State pays $19.3M to settle foster abuse case

Lawyer said the state sent the girl to live with a man who was a felon and a convicted abuser.

  • By Wire Service
  • Thursday, October 25, 2018 7:18pm
  • Northwest

Associated Press

TACOMA — Washington state has agreed to pay $19.3 million to settle a lawsuit accusing state officials of ignoring red flags and sending an 18-month-old foster child to live with a man who severely beat her.

The News Tribune reported that the abuse left the foster child, who is now 5, blind and quadriplegic.

The lawsuit, filed in Pierce County Superior Court, alleged state Department of Social and Health Services failed to review records that raised safety concerns in the Texas home where they placed the child in 2015.

One of the child’s lawyers, Tim Tesh, said the state sent the girl to live with a man in Texas who was a felon and a convicted domestic abuser.

Ross Hunter, head of the new state agency that oversees the foster care system, said settlement ensures she receives the quality care she needs for the rest of her life.

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