Des Moines -- Parents of shelter runaway sue over rape..

Parents of shelter runaway sue over rape

REGISTER STAFF WRITER

October 10, 2007

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pb.../71010034/1001


TThe parents of an 11-year-old Winterset girl who was sexually assaulted
after she left a Des Moines youth shelter with two teenage boys last
year have sued the organization for an unspecified amount of money.

George and Valerie Owens claim employees of the Youth Emergency Services
and Shelter of Iowa in Des Moines did not stop their adopted daughter
when she walked out of the shelter on Aug. 9, 2006 with 17-year-olds
Cody Dickson and Joshua Summit.

Authorities said the youths drove the girl to southern Iowa, where
Dickson sexually assaulted her. He later pleaded guilty of sex abuse and
lascivious acts with a child and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.


The shelter, 918 S.E. 11th St., has room for 50 children. According the
organization’s Web site, the children are not locked in, although they
need permission to leave. A telephone message left for executive
director Mike Fritz went unreturned Tuesday. A response to the lawsuit
had yet to be filed.

The girl was the subject of a two-day police search by police. She
returned home two days later, feet blistered from hours of walking, her
mother said. Valerie Owens adopted the girl and her sister, both former
foster children, in 2002. She said that prior to the incident her
daughter suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression and
that both have intensified.

She contends that shelter employees knew Dickson had a history of sexual
abuse yet did nothing to stop the three from leaving.

Owens said the incident happened the same day she had taken her daughter
to the shelter on a therapist’s advice.

Shelter officials “contend they couldn’t do anything more than they did
because of the ways the laws are written, but in speaking with many
people, professionals and otherwise, we don’t know why they couldn’t
have just stood in front of the door,� she said. “They didn’t have to
put their hands on her, but they could’ve just stood in front of the
door and not let her out.�

Andrew H. Doane, the Owens’ attorney, contends shelter personnel faxed a
missing person’s report to police, and no action was taken for several
hours.


“They should have physically made sure she could not leave, but if they
weren’t capable of doing that, they should have contacted the
authorities or parents, if not talking her out of leaving; saying this
is a boy who has a history of perpetrating sexual abuse,� he said.

Valerie Owens said her daughter, who lives in another foster home in
central Iowa, has had to undergo intensive therapy since the incident.
The lawsuit asks for money for past and future medical expenses,
physical and mental pain and suffering and “loss of future earning
capacity.�

The amount is up to a jury, the girl’s mother said, but if the lawsuit
brings about change in shelter policy, “it would be worthwhile.�

Reporter Abby Simons can be reached at (515) 284-8136 or




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

Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.


CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, HAPPILY DESTROYING THOUSANDS 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...