Articles on MALTREATMENT of children in the System

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Marina
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Postby Marina » Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:27 pm

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12187572?source=rss

Foster father arrested for allegedly fondling girl
By Brandon Dabling

Special To The Tribune

Updated: 04/20/2009 09:40:43 PM MDT


A 46-year-old Payson man was arrested Friday, accused of sexually abusing his 13-year-old foster daughter.

...

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Postby Marina » Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:51 pm

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1655953

Mother pleads guilty to abuse of adopted daughter
April 21, 2009 - 4:44pm

ROCKVILLE, Md. - A woman has pleaded guilty to second-degree child abuse, the Montgomery County State's Attorney Office says.

...

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Postby Marina » Sat May 23, 2009 6:57 pm

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... 15-ON.html

Goodyear girl still in hospital 3 weeks after potty-training 'war'

by Jackee Coe - May. 16, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

A 4-year-old Goodyear girl is still in the hospital, three weeks after her parents reportedly used blunt force during a potty-training "war," officials said.

Raul Varela, 40, and his wife, Tricia Varela, 39, were arrested and booked on one count each of felony child abuse on April 28.

They have been released until their preliminary hearing Tuesday but are prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone younger than 18, court records state.
Raul Varela, Goodyear's engineering director, is on paid administrative leave.

About 12:30 a.m. April 28, Tricia Varela took her daughter to the emergency room at West Valley Hospital in Goodyear for abdominal pain, according to a Goodyear police report.

Hospital staff discovered severe bruising on her legs, arms, upper and lower back, abdomen and head as well as what appeared to be a broken arm.

Deemed to be in critical condition, the girl was taken to Maricopa Medical Center's Pediatric Unit in Phoenix about 5:45 a.m., the report states.

Doctors immediately suspected child abuse based on the nature and extent of her injuries, according to the police report.

The girl had abdominal bruising on both sides of her body extending to her lower back, two broken legs and a fracture to her upper right arm, the report shows.

Doctors determined the bruising on the back of her knee, inside and outside of both thighs and back were consistent with blunt force.

She had to be medically sedated due to the pain and her "deteriorating condition," according to the report.

Raul and Tricia Varela admitted they had caused the girl's injuries on April 25, the report states. The couple said they forced her on the toilet by restraining her with her hands held behind her back, pushing on her stomach, back and legs and pushing her head down between her legs.

Raul Varela told police he and his wife often force the girl to stay on the toilet for "hours on end" because it's the only way they can get her to comply, according to the report. He said he was aware doing so causes visible injury and knew she was hurt on April 25 but did not get her medical attention.

The Varelas brought her to the hospital three days later because they thought she was constipated.

There were six children living with the couple in their Goodyear home: two biological sons, ages 7 and 9, and four adopted daughters, ages 2 to 8, including the victim.

Child Protective Services removed the children from the home and will assume care of the 4-year-old when she is released from the hospital.

She is in stable condition at Maricopa Medical Center.

Police are still investigating the case and waiting for medical reports on the girl's injuries.

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Postby Marina » Sat May 23, 2009 7:11 pm

http://cumberlink.com/articles/2009/05/ ... 848477.txt

Former foster dad gets probation in molestation case
Heather Stauffer

By Heather Stauffer, Sentinel Reporter, May 8, 2009

Last updated: Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:21 AM EDT



Robert Eugene Miller

A former foster parent was sentenced Tuesday to nine years of supervised probation on charges of institutional sexual assault and indecent assault.

Robert Eugene Miller Sr.,
...

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Postby Marina » Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:12 am

http://www.connpost.com/ci_13008027?source=rss

Foster mother charged with beating children
...
Marilyn Jones, 64, of Washington Avenue, was charged with two counts of third-degree assault and two counts of risk of injury to a minor.
...
Another child living with Jones told social workers that Jones had beaten the two children because they had defecated on themselves, according to police reports.

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Postby Marina » Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:34 am

http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncou ... rly_1.html

Aloha man sentenced to nearly 15 years for sex abuse of foster child
by John Snell, The Oregonian
Thursday July 30, 2009, 1:02 PM

Warren Leroy Tripp...

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tommixx
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Young Boy 'Branded' by Foster Mom KSBI News

Postby tommixx » Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:46 pm

Young Boy 'Branded' by Foster Mom
KSBI News

http://www.ksbitv.com/news/52112532.html

Story Created: Jul 30, 2009 at 6:22 PM CDT

Story Updated: Jul 30, 2009 at 8:35 PM CDT

A young boy is badly burned by his foster mother. Midwest City police say a 9 year-old boy was "branded" by a potato smasher that had been heated on the stove. The boy told officials that his foster mother did it because she was mad at him for possibly taking $20 from her. Originally, the boy said it was an accident, but police knew the imprints were not accidental. 72-year-old Joycelyn Louis is being charged with Felony Child Abuse. Officials say he's a good kid, and didn't deserve the torture.

Chief Brandon Clabes with the Midwest City Police Department said, "This child was repeatedly burned with major burn injuries, they're classified as 2nd and 3rd degree burns, which are the most severe. they're scarring injuries that are not only physically, but emotionally. He'll carry those scars with him for the rest of his life, so if someone asks him about them, it'll rekindle those memories."

The 9-year-old has been removed from the house. Louis denies the allegations, and refuses to cooperate.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA/CIA WIRETAPING PROGRAM....

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tommixx
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Woman says system failed 3 girls sexually abused by adoptive

Postby tommixx » Mon Sep 28, 2009 6:50 pm

Woman says system failed 3 girls sexually abused by adoptive father

http://www.whas11.com/topstories/storie ... e9c20.html

08:20 PM EDT on Monday, September 28, 2009

WHAS11 coverage
Former Parkview Middle School janitor pleads guilty to molesting three daughters
Middle school janitor faces 58 charges of child molestation, allegedly of daughters

(WHAS11) - A local man is pleading guilty to abuse that spanned more than a decade.

