Woman sues in child's foster home death

By Colleen Jenkins, Times Staff Writer
In print: Wednesday, July 2, 2008


http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/...icle655039.ece


TAMPA — A woman whose disabled daughter died two years ago in foster
care has filed a wrongful death claim against the agencies and a foster
mother involved in her child's care.

Rikka R. Pinckney, born with Down's syndrome, died of a heart attack on
June 30, 2006, after a 14-year-old girl in her foster home bit her 13
times and then smothered her with a pillow. Rikka was 11.

The foster mother, Delores Wilson, was cleared by law enforcement of
child neglect but lost her foster parent license.

In a lawsuit filed Friday, Pinckney's mother, Vernette Pritchett,
alleged that the Florida Department of Children and Families and
Hillsborough Kids Inc. gave Wilson a Florida license despite knowing
that her foster care license in Alabama was being suspended because she
failed to meet requirements.

The lawsuit says Wilson cared for more foster children than her license
permitted and allowed children with a history of physical and sexual
aggression to sleep in the same room as other foster children.

The agencies jeopardized Rikka's health and safety by placing her in
Wilson's home and failed to provide proper oversight of her care, the
lawsuit said.

Wilson and a DCF spokesman could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Wilson has pushed for reforms in the state's foster care system. She
told officials at a public meeting last year that authorities never told
her about the 14-year-old's violent past before the teen was placed with
her.