Tyrone N. Butts
APE Reporter
[New pics added to original post - ed.]
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Jurors fault welfare agency
Fulton County's child welfare office apparently failed to protect an 11-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and made pregnant by her mother's boyfriend, said grand jurors who handled the case.
The girl was raped several times from August to the end of last year, police said. The abuse continued after the county's child welfare agency started monitoring the family in October, authorities said.
The agency "assumes the responsibility for these children, says it will watch over these kids ”” and then doesn't
do it," said David Robinson, foreman of the Fulton County grand jury.
At the grand jury's request, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard is considering impaneling a special grand jury to investigat
e the actions of the Fulton agency and others involved in the case. Before deciding, Howard is scheduled to meet today with the director of the Fulton County office of the state Division of Family and Children Services.
The grandjury's criticism of the Fulton DFCS office comes at a time of scrutiny and upheaval of DFCS offices across the state. The deaths of several children who had been in the agency's care have raised concerns ranging from the overall agency management to the credibility of caseworkers in the field.
"After everything else that is happening with DFCS, what's improved?" said Robinson. "This is just the child we saw. We're wondering how many other children are out there." Robinson said it appears that DFCS fell short of adequately protecting the girl on several occasions
.
Robinson said the jurors were told that a DFCS caseworker had recommended the girl be removed from her home in the fall, after the boyfriend had been charged with fondling her. But a supervisor chose instead to provide the family with various services and oversight, Robinson said.
He said DFCS failed to adequately watch over the child, making only cursory visits and ignoring signs that the boyfriend had violated a court order and returned to the home.
Trianthony Cannon, 36, is charged with rape, aggravated stalking and child molestation. The 11-
year-old girl he is accused of raping is now seven months pregnant and in foster care, authorities say. Cannon also is charged with pointing a handgun at the girl.
The girl's mother, Julia Johnson, 38, is charged with child cruelty and contributing to the deprivation of a minor. She is accused of failing to provide adequate prenatal care for her daughter, and ignoring the child's complaints of sexual abuse by Cannon.
This case an
d others spurred the grand jury last week to issue a report questioning the actions of DFCS and other agencies that handle crimes against children, including police, schools and hospitals. The report said the agencies are not communicating enough with each other and not fully considering cases before taking actions.
Some problems may rise to the level of criminal offenses, including criminal negligence and the failure of professionals who work with children to pass on suspicions of abuse, said the report.
Jurors said they were told the Atlanta Police Department received about 17 reports of domestic violence to the home around last September and October, but that DFCS was not alerted on any of them. The police are required to notify DFCS whenever a child witnesses domestic abuse.
Atlanta police Sgt. John Quigley said a review of 911 calls revealed about 10 calls to the family's residence in September, most for fighting, but several calls were canceled and did not result in police reports.
DFCS
officials declined to discuss the girl's case in depth, saying that the law prevents them from doing so unless a child dies.
Fulton DFCS Director Beverly Jones issued a statement saying she is aware of the grand jury report, and will meet with the district attorney to discuss this case and plan how Fulton DFCS and other agencies can better work together.
Cannon denied he had ever fondled or had sex with the child, according to his written statement to the Atlanta Police Department.
The attorney for the mother said the mother will plead not guilty. Sandra Kay Wolfe said the mother had been trying to stay away from Cannon, but he continually forced himself back into her life.
Robinson said that by the end of the year, the girl was obviously pregnant. He raised concerns that no teacher or child welfare professional reported her condition.
"There were all these indications to everybody," he said, "but the child was just getting deeper and deeper."
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n-gger Apelanta, n-
gger fambly values, n-gger social workers, n-gger jurors who hold an agency respon
sible for the actions of n-ggers comprise this one TNB story. Do n-ggers ever take responsibility for their own actions, ever?
T.N.B.
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Jurors fault welfare agency
Fulton County's child welfare office apparently failed to protect an 11-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and made pregnant by her mother's boyfriend, said grand jurors who handled the case.
The girl was raped several times from August to the end of last year, police said. The abuse continued after the county's child welfare agency started monitoring the family in October, authorities said.
The agency "assumes the responsibility for these children, says it will watch over these kids ”” and then doesn't
do it," said David Robinson, foreman of the Fulton County grand jury.
At the grand jury's request, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard is considering impaneling a special grand jury to investigat
e the actions of the Fulton agency and others involved in the case. Before deciding, Howard is scheduled to meet today with the director of the Fulton County office of the state Division of Family and Children Services.
The grandjury's criticism of the Fulton DFCS office comes at a time of scrutiny and upheaval of DFCS offices across the state. The deaths of several children who had been in the agency's care have raised concerns ranging from the overall agency management to the credibility of caseworkers in the field.
"After everything else that is happening with DFCS, what's improved?" said Robinson. "This is just the child we saw. We're wondering how many other children are out there." Robinson said it appears that DFCS fell short of adequately protecting the girl on several occasions
.
Robinson said the jurors were told that a DFCS caseworker had recommended the girl be removed from her home in the fall, after the boyfriend had been charged with fondling her. But a supervisor chose instead to provide the family with various services and oversight, Robinson said.
He said DFCS failed to adequately watch over the child, making only cursory visits and ignoring signs that the boyfriend had violated a court order and returned to the home.
Trianthony Cannon, 36, is charged with rape, aggravated stalking and child molestation. The 11-
year-old girl he is accused of raping is now seven months pregnant and in foster care, authorities say. Cannon also is charged with pointing a handgun at the girl.
The girl's mother, Julia Johnson, 38, is charged with child cruelty and contributing to the deprivation of a minor. She is accused of failing to provide adequate prenatal care for her daughter, and ignoring the child's complaints of sexual abuse by Cannon.
This case an
d others spurred the grand jury last week to issue a report questioning the actions of DFCS and other agencies that handle crimes against children, including police, schools and hospitals. The report said the agencies are not communicating enough with each other and not fully considering cases before taking actions.
Some problems may rise to the level of criminal offenses, including criminal negligence and the failure of professionals who work with children to pass on suspicions of abuse, said the report.
Jurors said they were told the Atlanta Police Department received about 17 reports of domestic violence to the home around last September and October, but that DFCS was not alerted on any of them. The police are required to notify DFCS whenever a child witnesses domestic abuse.
Atlanta police Sgt. John Quigley said a review of 911 calls revealed about 10 calls to the family's residence in September, most for fighting, but several calls were canceled and did not result in police reports.
DFCS
officials declined to discuss the girl's case in depth, saying that the law prevents them from doing so unless a child dies.
Fulton DFCS Director Beverly Jones issued a statement saying she is aware of the grand jury report, and will meet with the district attorney to discuss this case and plan how Fulton DFCS and other agencies can better work together.
Cannon denied he had ever fondled or had sex with the child, according to his written statement to the Atlanta Police Department.
The attorney for the mother said the mother will plead not guilty. Sandra Kay Wolfe said the mother had been trying to stay away from Cannon, but he continually forced himself back into her life.
Robinson said that by the end of the year, the girl was obviously pregnant. He raised concerns that no teacher or child welfare professional reported her condition.
"There were all these indications to everybody," he said, "but the child was just getting deeper and deeper."
***********
n-gger Apelanta, n-
gger fambly values, n-gger social workers, n-gger jurors who hold an agency respon
sible for the actions of n-ggers comprise this one TNB story. Do n-ggers ever take responsibility for their own actions, ever?
T.N.B.
