FL - Nubia Barahona, 10, slain, twin injured, West Palm Beach, 11 Feb 2011 *Arrest*

[CHICANA]

What about all the newfound accountability they're touting ?
I think this agency is really obsolete.

'Barahona Relief Act' bills would limit monetary awards for abuse victims


Outraged critics are calling it the Barahona Relief Act: Twin bills winding through Tallahassee that would cap damages in lawsuits brought against private groups overseeing the care of foster children, regardless of negligence.

The proposals also would shield the Florida Department of Children and Families from lawsuits filed against private companies hired by the state to place foster children in homes. No lawsuit has been filed in the Barahona case.


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/barahona-relief-act-bills-would-limit-monetary-awards-1296260.html

 

[LCoastMom]

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-03-09/news/fl-twins-abuse-information-20110303_1_nubia-and-victor-abuse-in-florida-history-child-abuse

During a meeting this week of an independent panel that is reviewing what happened, one foster care official suggested a "face sheet" to serve as a one-page case summary accessible to all.

"We have all this existing in silos in state records," said Frances Allegra, director of Our Kids, the nonprofit agency that handles foster care in Miami-Dade County for the Department of Children & Families. "We'll take all that gobbledygook and put it into one page."

Really? Years of abuse from the "parents" and neglect by the system can all go one one page... Where is the full disclosure?

Documents released by DCF and testimony before the review panel reveal that many alarms went unheeded because in Florida's hybrid, privatized child welfare system, one agency, case worker or investigator does not always know what others know.

"We were getting signs early on, but we didn't tie it all together," Jacqui Colyer, DCF's top Miami administrator, told the panel

Unbelievable... These experts at "fending off inquiries" managed to blow off four separate, underpaid investigators in four years who never shared.

"Remarkably, Dr. Archer's written report makes no mention at all of the reports from the principal or teacher, nor does it contain any information whatsoever from Nubia's teachers or her school," Roberto Martinez, former U.S. Attorney for South Florida and a review panel member, wrote in a memo.

(Nor the GAL's...)

Allegra, of Our Kids, said a new tracking system will help make better decisions on the safety and risks of the 3,500 Miami-Dade children in foster care. It improves chances "we are all talking the same language," she said.

What language were they speaking prior to this tragedy? Oh, that's right, NONE! They weren't speaking at all! Or when they were it was "gobbledygook" that no one bothered to share.

I think this report is going to be nothing but gobbledygook...

 

[Wise Old Owl]

WOW - and OMG!!!

www.wsvn.com

Report on their 10 o'clock news. They have cell phone video of V. and an interview with someone who was a patient down the hall from V. and struck up a friendship and took this video. His face is blurred - but you can see him going down the hospital hall kneeling on a skateboard!

Then the reporter said that DCF took channel 7 to court to stop the release of this video. He then read a statement from them - (puke) - about how no one should exploit this child by showing images of him!!!!! GMAB!

Watch their website - I'm sure they will be posting this video shortly now that its aired.

It felt so good to see him just being a kid - ya know?

 

[CHICANA]

WOW - and OMG!!!

www.wsvn.com

Report on their 10 o'clock news. They have cell phone video of V. and an interview with someone who was a patient down the hall from V. and struck up a friendship and took this video. His face is blurred - but you can see him going down the hospital hall kneeling on a skateboard!

Then the reporter said that DCF took channel 7 to court to stop the release of this video. He then read a statement from them - (puke) - about how no one should exploit this child by showing images of him!!!!! GMAB!

Watch their website - I'm sure they will be posting this video shortly now that its aired.

It felt so good to see him just being a kid - ya know?

It said the video you are trying to view is unavailable.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

It said the video you are trying to view is unavailable.

maybe their legal department is still working on it. But they said a judge ruled in their favor today and they showed it on their boradcast.

Let's see what happens.

 

[LCoastMom]

It said the video you are trying to view is unavailable.

It's up at 10PM PT! Thanks WOO!! You're right it felt good to see him up being a kid!!

