HARTFORD — Several Connecticut child welfare agency workers who left children with a couple despite the husband being on a sex offender registry and the wife being on a child abuse registry have been suspended.
The Hartford Courant reported Thursday the Department of Children and Families received a complaint last spring from someone concerned about the two children’s safety but caseworkers didn’t remove them. The department says it was four months before the Willimantic regional office’s director removed them.
The newspaper says the children were unharmed.
Department Commissioner Joette Katz has dealt with other troubling cases, including a toddler’s death in Plymouth. Republican state Sen. Len Fasano has criticized Katz’s policies.
“I am very troubled by the decisions made in this matter, and we are now conducting a human resources investigation involving several staff from the Willimantic office,” said Katz in a statement sent to FOX 61.
Katz defends her department. She says since she was appointed in 2011 maltreatment of children has been found in only 0.2 percent of department foster families.