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CBS Channel 11
State Blames Private Agency For Foster
Child Death
January 12, 2007
By Jack Fink, Reporting
(CBS 11 News) DALLAS The State
claims the company that licensed a Desoto foster home, Therapeutic
Family Life, made six violations that led to the death of
six-year-old Katherine Frances.
Marissa Gonazles of Child
Protective Services says, "This private agency did not fulfill its
responsibility to place these children in a safe environment and
that directly contributed to the death of the child."
In the report, child care licensing
investigators say Therapeutic Family Life knew the foster parents
left Frances and her three siblings alone with their teenage son,
who's now accused in the child's death.
The State also says the company was
aware the teenager was accused of previously harming the foster
children.
But investigators found, "despite
all of this, Therapeutic Family Life failed to make arrangements for
qualified childcare for these four children, and indeed didn't
address the issue in any way."
Gonzales says, "There's no evidence
or any documentation that any information was passed to the
department about any wrong-doing in the house."
The company's attorney, Eli Bell
says, "The State doesn't have its facts right," and that they will
appeal.
The report also calls the foster
parents, "irresponsible people incapable of meeting the needs of the
four foster children."
The foster parents have declined
comment all along.
Joyce Burk, the foster mother, was
arrested early Friday morning at her workplace, and charged with
child endangerment.
The State can't explain why the
children weren't permanently removed before Frances died.
One week earlier, records show
Frances was taken to the hospital. She had been badly bruised. But
Gonazles says the State allowed the six-year-old to be returned to
her foster parents after they agreed to watch them at all times.
"Everyone had a responsibility in
the decision to return the child to the house,” she said.
“Unfortunately it had tragic consequences."
The State could try to force
Therapeutic Family Life to surrender all of the foster homes it
licenses.
Next week, a judge will consider
trying the 14-year-old boy as an adult.
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