Another Shining Example of Alabama’s Failed DHR
While Rob and Kathey Raskin are ongoing advocates in the fight for rooting out DHR corruption in the cases of foster home scams, the systemic issue of DHR incompetence and abuse runs deeper than this. Alabama is notorious for its various examples of incompetence and dereliction of duty when it comes to upholding its oath to protect the children of its state. In this article, we see yet another lawsuit that names specific officers of DHR as directly responsible for the death of eight-year-old Lebrawn Rankin back in 2018.
According to Attorney Tommy James, a multitude of complaints from the boy’s school and neighbors indicated that he was emaciated, wore dirty diapers, and had cockroaches crawling out of his clothes. This triggered an investigation by the DHR, who are responsible for following up on all child welfare cases at the state level, foster care or not. The investigation led to the child continuing to stay with his mother, now indicted for the child’s death less than two weeks after the visit.
While DHR said there was nothing out of the ordinary, the police investigation found the boy’s lifeless body in a dilapidated apartment that stunk of urine and feces, some of which was smeared on the wall. The mother’s indictment, while perplexing and counterintuitive, especially given the fact that she’s the boy’s natural mother, gives way to the sheer disbelief in the failure of legally bound, duly authorized representatives of the state to follow through on their investigations, whether out of the goodness of their heart or not. At the very least, this is how they pay their bills.
If the DHR cares so little about the welfare of its children across the board, whether foster or otherwise, it follows that each member will be subject to criminal and civil investigational and consequences until the nature of the problem is finally revealed. Unless and until that day comes, you can count on the dedication of Robert and Kathleen Raskin to follow up on these cases. Stay tuned for more stories like this and more ways to learn your rights to fight this problem in your state.
Whether you or someone you know, or have seen, or even have the remotest suspicion about, contact the Raskins to learn the quickest and most effective way to take action. These children need all the help they can get.
For more info about this case, click here.