Children have to process unbelievable trauma after living in a dysfunctional home, being taken from it, and then placed in a stranger’s home- almost overnight.
Sadly, that is what thousands of children are forced to deal with who are put in the foster care system.
While we’d like to think that social services is there to protect children, many children end up being taken out of one bad situation only to be placed in another one far worse – like one girl who faced abuse beyond your worst nightmare.
A lawsuit has been filed that alleges a social worker had aided a 13-year-old girl in getting an abortion after being raped by her foster parent.
And that’s not even the worst offense committed by the social worker – nor those in the home where she was a prisoner!
After taking the young girl to have her unborn child killed, the social worker then placed the abused girl back in the same home to live with the foster parent who had raped her!
And it wasn’t only the father who was abusing the vulnerable girl – the foster brother was also alleged to have been inflicting physical and sexual harm on her.
Are you kidding me?!
There are many ways to fail a child – but this is by far the most deplorable avenue to do so.
The name of the plaintiff, only known as F.M., as well as the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, known only as “Doe agency”, is being kept confidential due to the delicate nature of the case, according to ABC 7.
Although the girl repeatedly told her case worker she was being abused by the foster father and foster brother, she lived in the home for an additional two years after the abortion.
The lawsuit states:
“Maltreatment of children in foster care has been a problem that defendants have failed to address in a reasonable manner consistent with their duties to children under their jurisdiction.”
Isn’t that the truth!
In the lawsuit, “the plaintiff accuses the agency of having covered up her repeated sexual abuse at the hands of the foster family entrusted with housing and caring for her,” reports Elizabeth Johnston.
The plaintiff claims the agency had knowledge of the repeated abuse but “covered up” their knowledge of the incidents.
As their defense, the agency attests in the suit that the foster parents “were approved, licensed, trained, supervised and/or compensated by defendants.”
Looking good on paper and actually being honorable, trustworthy caregivers are clearly two very different things.
A piece of paper should never take precedent over a child’s welfare.
As if being abused wasn’t traumatizing enough, a doctor was the one to tell the young girl she was 5 months pregnant and had an STD.
What was the agency’s excuse for allowing all the abuse to ensue?
That they have “more than 34,000 children in Los Angeles County” to serve.
The issue is, if you are going to take a child into your care, then you better be able to care for their basic needs and provide a safe space for them.
In this situation, it wasn’t that the agency didn’t know about the abuse occurring in the home – they KNEW and still turned their backs on this yound girl in order to save face, money, and time.
We must demand more from those who claim to work for the safety and well-being of children.
Since the time of this incident, the social services system has tried to improve, but continues to fall far short.
Let’s just hope this woman gets the justice she deserves and that her horrifying experience brings attention to a system that is failing our children.