Wex Wimpy
September 2nd 03, 06:23 PM
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.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/friday/local_news_f3e47ce5c64e61ad0011.html
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.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/auto/epaper/editions/friday/local_news_f3e47ce5c64e61ad0011.html