Posted on 06/26/2002 2:59:33 AM PDT by ozone1
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:07:54 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Sally Schofield convicted of manslaughter By Glenn Adams, Associated Press, 6/25/2002 17:05 WISCASSET, Maine (AP) A former adoption caseworker for the state was convicted of manslaughter Tuesday for causing the suffocation death of her 5-year-old foster daughter by covering her face and binding her to a highchair with 42 feet of duct tape.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
Whew. Fifty feet of tape might actually have merited stiffer punishment. < /sarcasm>
Thursday, May 24, 2001
DHS refuses to discuss Marr
Concannon instead asks legislative panel for cash
Instead of discussing it, DHS Commissioner Kevin W. Concannon told a legislative committee Wednesday he wants to add 34 new staff members at a cost of $3.8 million to correct problems in the state child-protective system identified in the investigation into the death of Logan Marr.
Staff photo by ANDY MOLLOY
Kevin Concannon, commissioner of the Department of Human Services, refuses Wednesday to discuss his department's internal report about how it dealt with the Logan Marr case. He was appearing before a legislative committee in Augusta.
He refused to discuss the findings of his investigation into Marr's death unless the committee closes its doors to the public and press. State Attorney General G. Steven Rowe told the committee he would not let Concannon release any information to the committee in open session.
While the Legislature is struggling to resolve a long-standing budget impasse, Concannon told lawmakers the new positions would be paid for with $4 million his department discovered 10 days ago that does not have to be repaid to the federal government. The federal funds would not be available again for the next biennial budget starting in 2003.
His proposal also would create jobs for 18 new caseworkers, three supervisors overseeing them, four regional program supervisors, three clinical social workers to check the placements of foster children, three positions to ensure contract investigators of child abuse meet department standards and two inspectors for children's group homes. More insanity here
And, of course, it was just coincidence that this child had a fatal "seizure" right after her rib cage and air passages were bound with duct tape. Undiagnosed? Why not contend that she died of "undiagnosed" old age?
After every bureaucratic failure, it is SOP to call for more of the thing that failed. Seems absurd, but actually makes perfect sense from their point of view. If such an agency were to succeed at its intended purpose with a small staff and tight budget, it could not argue for wage/benefit hikes to attract more bureaucrats and expand its power. In fact, if it addressed causes instead of symptons, it would soon make itself entirely obsolete.
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