A jury found a 45-year-old Oregon man guilty of repeatedly sexually abusing a foster child who was under the age of 12. They sentence the foster parent to nearly 94 years in prison. This was the lengthiest sentence in the history of the county.
Foster Abuse
State workers in charge of watching children in the foster system can be understaffed, underpaid, without proper oversight and many don’t receive proper training. This means that many kids end up in unsafe environments since social workers and agency personnel sometimes fail to properly screen foster parents. These means incomplete background checks and neglecting to follow-up on child placements.
It becomes the perfect opportunity for predators to abuse vulnerable children for long periods of time. Plus, these kids don’t have anyone to help and just endure months or years of neglect or sexual abuse.
Also, victims worry that the next foster home could be worse than the current situation he or she is in. These children need the most security and safety, yet foster parents and state workers fail to protect the children. This makes them liable for any resulting injury or harm.
Foster Parent Found Guilty of Sexual Abuse
An Oregon jury found the foster parent guilty of 12 sex crimes against his foster child who was under the age of 12. The abuse happened between 2016 and 2017. The man touched the child, forced himself upon the child before taking naked pictures of the child. The abuse was not reported until the child was moved to another foster home. It is unclear how many children the foster parent has sexually abused.
The judge in the court agreed that the 1,125-month sentence he imposed at the request of a prosecutor is appropriate. The judge cited the harm caused to the child as well as the betrayal of a trust that state Department of Human Services officials put in him when they allowed him to serve as a foster parent.
Get Legal Help
Survivors of sexual abuse can file civil suits against perpetrators and other responsible parties, regardless of the outcome or existence of a criminal prosecution. Civil lawsuits can help a survivor seek monetary damages. This compensation can never change the abuse suffered but can help rebuild a life.
Plus, a civil suit can deter future abuse. This is why it is important if you or a loved one was the victim of sexual abuse to contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm. We will provide a free consultation and instruct of any avenues available to you for civil litigation.