 

[peeples]

"It is unfortunate that anybody would choose to exploit the image of this young boy, and there is no humane reason to do so"

Yeah because heaven forbid he hasn't been exploited by the hands of DCF!

I think channel 7 handled it wonderfully and I for one am soo happy to see the video of him it moved me to tears. I got to see for myself.. he's "ok" at least a little anyway... He has a loooong way to go..

 

[CHICANA]

"It is unfortunate that anybody would choose to exploit the image of this young boy, and there is no humane reason to do so"

Yeah because heaven forbid he hasn't been exploited by the hands of DCF!

I think channel 7 handled it wonderfully and I for one am soo happy to see the video of him it moved me to tears. I got to see for myself.. he's "ok" at least a little anyway... He has a loooong way to go..

Only in their world would reporting good news be exploitation. They want to make this go away. What did it cost taxpayers to try & prevent this harmless video from being released ? Wouldn't that $$ have been better spent on the children in their care ?

 

[daisy7]

Looking back, the review team said Thursday, the evidence was overwhelming. Analyzing one aspect of the state’s handling of the case, the panel emphasized two words that may forever be associated with the people who were supposed to be protecting 10-year-old Nubia and her twin brother, Victor: “fatal ineptitude.’’

“The red flag of caution and warning was raised many times,’’ the panel wrote in its final report. “But nobody seemingly put it all together.’’

The trio appointed by Department of Children & Families Secretary David Wilkins to study Nubia’s death released its final report to a packed conference room at DCF headquarters in Miami. Observers — many of them child welfare workers and advocates — sat in hushed silence as Wilkins’ deputy, Pete Digre, apologized for his agency’s woeful performance in protecting the girl.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/10/2108516/report-on-nubias-death-cites-dcfs.html#ixzz1GJbZKrik

 

[tlcya]

Fatal Ineptitude indeed. I may just rename DCF that. FI from now on.

 

[LCoastMom]

The investigation was plagued by poor decision-making: a counselor at the state’s child-abuse hotline initially determined that the allegations were not urgent, and recommended an investigator be given a full day to respond to them. Though two additional calls came to the hotline within 48 hours, the reports never were considered in totality.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/...on-nubias-death-cites-dcfs.html#ixzz1GQ3hwaeA

So now there were THREE calls between 2/10 and 2/12?

Fatal Ineptitude - yep that's close. Now what are you going to do about it and what becomes of EVERYONE who had an opportunity to fix the situation but FAILED FATALLY to protect these children or even care enough to try!?

----------------------------

http://media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2011/03/10/18/nubia.source.prod_affiliate.56.pdf

The Nubia Report

 

[tlcya]

"It is unfortunate that anybody would choose to exploit the image of this young boy, and there is no humane reason to do so"

Yeah because heaven forbid he hasn't been exploited by the hands of DCF!

I think channel 7 handled it wonderfully and I for one am soo happy to see the video of him it moved me to tears. I got to see for myself.. he's "ok" at least a little anyway... He has a loooong way to go..

DCFS is awfully anxious to protect this young man. What a joke. Hey DCFS, a few years and a few dollars short but hey, better late than never right.

You gonna protect little Nubia as well? Yeah, I know who or should I say what you are trying to protect, and it is not young master V.

 

[CHICANA]

If this is accurate, there were definitely sexual abuse allegations made against Jorge Barahona before they were allowed to adopt.
It's obvious the aunt & uncle are committed to Victor, why can't he go home with them ?
DCFS has admitted to being negligent, yet they're still in charge and are continuing to make decisions that are contrary to his best interests.

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21003739014127/

Department of Children and Families records revealed that despite a previous sexual abuse allegation against Jorge Barahona and assertions from a teacher and principal in 2007 that Nubia was sent to school dirty, hungry and terrified of Carmen Barahona, the adoption went through.

