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Local foster
care incident
investigated
By Galen C. McBride
Rappahannock News Staff Writer
In an interview last week, Rappahannock County Sheriff Gary Settle confirmed that there have been four incidents at a county foster home in the last 30 days involving children housed there. At least one child was placed in the home by Fairfax County without the knowledge of the Rappahannock County Department of Social Services.
Settle described the situation as “chronic.” His office is “not sure what the situation is at the residence. We’re called in when things are not going so well.” His staff, county case workers from RCDSS, and Commonwealth Attorney Peter Luke are “trying to assist the household to make sure the children receive proper help and the relief that they need. (The Sheriff’s Office does) not want to be used as a disciplinary tool for a child. Our goal is to get help for the child and the family housing the child.”
June 12 Incident
An incident involving the Fairfax child occurred June 12 along U.S. 211. Following an indepth investigation by RCDSS and sheriff’s office personnel, the child was returned to his foster family who then drove him to a “temporary respite home” near Fredericksburg. “It’s complicated. Rarely is a situation what it appears to be,” said RCDSS Director Bev Leathers. She could not comment on the specifics of a case involving a minor. “In child protection, you’re always worried you’re going to miss something. I have nightmares about it. We don’t want a child to suffer.”
But, she also felt that “if people were warehousing children, or they were being dumped, ignored and brutalized — it would have come out. The county is too small. We
See FOSTERCARE, Page A6
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