WSVN reported today that a Department of Children and Families employee allegedly falsified a report about mother Catalina Bruno, who is currently behind bars for the death of her toddler. Officials said DCF child protection investigator Shani Smith handled the case and noted that she would have an expert do an assessment to determine if Bruno had an alcohol or drug problem. Smith later wrote in her report that she received results from the expert that "showed no evidence of of substance misuse," and that the specialist "had no recommendations for mom." In fact, officials said, there's no evidence Smith even contacted a substance abuse expert. According to DCF officials, Shani Smith is technically on leave but measurements to expedite her termination are underway. She has 10 days to appeal the department's decision.
When child protection workers and other social service providers fail to do their job, it can have grave consequences. Sadly, this is not the first time that a worker has been fired for failing to do their job responsibilities.
On July 17, 2012 Angela Harrison, an Ohio child protection worker was fired for not following court orders. This was discovered by judge Melba Marsh of the Common Pleas Court in Hamilton County and she wrote a letter to three county commissioners about it. She wanted a child to live with relatives and to have supervised visits with parents, but her orders were ignored for more than four months.
On July 31, 2012 Sacramento County fired Blancho Brumfield, a child protective services investigator who allegedly abused children in her foster home, used a county car to commute to work each day and counted the commutes on her time-card.
In a more recent case, Derrick Hensley, a child protection services worker was arrested for indecent exposure and DWI outside a local middle school. He was arrested and charged Monday afternoon, after police found him in his vehicle in the parking lot of York Intermediate School. Several witnesses told police that Hensley urinated in front of the school, exposing himself.
