Lawsuit: Vermont Department for Children and Families

“A lawsuit has been filed against the Vermont Department for Children and Families alleging its social workers failed to act on reports of abuse and neglect of two Ludlow children for four years until local police intervened.

Krista Hudson of Ludlow, Vermont, told the media in 2012, “I have a really big heart and I don’t like to see someone homeless.”

That was Hudson’s answer to why she invited dozens of disabled adults into her home to live with her.

At the time, Hudson was facing domestic assault charges; she was later convicted after police told a Windsor County court that Hudson routinely punched, kicked and choked the people she was supposed to care for.

A lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Department for Children and Families alleges that DCF failed to respond to reports of abuse of two children that lived with Hudson.

The suit alleges that Krista, who lived with her husband Richard, abused the children for more than four years before police intervened. Over those four years, DCF was called to the home at least 30 times.

According to Ludlow Police, who brought the charges against the couple in 2012, Krista Hudson used Facebook to invite disabled adults into her home and bused them from out-of-state to Vermont. When the people arrived, police say the Hudson’s abused them and would not let them leave.

DCF commissioner Dave Yacovone confirmed he found out about the new lawsuit Wednesday.

“We always take very seriously our responsibility to respond to valid reports of suspected child maltreatment and I believe the facts will bear out that we did that in this case too,” Yacovone said.

Yacovone said he cannot comment on the specifics of the Hudson case. It is now turned over to the attorney general’s office for review.

“Of course, DCF will fully cooperate with the Attorney general’s office in looking into and responding to the claim made by the plaintiffs,” Yacovone explained. “For every time there is a person who said you didn’t act fast enough or you weren’t aggressive enough, there is another one that says you’re overreaching.”

Richard Hudson was released last month after serving his two-year prison sentence. Krista Hudson could be released as early as next year.

The plaintiff in the lawsuit has not been named.”

Lawsuit says Vermont DCF ignored abuse[WCAX 8/27/14 by Alex Apple]

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