Arizona-Maricopa County: Child Protective Services ordered to pay$1.5 million in boy's death...

CPS ordered to pay $1.5 million in boy's death

Elias C. Arnold
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 8, 2007 08:45 PM
A jury in Maricopa County Superior Court this week awarded $1.5 million
to the mother of a 9-year-old Litchfield Park boy who died after Child
Protective Services twice investigated suspicions of abuse but failed to
remove the boy from his home.

Dustin Rhodes was living with his grandmother, aunt and aunt's boyfriend
when he died in August 2003 of "multiple traumatic injuries," according
to an autopsy report.

In 2005, the boy's mother, Christina Bowman, filed suit, claiming her
son's life might have been spared had CPS fully investigated and removed
Dustin from the home.




Bowman's attorney, Steve Copple, said the decision "gives some answers
and some accountability" in the death.

"It was a four-year journey for Christina to try to find out why and who
and how. So that decision was extremely important for her and, she felt,
for Dustin," Copple said.

Spokeswomen for CPS and the Arizona Attorney General's Office declined
to comment, saying the litigation is ongoing.

In February 2003, six months before the boy's death, his third-grade
teacher reported unusual bruises on his back, waist, leg and eye.

Three months later, a physician examined other injuries, including a
swollen face and bruises all over the boy's body. She found the injuries
may have been accidental, but recommended further investigation.

Dustin's parents were not involved in his life then. His mother's
attorney previously told The Arizona Republic that she had recovered
from a drug problem and was trying to get her son back at the time.

The jury's verdict was a "very loud and specific acknowledgement of her
loss," Copple said.

A related criminal case turned out differently.

Last month, the boy's extended family, including his grandmother Linda
Rhodes; aunt, Bethany Pellerin; and previously the aunt's boyfriend,
Ryan Pellerin; were acquitted on all counts of child abuse stemming from
the incident.

"We expected ours to come out this way, but we didn't expect the other
(case) to come out this way," Copple said.



CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA / CIA
WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....

CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.

every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf

http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com

Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS

*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*

Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT
FAMILIES YEARLY NATIONWIDE AND COMING TO YOU'RE HOME SOON...


BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...