California: Former Foster Child, Adoptee, Files Lawsuit Against Los Angeles County
This lawsuit dated May 31, 2007 is against the Los Angeles County Department of Social Services. It alleges fraud, violation of kinship care rights, and loss of family love and support. It was filed by a former foster child and adoptive child.
Thanks to the person who sent this via email.
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LAW FIRM, APC
Attorneys for Plaintiff: ELIZABETH J. BRUCE AKA ELIZABETH J. ALLDRIDGE
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
ELIZABETH J. BRUCE AKA ELIZABETH J. ALLDRIDGE,
Plaintiff,
vs.
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SOCIAL SERVICES, and DOES 1 through 20, Inclusive,
Defendants,
CASE NO.
TO ALL PARTIES HEREIN AND THEIR COUNSEL OF RECORD
Plaintiff, ELIZABETH J. BRUCE, aka, ELIZABETH J. ALLDRIDGE, alleges as follows:
1. Plaintiff, ELIZABETH J. BRUCE, aka, ELIZABETH J. ALLDRIDGE (Date of Birth: April 17, 1972) is currently a resident of Clark County, Nevada, who lawfully changed her last name on March 8, 2007, from Alldridge to Bruce as part of her divorce decree. At all times pertinent hereto Plaintiff was a dependent of the Juvenile Court, County of Los Angeles, pursuant to Welfare & Institutions Code §300(b) (and all predecessor statutes) and related California Regulations, subject to the control and authority of the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services and related divisions or departments, including but not limited to what was known as the Department of Adoptions (hereinafter referred to as “Defendant DPSS”), throughout all proceeds related to or stemming from Plaintiff’s foster care and adoption.
2. Defendant DPSS was at all times pertinent hereto a department of a public entity created and existing under the laws of the State of California, with authority over children such as plaintiff.
3. The true and complete names of DOES 1 through 20 whether individual, corporate, associate, or otherwise are unknown to plaintiff who therefore sues said defendants by such fictitious names. At this time plaintiff does not have knowledge of all aspects of the claims set forth herein. Plaintiff will seek leave of Court to amend this Complaint to identify each Doe defendant’s name and capacity when same have been ascertained.
4. At all times herein mentioned, each defendant was acting through authorized employees or other agents, and was the agent, authorized representative, employee, or otherwise acting on behalf of each of the remaining defendants. In doing the things hereinafter mentioned, each defendant was acting within the course and scope of his or her employment, representation, and authority with the knowledge and consent of each remaining defendant.
5. The conduct of each defendant as alleged herein combined, cooperated, and contributed to the conduct of each other defendant such as to cause the herein described incidents, injuries, and events.
6. Plaintiff’s first suspension of any claim against Defendant DPSS occurred in late February 2006 or most likely in early March 2006 during a face to face meeting with Ms. Betty Anderson, a former aid of Assemblyperson Karen Bass, 47th Assembly District. Plaintiff sought Ms. Anderson’s assistance to acquire her Los Angeles County Department of Social Services records related to her foster care and eventual adoption. Plaintiff sought these records as part of her effort to find her biological mother (her biological father Donald Bruce died on February 26, 1974), and to acquire all available medical information related to both biological parents not only for herself, but more particularly for her children (her eldest son has suffered his entire life from Hydrocephalus.) During Plaintiff’s meeting with Ms. Betty Anderson, the Court records she was able to acquire from the Los Angeles County Juvenile Court concerning her adoption (all prior attempts to acquire DPSS social worker records were refused and/or denied) were discussed and reviewed. Ms. Betty Anderson pointed out to Plaintiff that it appeared the 1975 signature of her biological mother relinquishing all custody and control of Plaintiff when compared to signatures from Plaintiff’s biological mother’s criminal records appeared to be the signatures of different individuals. At this moment Plaintiff for the first time suspected that there may have been some violation of Defendant DPSS’s duties. Up until this meeting with Ms. Betty Anderson, Plaintiff was not looking for and had no suspicion or knowledge whatsoever of any type of a claim or injury related to any conduct of Defendant DPSS, as her motivation for acquiring records from Defendant DPSS was to find her mother and to find out all potential medical information she could.
