HARTFORD, Conn. — Wednesday afternoon, state lawmakers turned their attention to a DCF-funded girls’ home in Harwinton in response to multiple allegations of abuse and mistreatment.
Lawmakers on the state legislature’s Committee on Children questioned officials from the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) and the state’s child advocates to get more information about allegations of sex trafficking, violence, and abuse at a youth home in Harwinton.
“There was an incident related to an alleged physical assault on a youth by a Bridge employee and report of an alleged physical assault between two youths there,” explained DCF Commissioner Vanessa Dorantes, as she laid out multiple instances of sexual assault and abuse at a specific youth group home from 2021 to 2023.
“Multiple divisions within DCF had responses to this particular home,” she said.
The shelter at the center of the investigation is the Bridge Family Center's Short-Term Assessment and Respite Home – also known as STAR – in Harwinton, recently raising alarm bells for state lawmakers and local law enforcement.
“We're not here to point fingers, we're here to figure out what is the impact of this in the town, in the community, in the state,” said state Sen. Ceci Maher, (D) co-chair of the Committee on Children.
Wednesday afternoon, the Committee on Children stepped in to hold an informational hearing in response to these reports.
“Sometimes we have to ask the tough questions,” state Rep. Liz Linehan, (D) co-chair of the Committee on Children, said. “Sometimes we have to hear the tough answers.”
Lawmakers questioned DCF officials for about two hours and heard written testimony from the Bridge Family Center’s CEO Margaret Hann.
DCF said staff properly responded to all of these allegations and corrective actions were taken, like the firing of some Bridge employees.
“Each of those incidences were investigated and evaluated on their merit, and that we continue to work with this provider and their ability to make sure that they maintain staff that can keep kids safe,” Dorantes continued.
Some lawmakers on the committee were still concerned, calling this a “systemic issue.”
“We’ve had, in that time frame, eight instances in this one house, very serious incidences,” said state Sen. Lisa Seminara, (R) ranking member on the committee.
Wednesday’s hearing adjourned with many lawmakers saying they still had more questions.
“This is just the very first step in more conversation that we need to have,” Linehan said.
All the girls at the Harwinton home have been relocated to other STAR shelters throughout the state. The Harwinton STAR home was placed on a corrective action plan in July and DCF said admissions are currently on hold.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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