How Could You? Hall of Shame-Bradyen Allen case-Child Death

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 Raleigh, North Carolina, 23-month old foster child Brayden Allen died from “a choking incident” on May 4, 2021.

“Case workers initially told Clancy that Bubba suffered an injury falling out of bed, but the medical examiner’s report says the boy had a choking incident. The foster father told authorities that he hit Bubba on the back, performed chest compressions and shook him trying to dislodge food from his airway, according to the report.

Bubba was taken to WakeMed and then transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Duke University Hospital, but he died three days later. He was 23 months old.”

“The medical examiner ruled Bubba’s death a homicide, not an accident.

“A blood clot in the brain and his whole upper chest broken,” Clancy said, describing her son’s injuries. “Poor little Bubba.”

The Wake County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a criminal investigation into the foster father is ongoing.

Clancy said she learned about the details of her son’s death only when she received a copy of the medical examiner’s report, noting that case workers and Raleigh police didn’t provide updates.

In fact, WRAL Investigates received the autopsies before Clancy did via a public records request.

“I thought something would be done about it, not swept under the rug like nothing’s wrong and act like it’s just a normal death,” Clancy said, adding that she feels like her son’s death is being covered up.

Children and Family Services sent her notices to attend parenting classes even after Bubba’s death, she said.

“He didn’t die on her watch. He died when he was taken from his mother,” said Shaquashia Hester, who used to babysit Bubba. “Somebody needs to tell her the truth about what happened to her child.”

Hester’s parents were foster parents, so she knows the system. In this case, she said, the system failed.

“If the court ruling April 1 said he should have been home, he should have been home April 2,” she said.

Clancy said she feels silenced by the system, and she is hopeful that her story will protect other children taken by Child Protective Services.

“Justice, understanding, no more lies – the truth,” she said about what she wants.”

Wake toddler dies in foster care after judge had ordered child be returned to mother

[WRAL 8/24/21 by Cullen Browder]

“A Raleigh man has been charged in the May death of a toddler who was in his care.

Carl Delano Thomas, 39, was indicted Monday [September 27, 2021] on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Brayden “Bubba” Allen. He surrendered to authorities on Tuesday.

The 23-month-old child’s death was the focus of a WRAL Investigates story last month.

Case workers initially told Bubba’s mother that the boy had suffered an injury falling out of bed, but a medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, not an accident.”

“Bubba was in Thomas’ care because Wake County Children and Family Services removed the child from Christina Clancy’s custody in January for a reported burn mark and because Clancy had missed follow-up appointments with a social services case worker.

Clancy said her son was burned after bumping into something on a table, and she said her limited understanding of English – she’s a native of Italy – played a role in the missed appointments.

A judge ruled in April that Clancy could have her son back, but the court order wasn’t filed until May 3 – one day before Bubba’s death.

Clancy said Tuesday that Thomas’ arrest provides little comfort.

“I cried, but I still lost. There’s still no closure,” she said. “He’s never going to have a girlfriend. He’s never going to ride a bike. He was robbed.”

North Carolina State University confirmed that Thomas is the director of human resources in the Office of Global Engagement. He’s been employed with N.C. State for 14 years and is still on the payroll.

The west Raleigh home he rented, where he fostered Bubba, is up for sale.

“I want him to suffer and know the pain that he took and the joy and happiness he robbed from my family,” Clancy said of Thomas.

She also blames what she considers a broken social services system for her son’s death.

“You sentenced my Bubba to that home,” she said.

Wake County officials said the state Department of Health and Human Services has already investigated the case.

“NCDHHS found that Wake County Health and Human Services followed all applicable policies and used best practices to support this family and did everything in our power to keep the child safe,” county officials said in a statement.[uh…I don’t think so]

The statement goes on to detail background checks, training and inspections that go into foster care.”

Dead boy’s mother says foster father’s arrest in Wake toddler’s death provides no closure

[WRAL 9/28/21 by Cullen Browder]

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