But a New Albany woman says his abuse was ignored for far too long.

Charles Sparks' three victims were his three adopted daughters and if a judge accepts his plea deal he faces 20 years in prison and 10 years probation.
Watch this story

LaDonna McDonald says justice has been a long time coming for these girls that she knew very well.

She says the system failed the girls from the start, when they were removed from a sexually abusive home and placed with Sparks and his wife. The girls told investigators Sparks started abusing them within a year of their adoption.

Ladonna says the legal system is failure.

For years LaDonna McDonald says she knew of the horrors that happened in the home behind hers at the hands of Charles Sparks.

"What's the first reaction to that name? The first reaction? Kill. You want to kill him. You want to see him dead. He tortured three girls and I mean every day, they have went through pure hell."

She says the victims, his three adopted daughters, confided in her about the abuse they endured night after night.

One day one of the girls approached her in her driveway visibly shaken and upset.

"She had tears coming down her cheek and she said 'no.' And I said, 'what's wrong?' She said, ‘I'm afraid I'm going to get pregnant.’ I said, 'I didn't know you had a boyfriend,'” said LaDonna.

“Because she's how old at this point?” asked WHAS 11 News Reporter Adrianna Hopkins.

“12. She said, ‘I don't have a boyfriend, I'm talking about my dad’," said LaDonna.

Broken hearted, LaDonna says she called Child Protective Services. In 2001, CPS investigated, and removed Sparks from the home for a while. But when the case went to court, the judge dismissed it, and Sparks was free to go home. And LaDonna says for years the abuse continued.

LaDonna says the system is broken and it failed these girls and has failed her in the past.

"And my daughters have struggled with that. So I can only imagine what these three are going through. And it's got to stop. These men and some women have got to learn stop picking on these kids. Stop picking on these babies,” she said.

WHAS11 News contacted Indiana Department of Child Services and they said: "We cannot comment on the specifics of the case. We are pleased justice has been served and that this man is behind bars."

LaDonna still keeps in contact with the victims -- the girls she says she tried to save.

“How are they doing?” asked Adrianna.

“They're trying to live a normal life,” said LaDonna.

“Is it possible?” asked Adrianna.

“I don't think so. You can see it in their face. To me I would say, they're ruined.”

This plea deal means that Charles Sparks will plead guilty to three counts of child molesting and could spend 20 years in prison. Ladonna says she's not sure if that's enough. Because if Sparks was convicted of the 58 counts he was charged with -- he could have faced 1,914 years in jail. Ladonna says his victims have told her, they want him to die behind bars.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA/CIA WIRETAPING PROGRAM....

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tommixx
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Lawsuit blames El Paso County for child's death in foster ca

Postby tommixx » Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:42 pm

Lawsuit blames El Paso County for child's death in foster care
The parents claim neglect while she was in El Paso foster care.
By Felisa Cardona
The Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13555483

Posted: 10/14/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 10/14/2009 09:28:47 AM MDT

Alize Vick died from head injuries Oct. 10, 2007 in Colorado Springs while in the care of foster parent Jules Lynn Cuneo. (COURTESY OF LINDENBERGER FAMILY |)

A federal lawsuit says the El Paso County Department of Human Services neglected 2-year-old Alize Vick by leaving her in the care of her foster mother despite numerous reports of physical injuries and a neighbor's complaint that the child was being tortured.

Alize's biological parents sued the agency Friday, alleging caseworkers did not do enough to protect the girl during the seven months she was in foster care.

"The department is deeply saddened by the death of Alize Vick," said Rick Bengtsson, director of El Paso County DHS. "Since this is a case currently in the courts, we are not able to comment."

An autopsy showed that Alize died from head trauma on Oct. 10, 2007. The girl's body showed signs of older injuries
Extras

* Read the lawsuit against El Paso County in Alize Vick's death.

and a pattern of abuse.

Her foster mother, Jules Cuneo, is charged with first-degree murder of a child under 12 and knowing and reckless child abuse resulting in death.

Cuneo, 36, has pleaded not guilty. A jury trial is scheduled in El Paso County on Nov. 2.

Five months before Alize died, the department received a detailed letter from a neighbor that said Cuneo, who weighed about 300 pounds, was sitting on the 30-pound girl.

The neighbor also recorded the abuse on tape because it was being transmitted from a baby monitor.

"Furthermore, you can hear Jules teaching (Alize) to say, '(Alize) is stupid' and '(Alize) is a chicken,' " the letter says. "I have been listening to the baby monitor for a month now. The relentless lessons and cruelty have been the norm."

Caseworker Sue Fisher went to Cuneo's home five days after the neighbor wrote to investigate.

"By her own statements, Fisher knew the details of the letter and tape, did nothing to remove Alize from the Cuneo residence, and said nothing about the evidence in her investigative report," the lawsuit says. "After Alize Vick was killed, Fisher was subsequently reassigned within El Paso County DHS but apparently was not terminated."

Alize's file contained nine incidents of head or facial injuries over a three-month period, most of them reported by Cuneo, the suit says.

Three days before Alize died, Kayla Dutcher, 5, died from a fatal overdose of a prescription narcotic.

El Paso County DHS had received a complaint that the girl was being neglected by her parents and living in a recreational vehicle without heat and other necessities.

The lawsuit said the Dutcher case shows a pattern and practice of failure by the agency to follow up on reports of neglect and abuse.

Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or [email protected]
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA/CIA WIRETAPING PROGRAM....


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