How Could You? Hall of Shame-Florentino Rios and Lawsuit now Bittersweet Justice UPDATED

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 Hana, Hawaii, foster dad Florentino Rios aka Zack Morris,was ” indicted on 20 charges and pleaded ‘no contest’. He is currently at the Halawa Correctional Facility, serving 20 years.” Now,”the victims of a former foster dad on Maui is suing the Department of Human Services.

Their attorney says the state should have known that the man was homeless, unemployed, and recently changed his name. Florentino Rios moved to Maui from the mainland and took the name Zack Morris, after a character in the television sitcom, “Saved by the Bell.” Morris fostered a 14-year old boy and later a 15-year old boy between the years of 2009 and 2011.  He got an apartment first in Kihei and then in Hana.

The boys were forced to drink alcohol, repeatedly sexually and physically assaulted, and forced to watch porn. “Its an absolutely disturbing, disturbing case,” says Jon Jacobs, the victims’ attorney, who says Morris would threaten them because they had already been in other foster families, “That they’re next step would be some type of youth correctional facility. He played that against them, and against their fears that they would be incarcerated.”

It was after a third boy, a 10-year old, who was also assaulted told authorities that Morris was arrested. ”

“Jacobs says the state should have done more to protect the boys.  He says the fact that Morris had been homeless just before becoming a foster parent should have been obvious. And, Jacobs says Morris never held a job after moving to Maui so his income should have been questioned. DHS did not respond to our request for comment. They have until the middle of January to respond to the lawsuit.”

Former foster kids sue the state after sexual abuse by foster dad[Hawaii NewsNow 12/23/14 by Lynn Kawano]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “Hawaii has agreed to pay $585,000 to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of two former foster children who were sexually abused by their Maui foster parent.

The lawsuit filed in 2014 claimed state Department of Human Services officials were negligent and should have known that Florentino Rios was unfit to be a foster parent.

Rios, who went by the name Zack Morris when he moved to Hawaii, was convicted of sexually assaulting three boys who were placed in his care from 2009 to 2011, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Sunday. He is serving a 20-year prison sentence on Oahu.

A background check under his new name as part of the foster parent licensing process in 2008 “did not uncover any information” that raised concern about his suitability, according to the state attorney general’s office.

Before moving to Hawaii, New York authorities found that Rios and his wife had provided inadequate guardianship for their 4-month-old son after the baby was found with multiple injuries. Their child was temporarily placed in foster care. The 2003 encounter with New York authorities wasn’t flagged during the foster care licensing process, an attorney for the former foster children said.

After a boy was placed in Rios’ care in Hawaii, he claimed the youth assaulted him, according to court documents. The boy told authorities Rios had sexually abused him. The Department of Human Services classified the sexual abuse allegation as “unconfirmed” following an investigation. The boy was removed from the house.

Rios had filed lawsuits against the department, claiming discrimination and unlawful investigations in 2010.

Two brothers were later placed in his care, and the younger child reported sexual abuse.

Jon Jacobs, a lawyer for the two former foster children, said the “survivors are seeking closure.” He declined further comment.

A spokeswoman for the department referred questions back to the attorney general’s office.

The settlement is being submitted to state lawmakers for approval.”

State settles suit over child sexual abuse in foster care

[Maui News 1/29/19 by AP]