Texas agency didn't stop foster home abuse

Just found by an AFRA NewsHawk-
Case: Texas agency didn't stop foster home abuse
By DANNY ROBBINS
The Associated Press 
Friday, October 22, 2010; 3:38 PM 

ELKHART, Texas- The state agency that oversees foster care in Texas continually dismissed allegations of abuse at a home that took in dozens of children before the same charges led to a successful criminal prosecution. 

Court records show how the Department of Family and Protective Services ruled out allegations of sex abuse against foster parent James Vick on three occasions before he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of indecency with a child and was sentenced to 20 years in prison last year. 

Foster care experts say the mounting allegations, even if unproven, should have been a red flag. The district attorney who prosecuted the case says it shows how agency investigations are flawed. 

An agency spokesman says mistakes were made, but they aren't indicative of a larger problem.

Wow.  That agency spokesman is a real spin doctor.  This is a WORLD WIDE problem with CPS.

And another version of the story-

Case: Texas agency didn't stop foster home abuse
DANNY ROBBINS, Associated Press Writer
Published: 03:38 p.m., Friday, October 22, 2010

Caption-

Anderson County District Attorney Doug Lowe pauses when asked about the abuse that took place at a foster home in Elkhart, Texas during an interview in Palestine, Texas. Lowe contends that the state's failure to verify cases of abuse in the nearby foster home reflects a conflict of interest in the investigative process. "It's a system that's almost designed to allow children to get abused," said Lowe, who believes an independent office for investigations is needed.

FULL STORY