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Federal Appeals Court Allows Child Sexual Abuse Case Against Florida?s Department of Children and Families

By Janet Langjahr

Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) places three youngsters aged five and under with a foster family.

A sexually aggressive teenager was already placed with the same foster family.

The youngsters were allegedly sexually abused by the teenager, and still DCF reportedly took no action to remove the youngsters from the home.

The complaint on behalf of the youngsters alleges that DCF demonstrated “deliberate indifference” toward the youngsters’ well-being and intentionally placed them in harm’s way, in violation of their constitutional rights.

DCF’s employee defendants asserted immunity as a defense, on the theory that they were acting within their duties and discretion as employees on behalf of the state.

Read more in this Florida Times-Union article: Foster home molestation case can proceed and this WFLX Fox 29 TV news article: Court allows suit over alleged sex abuse.

Full post as published by Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law on January 11, 2009 (boomark / email).