 

[belimom]

I'm really glad that I got to see the video as well. I do not feel that he was exploited. I have wondered each and every day how he is doing, and it was reassuring to see that he is making progress. He has a long way to go but hopefully is on his way.

 

[mysteriew]

WOW - and OMG!!!

www.wsvn.com

Report on their 10 o'clock news. They have cell phone video of V. and an interview with someone who was a patient down the hall from V. and struck up a friendship and took this video. His face is blurred - but you can see him going down the hospital hall kneeling on a skateboard!

Then the reporter said that DCF took channel 7 to court to stop the release of this video. He then read a statement from them - (puke) - about how no one should exploit this child by showing images of him!!!!! GMAB!

Watch their website - I'm sure they will be posting this video shortly now that its aired.

It felt so good to see him just being a kid - ya know?

Now this is what I would call ironically funny. How many complaints did they get before the adoption? And how good a job did they do before the adoption? And how many complaints did they get since the adoption? And how good a job did they do? And once the last few complaints came in, how long did it take them to get out there to investigate?

LOL but they hear that the TV is going to put up a video of him and they are all over that! Didn't take them long did it? Well if I was the news channel I think I would tell them to send out an investigator and we could discuss it.

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

The Investigative Panels Findings and Recommendations....The Nubia Report
http://media.miamiherald.com/smedia/2011/03/10/18/nubia.source.prod_affiliate.56.pdf


Many agencies failed these children..I don't know if you all saw this report...no one connected the 'red flags', and these children told lots of fear to many and no one connected the dots...so sad, tragic and could have been saved, if only someone listened to the children...My heart bleeds...JMHO


Justice for Nubia and Victor

 

[Wise Old Owl]

They fired Fleary!

DCF: Two fired, five reprimanded in Barahona case

By Diana Moskovitz and Carol Marbin Miller
[email protected]
One month after 10-year-old Nubia Barahona was found dead in the flatbed of her adoptive father’s pickup truck, state child-welfare administrators fired two workers connected with the case, including the investigator assigned to look into an abuse report four days before the girl’s body was located


Andrea Fleary, already on probation after being given two “final’’ counseling notices for poor performance, was terminated from her position as a child abuse investigator. DCF also fired her supervisor, Kevin Ramos

**more at link**

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/14/2114851/dcf-two-fired-three-reprimanded.html##ixzz1GdmdAGZP


Its about darn time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[daisy7]

They fired Fleary!

DCF: Two fired, five reprimanded in Barahona case

By Diana Moskovitz and Carol Marbin Miller
[email protected]
One month after 10-year-old Nubia Barahona was found dead in the flatbed of her adoptive father’s pickup truck, state child-welfare administrators fired two workers connected with the case, including the investigator assigned to look into an abuse report four days before the girl’s body was located


Andrea Fleary, already on probation after being given two “final’’ counseling notices for poor performance, was terminated from her position as a child abuse investigator. DCF also fired her supervisor, Kevin Ramos

**more at link**

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/14/2114851/dcf-two-fired-three-reprimanded.html##ixzz1GdmdAGZP


Its about darn time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, WOO. From the link:

“This tragedy was more than just mistake and poor job execution by selected employees and subcontractors,’’ Wilkins wrote in a prepared statement about the Barahona twins. “It was a total systemic failure of the child-welfare system created by a fragmented business model with antiquated processes, procedures and technologies and conflicting rules and incentives.’’

That about sums it up right there.

 

[LCoastMom]

Andrea Fleary is expected to file an appeal against the agency after she was terminated...

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_c_palm_beach_county/west_palm_beach/fired-dcf-caseworker-wants-job-back

:maddening: :maddening:

What a surprise...

 

[LaWanda]

Andrea Fleary is expected to file an appeal against the agency after she was terminated...

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region...alm_beach/fired-dcf-caseworker-wants-job-back

:maddening: :maddening:

What a surprise...

Wow .... how more "Final" can you get? She had 2 "final" write-ups in her file before all this happened. She should have NEVER been on this case in the first place. :banghead: