Suit accuses Oregon caseworker of hitting 8-year-old foster child

Suit accuses Oregon caseworker of hitting 8-year-old foster child
Published: Sunday, December 19, 2010, 7:06 PM
By Aimee Green, The Oregonian 
A court-appointed representative is suing the Oregon Department of Human Services for $149,000 on behalf of an 8-year-old foster child who reportedly was hit by her caseworker.

The suit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court Thursday, offers few details about the alleged incident. It states that on Oct. 11, an unnamed caseworker struck the girl without justification. The blow physically injured the child, as well as embarrassed, frightened and degraded her, according to the suit.

The Oregonian is not naming the girl because she is a minor.

Among other things, the suit faults DHS for "failing to adequately vet its caseworkers to insure that DHS employees, in their treatment of foster children, used appropriate restraint, care and gentleness so as to avoid caseworkers causing physical and emotional harm to foster children, a vulnerable class of persons." 

It's unclear if any criminal charges were filed against the caseworker. The caseworker's job status is also unclear. DHS spokesman Gene Evans referred questions to Tony Green, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Justice, who said he couldn't immediately answer the question Friday afternoon.