August 29th 03, 06:25 AM
http://tinyurl.com/lk6y
Friday, August 22
Mom sues DCF over alleged attack on son
By Bill Douthat, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 29, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH -- The mother of a 16-year-old boy placed in foster care at
a hotel for two weeks sued Thursday, claiming the state's negligence
allowed other foster children to assault her son sexually and physically.
The lawsuit Diana Dew filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court blames the
failure to protect the boy on the state Department of Children and Family
Services (now the Department of Children and Families) and Maxim Healthcare
Services Inc., a contract care provider.
The boy, identified only as A.D., was removed from his home on March 9,
2002, after child protection workers deemed he and his brother were at
risk, according to the lawsuit. The brothers were placed at the Holiday Inn
Catalina in Boynton Beach, where A.D. lived for 15 days under Maxim's
supervision, the lawsuit said.
Other children in foster care were also placed in the room with A.D. and
his brother, who walked away from the hotel after six days. A.D. was
described as developmentally disabled, with limited vision and other
medical problems.
DCF stopped using hotel rooms as emergency shelters for foster children in
June 2002 after two girls placed in a hotel overdosed on prescription
drugs. Also at that time, it was found that girls as young as 11 in DCF
custody were reported partying with men in a West Palm Beach hotel. There
were allegations of marijuana, alcohol and sex.
The agency paid Maxim to monitor children in hotels because regular foster
homes were filled to capacity.
The lawsuit says DCF failed to follow its policy of checking the
backgrounds on nonrelatives living together in foster shelters.
Copyright © 2003, The Palm Beach Post.
Friday, August 22
Mom sues DCF over alleged attack on son
By Bill Douthat, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 29, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH -- The mother of a 16-year-old boy placed in foster care at
a hotel for two weeks sued Thursday, claiming the state's negligence
allowed other foster children to assault her son sexually and physically.
The lawsuit Diana Dew filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court blames the
failure to protect the boy on the state Department of Children and Family
Services (now the Department of Children and Families) and Maxim Healthcare
Services Inc., a contract care provider.
The boy, identified only as A.D., was removed from his home on March 9,
2002, after child protection workers deemed he and his brother were at
risk, according to the lawsuit. The brothers were placed at the Holiday Inn
Catalina in Boynton Beach, where A.D. lived for 15 days under Maxim's
supervision, the lawsuit said.
Other children in foster care were also placed in the room with A.D. and
his brother, who walked away from the hotel after six days. A.D. was
described as developmentally disabled, with limited vision and other
medical problems.
DCF stopped using hotel rooms as emergency shelters for foster children in
June 2002 after two girls placed in a hotel overdosed on prescription
drugs. Also at that time, it was found that girls as young as 11 in DCF
custody were reported partying with men in a West Palm Beach hotel. There
were allegations of marijuana, alcohol and sex.
The agency paid Maxim to monitor children in hotels because regular foster
homes were filled to capacity.
The lawsuit says DCF failed to follow its policy of checking the
backgrounds on nonrelatives living together in foster shelters.
Copyright © 2003, The Palm Beach Post.