Man Says He Warned Officials Over a Year Ago About Caged Children

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBN95I46FE.html

Man Says He Warned Officials Over a Year Ago Special-Needs Children Were Caged

CLEVELAND (AP) - An insurance agent said he warned child welfare officials that he saw cage-like beds in the home of 11 adopted special-needs children more than a year before authorities intervened.

The Toledo-based agent, Ed Clunk, said he called the Huron County Department of Child and Family Services in June 2004 after visiting the home in Wakeman, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported Sunday.

County Prosecutor Russ Leffler confirmed that Clunk had alerted authorities but wasn't certain of the date. He said he didn't know why child welfare officials didn't intervene until last month.

Erich Dumbeck, the agency's director, disputed Clunk's account.

"We would have acted within weeks," Dumbeck said.

Weeks?

[democracyindanger]

1. That's pronounced

Dumb-eck.

[joemurphy]

2. With a name like Ed Clunk, it's hard to be taken seriously. n/t