsuit, F.C.B. was first placed in the custody of a migrant shelter run by Southwest Key in Arizona, then later transferred to the Shiloh Treatment Center in Manvel, Texas.
More >> Lawsuit: 10-year-old was drugged, sexually assaulted in US custody
Lawmakers urged to limit Maine child protection workers’ caseloads
State lawmakers are contemplating a bill that would limit the caseloads for state child protective workers, a shift aimed at closing cracks in a system that advocates say contributed to the deaths of two young girls in late 2017 and early 2018.
State Rep. Colleen Madigan, D-Waterville, told members of the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on Monday that child protective workers overburdened with cases cannot fully protect Maine’s vulnerable children. She urged the committee to set standards for caseloads based on the recommendations of a national organization focused on child welfare.
More >> Lawmakers urged to limit Maine child protection workers’ caseloads
State Rep. Colleen Madigan, D-Waterville, told members of the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee on Monday that child protective workers overburdened with cases cannot fully protect Maine’s vulnerable children. She urged the committee to set standards for caseloads based on the recommendations of a national organization focused on child welfare.
More >> Lawmakers urged to limit Maine child protection workers’ caseloads
State hides from public more deaths of children on its watch as lawmakers plan reforms
Oregon child welfare officials concealed reviews into the deaths of two children on its watch, including one girl shot and killed in foster care, by claiming their deaths fell through a loophole in public reporting laws.
The Department of Human Services insisted in December that it had no obligation to tell the public about the 2017 deaths of Payshience “Tia” Adams or Colin Valencia, because case workers had concluded neither child died by neglect or abuse -- despite criminal charges of aggravated murder in both cases.
More >> State hides from public more deaths of children on its watch as lawmakers plan reforms
The Department of Human Services insisted in December that it had no obligation to tell the public about the 2017 deaths of Payshience “Tia” Adams or Colin Valencia, because case workers had concluded neither child died by neglect or abuse -- despite criminal charges of aggravated murder in both cases.
More >> State hides from public more deaths of children on its watch as lawmakers plan reforms
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Unvaccinated children banned from public spaces amid measles outbreak in New York suburb
A New York county has banned unvaccinated children from all public spaces as the state battles its largest measles outbreak in decades.
Officials in Rockland County declared a countywide state of emergency Tuesday, announcing that the ban will begin at midnight and remain in place for 30 days or until unvaccinated minors receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Officials said minors who are unvaccinated will not be permitted in public places, such as churches, schools and shopping centers, though outdoors spaces such as playgrounds are not included in the ban.
"We must not allow this outbreak to continue," County Executive Ed Day said during a news conference. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk."
More >> Unvaccinated children banned from public spaces amid measles outbreak in New York suburb
Officials in Rockland County declared a countywide state of emergency Tuesday, announcing that the ban will begin at midnight and remain in place for 30 days or until unvaccinated minors receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Officials said minors who are unvaccinated will not be permitted in public places, such as churches, schools and shopping centers, though outdoors spaces such as playgrounds are not included in the ban.
"We must not allow this outbreak to continue," County Executive Ed Day said during a news conference. "We will not sit idly by while children in our community are at risk."
More >> Unvaccinated children banned from public spaces amid measles outbreak in New York suburb
Oregon’s graduation rate for foster kids is 35 percent
Oregon teenagers who spent time in foster care were less than half as likely as their classmates in the class of 2017 to graduate on time.
The graduation rate for teenagers who spent any amount of their high school years in foster care was 35 percent, according to figures reported by the Oregon Department of Education at the end of last year.
More >> Oregon’s graduation rate for foster kids is 35 percent
The graduation rate for teenagers who spent any amount of their high school years in foster care was 35 percent, according to figures reported by the Oregon Department of Education at the end of last year.
More >> Oregon’s graduation rate for foster kids is 35 percent
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