Lawsuit: Oregon DHS

“In a lawsuit against Oregon, a little girl’s guardian claims the Department of Human Services certified a man as a foster father and placed her with him even though he told DHS that he was “a sex addict” with “obsessions and compulsions with pornography and strip clubs.”
Guardian ad litem Tim Nay sued Oregon, its Department of Human Services, and former foster father Gabriel David Wallis, demanding $6.1 million for sexual battery and abuse of a vulnerable person, K.U., who will be 7 this week.
Wallis, a 35-year-old Gresham resident, was certified by the department to be a foster parent after DHS checked out his home, according to the Sept. 22 lawsuit in Multnomah County Court.
While he did so, the complaint states: “Wallis disclosed to DHS that he self-identified as a sex addict, he was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder and had obsessions and compulsions with pornography and strip clubs. DHS nevertheless certified Wallis as a foster care provider for children in DHS custody, including K.U.”
 The state also knew, or should have known, that Wallis had child porn on his home computer, including “depictions of child sexual abuse” and “child farms,” the lawsuit states.
Nevertheless, DHS placed a 4-year-old K.U. in his care during the summer of 2014.
Wallis sexually abused her the whole time, according to the complaint, which details the nature of the abuses.
K.U. is represented by Josh Lamborn, who told Courthouse News that Wallis had another foster child at the same time that K.U. lived with him. A police investigation revealed photos of other children Wallis had fostered, Lamborn said.
In a federal assessment of Oregon’s Child and Family Services, released on March 25 this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that Oregon fell below state standards in 11 of 13 federal assessment categories, including recurring child maltreatment and investigation of those cases.
Gene Evans, public affairs director for the Oregon Department of Human Services, said the department does not comment on pending litigation.
K.U. lives with her mother now. According to the lawsuit, the state originally removed K.U. from the care of her mother and stepfather because they “exposed her to a high-risk environment involving drugs, prostitution and gang activity.”
Public records on Wallis indicate he was arrested on Nov. 5, 2014 by Gresham police and charged with rape, sodomy and six charges of sex abuse. His bail was set at $2 million. ”

http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/09/27/shocking-neglect-alleged-in-foster-program.htm [Courthouse News 9/27/16 by Karina Brown]

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