Fort Lauderdale, Florida — Foster Care Abuse Claims
Class actions, grand juries, and decades of child welfare tragedies
Florida has been the situs of class actions, grand juries and the most significant tragedies in the nineteen nineties recent history with epidemics of child-on-child sexual abuse, thousands of missing foster care children, and other child welfare tragedies.
Year Ward v. Feaver was filed to reform Broward County foster care
Consent decree that almost tripled Broward County’s child welfare budget
Handling significant child welfare cases in Broward County
Florida’s Children First founded by Howard Talenfeld
Florida — Class Actions, Grand Juries and Child Welfare Tragedies
Florida has been the situs of class actions, grand juries and the most significant tragedies in the nineteen nineties recent history with epidemics of child-on-child sexual abuse, thousands of missing foster care children, and other child welfare tragedies.
In Broward County, where the Ward v. Feaver class action lawsuit was filed to reform foster care in 1997. Justice for Kids attorney Howard Talenfeld was lead co-counsel in this case that almost tripled the child welfare budget for Broward County. Even more recently, the attorneys for Justice for Kids have filed lawsuits because of the deaths of far too many children in the care of ChildNet, Inc. after investigations by the Broward Sheriff’s Office, such as Antwan Hope, Makenzie Nevarez and Ahziya Osceola, among others. On a positive note, as a result of the failures in its child protection system, Broward County voters created the Children’s Services Council of Broward County, which is one of the most comprehensive, quality programs for the protection of children in the country. Broward County is also the home of Florida’s Children First, a statewide organization devoted to fighting for children’s rights that was founded in 2002 by Justice for Kids Business Unit Leader Howard Talenfeld. During the last 20 years, attorneys for Justice for Kids have handled many of the significant child welfare cases in Broward County.
Main Office
10360 West State Road 84
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33324
Phone: 754-888-5437
Toll-Free: 844-4KIDLAW (844-454-3529)
Class actions that challenged Florida’s child welfare system
Justice for Kids attorney Howard Talenfeld has been at the center of the litigation that exposed systemic failures in Florida foster care.
Ward v. Feaver Class Action
Justice for Kids attorney Howard Talenfeld was lead co-counsel in the Ward v. Feaver class action filed in Broward County in 1997.
Justice for Kids attorney Howard Talenfeld, a board member of the Youth Law Center, was lead co-counsel in the Ward v. Feaver class action that alleged that there was an epidemic of child-on-child sexual abuse, that children in the custody of Florida were not getting their education, and that there were hundreds of missing children from foster care. As a result of this lawsuit, in 2000, the Florida Department of Children and Families entered into a consent decree that almost tripled the grossly inadequate child welfare budget for Broward County and improved the lives of thousands of children in the care of Florida.
Source: Nova Law Review article
Bonnie L. v. Bush (31 Foster Children v. Bush)
In the rest of the state the Bonnie L v. Bush or 31 Foster Children v.
In the rest of the state the Bonnie L v. Bush or 31 Foster Children v. Bush class action Lawsuit was filed raising the same systemic failures. The complaint alleged widespread, systemic failures by Florida’s child welfare system, including: failure to protect children from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse while in state care, placing children in dangerous, unscreened, overcrowded, or inappropriate foster and pre-adoptive homes, frequent, disruptive re-placements (moving children repeatedly between temporary settings without establishing permanent homes)., failure to provide necessary medical, dental, and mental health services, as well as basic necessities like proper clothing and stable schooling and racial discrimination in recruitment and adoption placement efforts. The suit argued that DCF violated the children’s Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process rights (e.g., right to safety, shelter, and medical care) as well as rights under federal laws such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA). Although the class action lawsuit was dismissed for technical reasons because the court reasoned that the problems could be remedied in the individual juvenile dependency cases, the systemic problems remained and plagued foster care since then. Florida then privatized its child welfare system by contracting with lead agencies, but few improvements have been made because of the splinted child welfare system.
