Lawsuit: Oregon Department of Human Services

“A Douglas County foster home where two young brothers were allegedly abused for years — and one recently settled a lawsuit against the state for more than $400,000 — is now at the center of a second complaint, alleging similar abuse suffered by another boy.

The complaint was filed June 8 in Douglas County Circuit Court. The child, who was 7 when the abuse allegedly occurred. He currently lives with his aunt and is being represented by Beaverton attorney Paul C. Galm.

The boy is suiing the State of Oregon and its Department of Human Services.

The state has not yet responded to the complaint, which seeks $2.55 million in damages for negligence.

Jake Sunderland, a spokesperson for DHS, said the agency does not comment on pending litigation.

The foster care parents in the complaint, and the incidents that allegedly occurred in their home, were the subject of another complaint settled with the state and DHS earlier this year for $425,000.

According to the most recent complaint:

DHS knew the boy was vulnerable because he was a victim of prior abuse and neglect. He lived in a foster home with an older boy who “had a history of behavioral problems, including physical and sexual maltreatment of younger children, and therefore presented a risk of sexual assault and physical abuse to younger children,” the complaint said.

DHS was notified of potential problems in the home in May 2017, and investigated. In September 2017, DHS received another report of abuse at the home, this time alleging sexual abuse and exploitation, as well as neglect.

Specifically, the report alleged the boy was sexually assaulted.

DHS concluded that those allegations were founded.

The older boy repeatedly abused the younger boy physically, sexually and emotionally, the complaint said.

DHS licensed the foster home where the abuse allegedly occurred and paid the foster parents to care for the children in the home, and ultimately was responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the children, the complaint said.

Yet the agency failed to monitor the children despite a history of abuse, and failed to remove the boy from the home despite “numerous credible allegations of physical abuse and emotional abuse,” the complaint said.”

More abuse alleged at Douglas County foster care home
[The News-Review 6/26/23 by Scott Carroll]

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