Bittersweet Justice:California Foster Care UPDATED

Occasionally, there is justice for those negatively affected by the child welfare and adoption systems. Unfortunately, it is usually bittersweet and much too late. This section will serve as REFORM Talk’s justice files.

The first entry comes from San Francisco, California, where a boy, still a minor, is poised to receive $4 million from the city as a result of abuse suffered at the hands of his foster parent (and aunt) Shameeka Davis, who also killed his twin sister Jazzmin Davis. “Examinations reportedly showed both had been burned with hot irons and whipped with belts and electrical cords over time” He had filed his lawsuit in August 2009.

Abuse, Murder Case May Net Foster Child $4 Million
[San Francisco Examiner 1/22/11 by Joshua Sabatini]

Update: A $4 million settlement was approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors.

San Francisco Supervisors Approve 4 Million Settlement in Foster Abuse Case

[San Francisco Examiner 2/15/11 by Joshua Sabatini]

Update 2: An additional $750, 000 from the school district will be added to the payout to the surviving twin.

A judge sealed terms of the deal, but the payout is believed to reach $750,000 over allegations that school officials dropped the ball on clear signs of abuse of Jazzmin Davis, and failed to respond to her habitual truancy, leaving both twins under violent attack.

Jazzmin’s brother, who turned 18 Friday, has myriad physical and mental problems, court documents show. Bay Area News Group is not naming him.

“He’s doing the best he can do under the circumstances,” said one of his lawyers, Steven Effres.

“The city admits fault for some of what happened to the kids, certainly through Ann Marie Smith’s negligence as a caseworker,” Rhorer said. “We think the $4 million, given the amount of trauma “… will at least provide the support he needs to live as healthy a life as he can.”

Antioch school district adds to payout in torture, death of Jazzmin Davis
[Contra Costa Times 2/18/11 by John Simerman]