Tucson, Arizona -- dad has filed a claim against the state, ChildProtective Services, the Pima County Sheriff's Department and others, seeking$7 million in damages for the death of his son.

BrandonWilliams' dad seeks $7M in his death
By Josh Brodesky

arizona daily star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.19.2007

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/crime/201973

The father of Brandon Williams has filed a claim against the state,
Child Protective Services, the Pima County Sheriff's Department and
others, seeking $7 million in damages for the death of his son.
Five-year-old Brandon died March 22 as a result of a skull fracture, but
he also had a large amount of over-the-counter medication in his system.
His mother, Diane Marsh, and a roommate, Flower Tompson, have been
charged with his death.

Tompson's boyfriend, Mark Moss, was also arrested in the death but was
never charged. Last week, his attorney filed a notice in Superior Court,
saying Moss will not provide any testimony in the case without immunity;
otherwise he will invoke his right to silence.
Documents have shown CPS was concerned about Brandon months before he
died because the boy disappeared from school and was believed to be
living in a motel with his mother. CPS documents describe her having
mental and physical health problems.

Despite the concerns, CPS never took Brandon into temporary custody and
failed to find him.

A week before Brandon died, Pima County Sheriff's Deputy Lillian George
did see Brandon after responding to a missing persons report filed by a
family friend and Marsh's father. George was able to find Marsh and
Brandon, but despite seeing that Brandon's legs were covered in
bandages, George did not contact CPS.

Both CPS spokeswoman Liz Barker Alvarez and Sheriff's Department
spokeswoman Deputy Dawn Hanke declined to comment on the claim, citing
the likelihood of a lawsuit.


Efforts to reach Melvin Williams, Brandon's father, or his attorney,
Carter Morey, were unsuccessful.
Also included in the claim are CPS workers Cindy Graupmann and Caryn
Strober, as well as supervisor Janet Lake.

The three "negligently failed to locate Brandon, to take Brandon into
temporary custody pursuant to Arizona law, to file a petition regarding
Brandon pursuant to Arizona law and to protect Brandon and keep him safe
from the obvious neglect and abuse that led to his death," the claim states.

"George negligently failed to immediately contact CPS on March 15, 2007,
and report Brandon's condition, to stay with Brandon until CPS could
respond, investigate and take appropriate action, and to help CPS remove
Brandon from the custody of (his mother)."
To bolster the claim, Morey cites documents from CPS and related
agencies showing concern about Brandon's placement with Marsh and
subsequent disappearance.

For example, in September of last year, Assistant Attorney General
Pennie Wamboldt sent an e-mail to Graupmann and other CPS workers
saying, "I am VERY concerned about Brandon remaining in her (Marsh's)
care. Cindy Graupmann reports that mom is still staying in a motel, and
that a neighbor told Cindy that mom has been moving stuff out of the
family home. Please continue at least doing welfare checks on Brandon
with the school."


And last November Lake, the supervisor, wrote, "Initially there were no
allegations as to Brandon. However, due to escalating concerns as to
(mother's) behavior, department was considering filing on Brandon but
allowing him to remain as long as he was safe. Whereabouts of Brandon
not known at this time as (mother) has fled. . . . Regular attempts to
locate Brandon must be made and assessment of his safety completed."
It wasn't until March that Deputy George found Brandon at a Northwest
residence.


There she noted that Brandon's legs and feet were heavily bandaged.
"Diane Marsh stated her son had been playing in the backyard and had
fallen in the gravel and got cut up on the cacti," George wrote in her
report. "I had my own concerns both for her safety (Marsh) and the
safety of her child and that I would be forwarding this information to
Adult Protective Services and Child Protective Services for them to
follow up on."


There is no indication CPS ever received those concerns.
The claim seeks $4 million from the state and CPS, and $3 million from
the Sheriff's Department.
â—� Star reporter Kim Smith contributed to this story. â—� Contact reporter
Josh Brodesky at 807-7789 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...