Foster Care Class Action Not Upset by Wal-Mart

[The Straight Story]

Foster Care Class Action Not Upset by Wal-Mart


(CN) - Disbanding the class of women suing Wal-Mart has no bearing on the future of allegations that the Massachusetts foster care system placed thousands of children in life-threatening situations, a federal judge ruled.

Abuse among children in the care of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) happens at nearly four times the national rate, according to the 2010 class action filed by six alleged victims.

The complaint described numerous cases of children killed or suffering severe physical abuse at the hands of foster parents, none of whom allegedly faced state monitoring. The children asked for remedial relief, including limiting the caseload of foster care case workers, enhanced training, and a review of the state's foster care system.

A federal judge certified the class in February 2011, defining it as "all children who are now or will be in the foster care custody of the DCF as a result of abuse or neglect."

http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/11/16/41506.htm