How Could You? Hall of Shame-Panache Petry 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 Harker Heights, Texas, foster child Panache Petry, 2, died in November 2022 of “COVID-19 and another respiratory infection”, according to the autopsy. He stayed at the Garden of Hope foster care center.

““He also told me that all the babies in there were sick with bumps all over their faces in the same nursery that my baby was in,” Joseph repeated what she was told by her teenage son.

Joseph and her attorney, Vic Feazell, claim Garden of Hope was negligent. An investigation by Feazell found the workers were not checking on the children enough. Joseph’s children say they weren’t fed properly, and Panache spent time covered in feces.”

“Shortly after Panache’s death, Joseph says DFPS gave her children back to her and closed the case.

Feazell has spent decades in law and served as the McLennan County District Attorney. He says this case is appalling.

“This is the worst because this was done by people you are supposed to trust,” he said.

Feazell says they are starting the legal process, starting the discovery, and they are adamant about making people answer for what they did.

He has also sent a settlement demand to the attorney that represents Garden of Hope. The demand asks that both parties come to an amicable resolution on the wrongful death claim, but so far, Joseph and her attorney say they are getting stonewalled.

In the meantime, Joseph is choosing to remember what made her little boy so special.

“He loved the Ninja Turtles. At one point, I think he thought him and his brothers were Ninja Turtles,” she said with a smile.

Texas HHS confirmed to KWTX that Garden of Hope was issued two interim deficiencies, related to supervision and accurate documentation, just a few weeks after Panache’s death.

Garden of Hope is one of the state agency’s general residential operations and is frequently evaluated for compliance, HHS said. It is currently open and not on any enforcement action.”

They killed my baby’: Texas mother speaks after son dies in protective custody
[NBC 15 7/17/23 by Madison Herber]

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