Judge Orders Federal Investigation Into Child Porn Allegations At Bastrop Facility

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – In a federal court hearing in Dallas, U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack ordered a criminal investigation into allegations of sex trafficking at a DFPS-contracted facility in Bastrop, Texas after abuse claims surfaced in January.

There were several tense moments in the court, including an expletive-ridden outburst by one of the attendees on Zoom.

In a January letter to Department of Family Protective Services (DFPS), an employee outlined incidents of sex trafficking and abuse of children at a facility called The Refuge in Bastrop, Texas. The Refuge houses children who have been victims of abuse.

At least seven children were allegedly sexually abused by employees while at The Refuge. Employees allegedly took nude photos of underage girls at the facility and sold them on social media. Some of the money is claimed to have been used to purchase drugs, which were then provided to the minors. The court also found that the children were not removed for weeks after the allegations first came to light.

Judge Jack threatened to hold the agency in contempt for not sharing information, including interviews with the abused children, with court-appointed monitors.

The court-appointed monitors are independent experts appointed by the court to investigate the Texas foster care system in response to a years-long class action lawsuit by child welfare advocates against the state.

The court also heard the ongoing issue of children who have been left without placement. The I-Team reported in November that nearly 300 children spent at least one night in unlicensed facilities, including CPS offices and motel rooms.

In 2021, the state and the plaintiffs agreed to set up an expert panel that would provide recommendations meant to resolve issues related to the placement of children. The panel is also looking at the conditions of both in-state and out-of-state DFPS-contracted facilities. The panel issued 23 recommendations in January, which included hiring more staff and addressing deficiencies in the system.

As of last week, 81 children had not been placed. DFPS testified that there were 125 children placed in Arkansas, Michigan and Tennessee.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/qt5Ov64