Nine-Year-Old Boy Sues Florida DCF
“The Department of Children and Families is facing a legal battle with a boy who endured years of physical and sexual abuse at the hands of his father, who nearly killed him, the child’s guardian said.
In the lawsuit filed Tuesday, attorneys for the 9-year-old contend the agency did not do enough to protect his client before a Feb. 2012 hostage crisis that claimed several lives, including the child’s older autistic brother. The 24-page document states that his father, William DeJesus, molested him violently, abused him and stuck him in a closet.
According to attorneys, they are keeping the name of the child anonymous and calling him SD to protect his identity. “In 20 years, this is one of the most horrific cases that I have ever seen,” said David Bazerman, the child’s Guardian ad Litem.
The lawsuit states SD informed several DCF officials about his father’s abuse, yet they did nothing to save him.
The final incident occurred back in 2012, when DeJesus, drove his family to an RV park in Deerfield Beach. During a seven-hour standoff inside an RV, DeJesus killed a Canadian tourist and held a woman hostage along with his wife and two children.
DeJesus called 911. “Hello, yes. Um, I’m here,” DeJesus said in the recording. “I’m the guy that’s here in the house with the lady. I had to shoot the man. Tell them if anybody shoots, I’m gonna shoot her three times, and I got another gun, and I’m just gonna keep on shooting. Are you listening? Hello?”
After the call, DeJesus killed his autistic son and stabbed his wife, who still has the scars from that night. He then stabbed the young plaintiff, who also survived. During a standoff with police, DeJesus committed suicide.
“He got nothing,” Bazerman said. “He did not get any of the protection. He didn’t get the support. He didn’t get the recognition of what was going on. Nobody listened to him!”
DCF knew there were problems with DeJesus, but a DCF report said their case workers did nothing wrong, even though allegations of domestic violence and sexual abuse were documented.
“This child was returned to a known pedophile,” Howard Talenfeld, another attorney, said.
“A therapist recorded the following exchange in her notes,” Attorney Joel Fass said.
Fass began to read the transcript between SD and the therapist.
SD: “Monster Jackson hurts my p.”
Therapist: “Who’s Monster Jackson?”
SD: “Papi.”
“And that’s what they called their father,” Fass said. “‘Monster Jackson hurts me, hurts my pipi. His mother hurts my head.’ The state failed these children.”
The lawsuit lists pages upon pages of red flags and blames DCF for its negligence, blaming the agency for not protecting an innocent child. “He’s gonna need lifelong help, support, treatment and care,” Bazerman said.
The lawsuit also puts blame on four different foster homes that work with the agency. According to the lawsuit, SD told the foster parents what was happening, and yet nothing was done about it as well.
According to the attorneys, DCF was just trying to cut costs to bring down the case load, which is why nothing was done and why the child was returned to his parents. The attorneys are hoping that this, along with other cases, will change what is done at DCF.
A DCF spokesperson said the department is still reviewing the lawsuit. The child is currently living with a foster family.
“9-year-old boy files lawsuit against DCF
[WSVN 9/25/13]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
So much for sweeping reforms after the Nubia case.
Ugh I know. Nubia died in 2011 and the trial won’t be until 2014.
I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum over the years. My oldest child’s father (with no merit) accused me of verbal abuse to our child, received a restraining order so that I was unable to have any contact with my child. Within days, the father was granted temporary custody with absolutely no found evidence to support his accusation. The courts mandated that he take the child for counseling to substantiate the allegations, of which he never complied and the justice system did absolutely nothing to follow up. Sadly, my child spent the next 8 years of extreme verbal abuse by the hands of this father and step mother. Years later, in the midst of my second divorce due to being physically assaulted by my husband (he was arrested for the incident and released in less than 24 hours) our child (age 2) disclosed sexual abuse to a counselor and “endless redundant questioning with a barrage of authorities, by the hands of the child’s father. The child’s allegations never waivered and on the day of our divorce trial, the “female” judge refused to hear any and all testimony from the counselor of this alleged sexual abuse and with absolute and total disregard for the child’s safety and emotional well-being allowed the father overnight unsupervised visits. Each time my child would have to go with this “monster” I would a call from my child crying and wanting to come home, yet NO ONE IN OUR SO CALLED “JUSTICE SYSTEM” CARED AND NEVER OFFERED MY CHILD ANY FORM OF PROTECTION. 22 years later, my child suffers from random flashbacks of this heinous abuse and because of our “justice system” has to live the rest of her life with these nightmares that she will take to her grave. WHERE WAS/IS OUR WONDERFUL JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR MY CHILD AND COUNTLESS OTHER VICTIMS??? How sad and pathetic our system is that on one hand these “bleeding heart” UNEDUCATED social workers will go to one extreme when there is no supported evidence, yet when there is sufficient evidence, they refuse to see what’s right in front of them. It never ceases to amaze me how cold, callous, ignorant, and incompetent our entire judicial system is when it comes to protecting the victims (young or old) and that the key focus/intent/objective of our system is to reunite these terrified victims with the initial abusers. Bottom line…THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, FROM HOTLINE “PROFESSIONALS (??)”, SOCIAL WORKERS, GUARDIAN ET LITEMS, AND COMPLETE AND UTTER POMPOUS ASS JUDGES WHO VIEW THEMSELVES AS “GODS” ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A SHAM. OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR THESE INNOCENT VICTIMS, AND WHEN THE HEADLINES DISCLOSE YET ANOTHER SENSELESS TRAGEDY/DEATH AT THE HANDS OF THE ABUSER OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM MERELY SHAKES THEIR HEADS AND ASK HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED. MY QUESTION TO THEM IS “HOW DO THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT”?
“THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, FROM HOTLINE “PROFESSIONALS (??)”, SOCIAL WORKERS, GUARDIAN ET LITEMS, AND COMPLETE AND UTTER POMPOUS ASS JUDGES WHO VIEW THEMSELVES AS “GODS” ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A SHAM. OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR THESE INNOCENT VICTIMS, AND WHEN THE HEADLINES DISCLOSE YET ANOTHER SENSELESS TRAGEDY/DEATH AT THE HANDS OF THE ABUSER OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM MERELY SHAKES THEIR HEADS AND ASK HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED.”
I totally agree.