Current:Home > FinanceTexas fined $100,000 per day for failing to act on foster care abuse allegations -InvestPioneer
Texas fined $100,000 per day for failing to act on foster care abuse allegations
View
Date:2025-04-14 13:48:00
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — A federal judge is fining Texas $100,000 per day for routinely neglecting to adequately investigate allegations of abuse and neglect raised by children in the state’s struggling foster care system.
U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack in Corpus Christi ruled Monday that the Texas Health and Human Services agency has shown contempt of her orders to fix the way the state investigates complaints by children in its care.
This is the third such contempt finding in a case that began with a 2011 lawsuit over foster care conditions at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the child welfare arm of HHS.
In a 427-page ruling, the judge cited a “continued recalcitrance” by the agency’s Provider Investigations unit to conduct thorough, accurate and timely probes of allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
“As demonstrated by the stories of the children and PI’s failure to take any action to remedy the egregious flaws identified by the Monitors, PI represents a significant, systemic failure that increases the risk of serious harm,” the judge wrote.
Texas has about 9,000 children in permanent state custody for factors that include the loss of caregivers, abuse at home or health needs that parents alone can’t meet.
“The judge’s ruling is measured but urgent, given the shocking evidence,” said attorney Paul Yetter, representing the foster children in the lawsuit. “Innocent children are suffering every day. After all these years, when will state leadership get serious about fixing this disaster?”
Officials at the DFPS declined comment. A spokesperson at HHS said the agency, led by Commissioner Cecile E. Young, was reviewing the order.
Lawyers for the state have previously said that while there is always room for improvement, state officials have sufficiently complied with the court’s remedial orders.
The state has also argued that the court monitors haven’t reviewed a large enough sample size of children to make sweeping conclusions.
The fines levied against Texas will be lifted when the state can demonstrate that its investigations are in compliance. A hearing is set for late June.
Since 2019, court-appointed monitors have released periodic reports on DFPS progress toward eliminating threats to the foster children’s safety.
A January report cited progress in staff training, but continued weaknesses in responding to investigations into abuse and neglect allegations, including those made by children. Monitors also said children aren’t told how to report sexual abuse and the state hasn’t proved that it has properly trained its caseworkers to identify potential victims.
In one case, plaintiffs say, a girl was left in the same residential facility for a year while 12 separate investigations piled up around allegations that she had been raped by a worker there. The girl remained exposed to that worker until she was “dumped in an emergency room, alone, with her jaw broken in two places,” the judge said. The facility was eventually shut down by the state.
veryGood! (7)
Related
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- Drones over Kremlin obviously came from inside Russia, officials say, as Wagner announces Bakhmut withdrawal
- Vanderpump Rules Reveals First Footage of Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix's Post-Affair Fight
- Who was behind the explosions in Crimea? Ukraine and Russia aren't saying
- Israel lets Palestinians go back to northern Gaza for first time in over a year as cease
- Crowds gather ahead of coronation of King Charles III
- Brokeback Mountain Coming to London Stage With Stars Lucas Hedges and Mike Faist
- Rupert Murdoch Engaged to Ann Lesley Smith Less Than a Year After Jerry Hall Breakup
- North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick’s deal ahead of introductory news conference
- U.S. sending 1,500 active-duty troops to southern border amid migration spike
Ranking
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Remains of missing Australian man found in crocodiles: A tragic, tragic ending
- Paris Hilton Is Sliving for the Massive Baby Gift the Kardashians Gave Her Son Phoenix
- Trump's social media company dealt another setback in road to stock market listing
- A South Texas lawmaker’s 15
- Quiet Quitting: A Loud Trend Overtaking Social Media
- Twitter reports a revenue drop, citing uncertainty over Musk deal and the economy
- Sephora 24-Hour Flash Sale: 50% Off Dermaflash, Fresh, Estée Lauder, Anastasia Beverly Hills, and More
Recommendation
Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
In a bio-engineered dystopia, 'Vesper' finds seeds of hope
Twitter follows Instagram in restricting Ye's account after antisemitic posts
Ulta 24-Hour Flash Sale: Take 50% Off Smashbox, COSRX, Kopari, Stila, and Nudestix
Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
Facebook users reporting celebrity spam is flooding their feeds
'Saints Row' takes players on a GTA-style spree that's goofy, sincere — and glitchy
Twitter takes Elon Musk to court, accusing him of bad faith and hypocrisy