A court filing has raised new questions about the Department of Children and Families’ handling of a case in Waterbury, where a man claims he was held captive by his stepmother for decades.
Background of the Case
The man, known as ‘S’, is now 33 years old and has a conservator who filed a motion accusing DCF of withholding records about its handling of the case. The motion claims that DCF did not properly investigate reports of neglect involving ‘S’ and that if they had, ‘S’ would have been ‘freed’ from torture and abuse.
According to the filing, ‘S’s’ former principal, Tom Pannone, reported abuse to DCF multiple times, but nothing was done. The state is seeking to dismiss ‘S’s’ claim, arguing that the allegations are too old.
DCF’s Response
DCF says it can confirm that former DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes was an Investigations Supervisor in 2002 and that it is standard procedure to request hard copy files of previous involvement with a family when a new report is being investigated. DCF was involved with ‘S’s’ family from 1996 until 2005 and found six reports made in connection with this family.
Original reporting: NBC Connecticut — read the source article.
