How Could You? Hall of Shame-New Mexico Therapeutic Foster Parent

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Albuquerque, New Mexico, an unnamed therapeutic foster parent ” has been sexually abusing girls in his care for almost 20 years are finally coming to light. “

“The girls kept coming forward dating back to 2000; even the man’s wife reported it.

A lot of people heard the allegations, including CYFD, police, the District Attorney’s office and therapists.

CYFD Secretary Monique Jacobson says an Albuquerque couple had been treatment foster parents since 1997, taking in higher needs children with behavioral problems.

“I thought, 20 years, oh my gosh…this has been happening for 20 years,” Jacobson said.

A nonprofit agency licensed through CYFD called Familyworks would place children in the couple’s home. KRQE News 13 is not naming the man because he hasn’t been charged. However, a search warrant for the business last month uncovers disturbing allegations from eight girls, as well as allegations that workers at Familyworks often blew off what the children told them.

In 2000, the District Attorney decided not to prosecute after a 16-year-old told deputies her foster father had raped her. In 2012, a 15-year-old made similar claims.

CYFD told Albuquerque Police, but documents state it appears APD never investigated.

There’s another claim by a 10-year-old in 2015. Familyworks told CYFD, “we only reported it because we had to, not because we were concerned.”

In 2017, a 6-year-old says he touched her private parts. It was the man’s own wife who called Familyworks to report it. Later that year, the couple told Familyworks the little girl’s private parts were injured.

No one called CYFD or the police about those two cases.

In between, CYFD was called one time to check on the girl after another foster child told an adult that their foster dad was looking at the 6-year-old inappropriately.

The girl told CYFD she didn’t want to talk about it, and was returned to the foster home.

CYFD Secretary Monique Jacobson says there’s more to these cases, but she can’t talk about them. She did have experts review how CYFD handled them.

“It’s one of those situations where we go back and we look and we say, ‘we did this…we did what we’re expected to do and we still didn’t get to the bottom of what’s happening,'” Jacobson said.[What?If you gave a rat’s ass about the children you would of done something, like continuing to investigate it, especially because the wife reported it.]

Finally in April, an APS school counselor contacted CYFD about a 10-year-old claiming her foster parent was touching her in a sexual manner.

A CYFD investigator started digging into his past, uncovering the history of allegations.

“I truly believe had it not been for these investigations, children could have been in that house for another 20 years,” Jacobson said.

When CYFD workers notified Familyworks about the investigation into the foster parent, they say Familyworks still wanted to put girls in the home, saying the foster couple needed the money and they get paid for taking in children.

CYFD audited Familyworks and found the director wasn’t properly licensed. CYFD revoked their license in July.[What the hell?]

The business is is still open while cases are being transferred. KRQE News 13 tried getting a comment but no one wanted to talk.

Jacobson says CYFD workers, treatment coordinators, went to the man’s home each week.

“To be so bold to do that, when you are hurting these children…mind boggling. We’ve talked about it as our super predators,” Jacobson said.

So, why didn’t police investigated some of these cases? APD says they can’t comment as they investigate the man involved.

Despite no charges yet, CYFD says he will never be able to foster again in New Mexico.”

Foster parent accused of sexually abusing girls for nearly 20 years

[KRQE 8/17/18 by Jessica Garate]

“Jacobson said her agency is still investigating how many children had been with the accused foster family over the years and how many children were placed into homes by Familyworks – a mid-sized facility. Currently, CYFD is working with 28 families and more than 40 children placed through Familyworks, a CYFD spokesman said.

All of the Familyworks homes are now under the process of recertification, Jacobson said. If the homes are determined to be safe for children, then the foster family and children will be moved to another treatment care provider.

“If the families are not clearing that process, then we would move the child into a different home under a different provider,” Jacobson said. “The families would need to be re-licensed under these new providers.”

“CYFD licenses businesses like Familyworks – which also has a business agreement with Desert Hills residential treatment center – to place children with families. In return, the families receive between $40 and $70 a day.”

The “District Attorney’s Office executed a search warrant on Familyworks to determine whether “proper notifications of child abuse or neglect were made by the employees of Familyworks per state law, if Familyworks employees knew that this home was dangerous for children but continued to place the children into a dangerous place, and if documentation related to the care, treatment and safety of the children contains information about abuse or neglect that was not reported to CYFD or law enforcement or about a failure to comply with state regulations or state law relating to the safety of foster children.”

Foster family has troubling history

[The Albuquerque Journal 8/18/18 by Elise Kaplan]

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