HER
HER FATHER. KING5 INVESTIGATOR SUSANA FRAME
IS HERE TO BRING US HER LATEST
FINDINGS.
FINDINGS.
FINDINGS. >> MD SOCIAL WORKERS CUT
CORNERS BEFORE SENDING HER TO
LIVE WITH HER DAD IN TEXAS.
THE DECISION CHANGED THIS
CHILD'S LIFE FOREVER BUT WE
DISCOVERED NEITHER THOSE WHO
MADE CRITICAL MISTAKES IN THE
CASE NOR SUPERVISORS SUFFERED
ANY CONSEQUENCE AT ALL.
THIS 5-YEAR-OLD GIRL KNOWN AS
MD IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE
BIGGEST DHSC PAY OUT EVER
NEARLY $20 MILLION.
MD WAS BORN PERFECTLY HEALTHY.
BUT NOW SHE'S UNABLE TO WALK,
TALK, OR SEE.
AND SHE NEVER WILL.
>> SHE MADE AN IMPACT ON MY
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
FAMILY. OUR FAMILY.
OUR FAMILY. >> Reporter: IN 2015, MISSY AND
JEFF WERE MDs FOSTER CARE
PARENTS, THEY WANTED TO ADOPT
HER.
HER.
HER. THAT'S UNTIL DHS SENT HER TO
TEXAS WITH HER FATHER WHERE HE
BEAT THE CHILD RUTHLESSLY.
>> BUT, SHE'S AN IMPORTANT
LITTLE GIRL WHO WILL NEVER BE
FORGOTTEN.
FORGOTTEN. >> Reporter: LEGAL DOCUMENTS
OUTLINE SOME OF THE MISTAKES
MADE IN THE CASE.
THE SOCIAL WORKERS DIDN'T
VERIFY THE FATHER'S CRIMINAL
HISTORY.
HISTORY.
HISTORY. NO BACKGROUND CHECK.
AND THAT'S A VIOLATION OF STATE
POLICY.
POLICY.
POLICY. THE EMPLOYEES DIDN'T READ A
HOME STUDY CONDUCTED IN TEXAS
TO MAKE SURE THE PLACEMENT WAS
SAFE.
SAFE.
SAFE. THAT'S A VIOLATION OF STATE AND
FEDERAL POLICY.
FEDERAL POLICY. THEY ALSO TOLD A JUDGE THERE
WERE NO RED FLAGS OUT OF TEXAS.
NOT TRUE.
NOT TRUE.
NOT TRUE. THAT HOME STUDY REVEALED CRIMES
OF VIOLENCE THAT DAD HAD LIED
ABOUT BEFORE INCLUDING AN
ASSAULT CONVICTION ON TOP OF
AGGRAVATED ROBBERY, DRUG
DEALING AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
FOR CHOKING HIS WIFE.
>> I'M A TEACHER, IF YOU MAKE
ANY MISTAKE THAT BIG YOU GET
FIRED.
FIRED.
FIRED. >>
FIRED. >> Reporter: WE LOOKED INTO
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE EMPLOYEES
WHO VIOLATED MULTIPLE POLICIES
IN MDs CASE.
IN DECEMBER WE SUBMITTED THIS
REQUEST FOR PUBLIC RECORDS
ASKING THE STATE FOR DOCUMENTS
RELATED TO EMPLOYEE
INVESTIGATIONS OR DISCIPLINARY
ACTIONS TAKEN.
ACTIONS TAKEN. >> FOUR MONTHS LATER WE GOT A
ONE LINE REPLY.
WE HAVE NO RESPONSIVE RECORDS
TO YOUR REQUEST.
OFFICIALS SPEAK FOR IN THE
TRAGIC MULTI MILLION DOLLARS MD
CASE, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WAS
DONE TO ADDRESS THE MISSTEPS
MADE BY THOSE IN CHARGE OF
KEEPING HER SAFE.
>> IT HURTS ME THAT IF THAT
WILLFUL WRONG DOING AND NOTHING
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. HOW MANY $20 MILLION LAWSUITS
DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE YOUR
MODEL.
MODEL.
MODEL. >>
MODEL. >> I'M SIGNING THIS BILL.
>> Reporter: A BILL SIGNED INTO
LAW BY GOVERNOR INSLEE FOUR
YEARS AGO SHOULD HAVE PROMPTED
SOME ACCOUNTABILITY IN MD EAST
CASE.
CASE.
CASE. THE
CASE. THE LAW IS ADEN'S ACT NAMED
AFTER ADEN BARNUM OF PORT
ORCHARD.
ORCHARD.
ORCHARD. ADEN IS NOW 10 YEARS OLD AND A
LAW INSPIRED BY HIM CALLS FOR
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. WHEN A FOSTER CHILD NEARLY DIES
FROM ABUSE AND IT'S FOUND
CASEWORKERS VIOLATED THE
PROCEDURES.
PROCEDURES. JUST LIKE MD, ADEN WAS BORN
PERFECTLY HEALTHY.
PERFECTLY HEALTHY. HE WAS BEATEN BY HIS DAD.
>> NOBODY IS GOING TO MAKE THEM
ACCOUNTABILITY NO MATTER WHAT
KIND OF LAWS YOU PASS OR WHAT
KIND OF MONEY HAS TO BE PAID
OUT.
OUT.
OUT. I
OUT. I DON'T HAVE ANY WORDS FOR THAT
DISAPPOINTMENT OR SADNESS.
>> IF YOU DON'T LEARN FROM YOUR
MISTAKES AND TAKE CORRECTIVE
ACTION, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
AGAIN.
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >>
AGAIN. >> Reporter: NONE OF THE
WORKERS WERE INVESTIGATED,
GUESS WHO WAS.
>> BECAUSE WE WERE THE TALKERS.
>> THE FOSTER PARENTS.
CONDUCTS THEIR FIRST INTERVIEW
WITH KING 5 ABOUT MD.
A VIOLATION OF THE
CONFIDENTIALITY RULES.
CONFIDENTIALITY RULES. THESE FOSTER PARENTS SUFFERED A
CONSEQUENCE.
CONSEQUENCE. THE FORFITURE OF THEIR LICENSE.
>> WE HAVE TO WORK TO PROTECT
THE KIDS IF THE STATE ISN'T
GOING TO.
GOING TO.
GOING TO. >> MD IS STILL A FOSTER CHILD.
SHE HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED BUT WE
UNDERSTAND SHE IS WELL CARED
FOR AT A HOME IN EASTERN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. HER DAD IS SERVING A 23 YEAR
PRISON SENTENCE FOR THE
ASSAULT.
ASSAULT.
ASSAULT. THIS AFTERNOON WE DID GET A
STATEMENT FROM THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN, YOUTH
AND FAMILIES THAT'S OLD DHS,
THEY SAID THE CASE DID NOT MEET
THEIR STANDARD OF CARE.
THAT THEY EXPECT MORE FROM
THEIR STAFF AND THAT SINCE THIS
CASE