Collateral Damage: The DCF Chronicles
How a Connecticut guardian kept custody, and a child, while agencies looked away
A 13-year-old in Connecticut became pregnant in 2008 while under a probate guardianship. Records show DCF and the court missed clear warning signs, failed to notify police, and left the child in harm’s way. Read how gaps in policy and practice let a guardian keep custody and control.
How Arizona DCS and Catalyst Community Corp lost a child they were paid to protect
Fifteen-year-old Christian Williams had Type 1 diabetes and was in Arizona DCS custody at a Catalyst group home in Mesa. Emails warned that missed insulin “will result in his death.” A DCS-contracted worker asked for a nurse. An emergency team met. Nothing changed. On July 7, 2024, staff framed a medical crisis as misbehavior and delayed 911. Christian died three days later of diabetic ketoacidosis. Licensing took no action. This investigation follows each warning, each decision, and the policies that should have protected him.
He begged for help. Texas’ child welfare machine dragged him to a movie and let him die
An 11-year-old boy with autism told adults he was in pain. Thompson’s RTC dragged him to a holiday movie anyway. He collapsed and died. This investigation shows how Texas child welfare, licensing, and contractors missed warning after warning until a child was gone.
Buried in Plain Sight: How a Child Vanished While Kansas Child Welfare Looked Away
Kennedy Natalie Jean Schroer vanished from every system that should have kept her safe. Her remains were later found in the backyard while benefits kept flowing and a warning to DCF was screened out. This story documents how a child slipped past caseworkers, contractors, and secrecy until it was too late.
When the Protector Becomes the Predator: The Diane Mack Case
A shocking case out of Sebring, Florida has exposed the horrific abuse and death of 13-year-old Selena at the hands of her adoptive mother, Diane Mack. Once a Florida DCF worker and Guardian Ad Litem, Mack now faces capital murder charges for keeping her autistic daughter chained, starved, and surveilled in her own garage. This case raises damning questions about oversight failures in Florida’s child welfare system.
Tragedy in Texas: How CPS Failures Led to the Death of Nayeli Perez
Sixteen-year-old Nayeli Perez was supposed to be safe. Instead, she was hidden away, starved, and beaten until her body gave out. Found weighing just 78 pounds, with injuries that told the story of months of torment, her death exposes a child welfare system in Texas that failed to see, failed to act, and failed to protect. This is not just the story of one girl, but of a broken system that allowed her to disappear in plain sight.
Greylock Group Home Horror Exposes Systemic Failures in Child Welfare
The Greylock group home in Springfield was supposed to provide safety and healing for vulnerable girls in state custody. Instead, it became a place of fear and abuse. From daily chaos and repeated staff misconduct to the indictment of staff member Xavier Cruz on charges of raping a 14-year-old resident, Greylock exposes a child welfare system in Massachusetts that is broken at its core. Despite 132 violations and confirmed abuse, the facility remained open until public outrage forced its closure. This is not an isolated scandal. It is a stark example of how systemic neglect, poor oversight, and profit-driven decisions leave children in harm’s way, not only in Massachusetts but across the country.
Massachusetts DCF: Using Children as a Cash Machine
Massachusetts DCF has turned children into revenue streams. Instead of protecting families, the agency profits from removals, seizes Social Security benefits, and inflates abuse reports to secure more funding. Behind every dollar is a child abandoned, exploited, or discarded.
Massachusetts DCF Audit Exposes Deepening Crisis of Neglect
A child’s safety should never depend on whether an agency follows its own rules. The November 7, 2024 audit of Massachusetts DCF revealed widespread neglect of oversight, missing documentation, and ignored court orders, proving once again that systemic failures continue to endanger vulnerable children.
Connecticut DCF Failures Blamed in Child Deaths, Advocates Demand Accountability
Connecticut’s child welfare agency is under fire after two babies died and another nearly overdosed while under its watch. Investigations reveal ignored warning signs, skipped safety checks, and no accountability. Families trusted DCF, but instead children were buried.