Florida case results
During the last 20 years, attorneys for Justice for Kids have handled many of the significant child welfare cases in Broward County, including:
Lawsuit for Child Victim of Sexual Abuse By His Parents, Exposed To Domestic Violence
This lawsuit was filed in Broward County, FL against DCF and private community-based agencies located in Polk County, FL and Volusia County, FL on behalf of a child who had been sexually abused by his parents and exposed to domestic violence. The child was reunified with his biological parents despite warnings that he was at significant risk of harm. The father drove the family to Broward County, shot a man, and held the family hostage resulting in a SWAT standoff during which time the father stabbed the child, stabbed the child’s non-verbal autistic brother to death, stabbed the mother, and stabbed himself to death. The case resolved against DCF and several private child welfare agencies for undisclosed amounts.
Settlement In Matter Against Broward Sheriff’s Office
A $1.575 million settlement brought an abrupt end to a Fort Lauderdale trial that questioned the Broward Sheriff’s Office for its management of abuse allegations involving an infant who suffered injuries and brain damage, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. “Sheriff Lamberti did the right thing by resolving the 5-year-old child’s claim as a result of a lawsuit for a negligent protective investigation, which occurred during a prior administration,” said Howard Talenfeld, one of the plaintiff attorney’s trying the case. The newspaper went on to report that the insurance company for the Sheriff’s Office reached the deal with attorneys for Jace Manning, who was left developmentally disabled after his skull was fractured in February 2006.Two months before the boy’s severe injuries, he was hospitalized with an unexplained bruise under his chin, and his grandmother implored authorities to remove him from the Coral Springs, FL apartment where he lived with his mother and her boyfriend.
Attorneys Settle Case for Trafficked Child Against Child Welfare Agencies for Undisclosed Sum
Florida child abuse attorneys represented a former foster child in a federal lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Florida against community-based child welfare agencies and emergency shelter for failure to protect the then 17-year-old foster child from being sold into sex trafficking in 2012 and then being held captive in Fort Lauderdale Hotel. The case resolved for an undisclosed amount as to the child welfare agencies responsible for failing to provide her an appropriate placement and for placing her into the custody of the traffickers. The claim is pending as to the hotel that turned a blind eye to her abuse.
Settlement for Foster Child Placed in the Home of a Pedophile
A foster boy was placed in the Broward County, FL foster home of a pedophile by a private agency that failed to locate prior arrest records and police reports that should have prevented the licensure of the home and the subsequent grooming and sexual assault of the boy. Justice for Kids attorneys settled this case for undisclosed settlement amounts that were placed in a guardianship and special needs trust.
Lawsuit Against Therapist Who Missed Classic Signs of Sexual Abuse
A Broward County foster child was placed in a specialized foster care placement where he displayed the classic signs of sexual abuse. His treating therapist, who was unlicensed, failed to detect them. The parties entered into a confidential settlement.
Media coverage of Justice for Kids® Florida cases
Boy who survived his father’s attack sues DCF:
- CBS Miami: Boy Sues DCF For Negligence
- NBC Miami: Boy Who Survived Father’s Deerfield Beach Attack Sues Department of Children and Families, Contractors
- Local 10: Boy sues DCF over stabbing
- Broward New Times: 9-Year-Old Survivor of RV Park Massacre Sues DCF
Trafficked foster child’s lawsuit:
- Miami Herald: Children’s shelter to settle lawsuit over sex trafficking
- Miami Herald: Children’s shelter didn’t protect girl from sex trafficking, lawsuit says
- Miami New Times: Lawsuit: Teen Sold Into Sex Slavery by Keys Children’s Shelter Employee
- Florida Keys News: Lawsuit: Keys children shelter, two other agencies didn’t protect girl from sex trafficking
Child Injury Lawsuit Claims by State
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Select a state to access in-depth information on child welfare systems, agencies, laws, pending legislation, news, and more.
Child Injury Lawsuit Claims by State
For in-depth information on child injury lawsuits and more.
Select a state to access in-depth information on child welfare systems, agencies, laws, pending legislation, news, and more.
Justice for Kids® Florida Office Locations
Call toll-free 844-4KIDLAW (844-454-3529) or 754-888-KIDS (5437) to reach any Florida office.
Speak with Justice for Kids® About a Florida Case
Justice for Kids® main office: 10360 West State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33324
Toll-Free: 844-4KIDLAW (844-454-3529)