7. On August 22, 2006, Plaintiff timely served by mail a Governmental Claim for Damages to Person or Property on Defendant DPSS pursuant to Government Code §911.2 (Exhibit A attached hereto). Defendant DPSS denied this claim in writing by mail on December 1, 2006. This suit is being filed within six (6) months of Defendant DPSS rejection of Plaintiff’s claim.
8. Plaintiff is the biological daughter of Brenda Joan Allen and Donald MacKenzie Bruce. In or about July 1973 Defendant DPSS initiated proceedings under Welfare and Institutions Code §300 et seq. (or their predecessor statutes), and eventually acquired physical and legal custody of Plaintiff. Defendant DPSS was under a mandatory duty to acquire either a Court ruling of involuntary relinquishment of custody by Plaintiff’s biological mother or acquire the signature of Plaintiff’s biological mother on a “RELINQUISHMENT (Out of County)” County of Los Angeles Department of Adoptions form before placing Plaintiff up for adoption. Defendant DPSS acquired neither. Plaintiff alleges on information and belief Defendant DPSS falsified, forged, or otherwise misrepresented the signature of Plaintiff’s biological mother Brenda Joan Allen on August 26, 1975, on a “Relinquishment (Out of County)” form in violation of its mandatory duties order to expedite adoption.
9. On September 26, 1975, Plaintiff was placed in the home of Harold Augustus Barlow and Carole Leah Barlow, potential adoptive parents pursuant to a Notice of Adoption. This placement by Defendant DPSS and eventual adoption of Plaintiff by the same adopting parents was in further violation of Defendant DPSS’s mandatory duties in that she was first required to be placed with family members of Plaintiff, who had priority rights to physical and legal custody of Plaintiff over her eventual adoptive parents. Plaintiff’s family was ready, able and willing to assume all physical and legal custody of Plaintiff, to provide for her in all aspects and to provide her with a loving home. Said family members of Plaintiff included, but were not limited to, her paternal grandmother and grandfather who sent Defendant DPSS and others letters repeatedly offering and in all aspects indicating their willingness to take care of their granddaughter in a loving home.
10. As a direct and proximate result of Defendant DPSS’s breach of the foregoing mandatory duties, Plaintiff was placed in foster care of Defendant DPSS and eventually given up for adoption to Harold Augustus Barlow and Carole Leah Barlow. Harold Augustus Barlow died before Plaintiff turned four (4) years of age, and throughout the remaining years of her minority Plaintiff was neglected, abused, and generally ignored by her only remaining foster mother Carole Leah Barlow. As a further direct and proximate result of Defendant DPSS’s breach of the foregoing mandatory duties, Plaintiff suffered personal injury, the loss of care, comfort, love and society of her biological family, suffered severe emotional and personal distress, and continues to suffer personal injury and distress associated with the loss of so many years of family love and support in addition to continuing to suffer the consequences of her life as an unwanted adoptive child.
11. The damages sought herein are in excess of the minimal jurisdictional limits of this Court.
WHEREFORE Plaintiff prays for judgment against Defendant DPSS, and DOES 1 through 20, as follows:
1. General damages in excess of the jurisdictional limits of this Court;
2. All medical, incidental expenses, and special damages according to proof;
3. Loss of earnings and earning capacity according to proof;
4. Costs of suit;
5. Pre-judgment and post-judgment interest; and
6. For such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.
DATED: May 31, 2007 LAW FIRM, APC
BY: ____________________________
I think more people who were wrongly adopted out need to file law suits against CPS.
Comment by ROSE — July 3, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
Los Angeles county last week, settled out of court in the case of child in the custody and control of LA county whose Dad was not located for over 11 years.
Negligence.
Google: MARINE FOSTER LOS ANGELES
Posted to news on June 28.
I do not know whether this is Dad’s acting as sole plaintiff, and whether daughter is also party to this suit.
My guess is the attorney will file separately for daughter, Melinda.
Comment by fern — July 4, 2007 @ 7:30 am
I have a feeling this will start happening more often since cps is so much more in people’s lives these days. After this happened to me, I was amazed to read the numbers. It was unbelievable. Futhermore, I have heard of people I know who have been involved with these creepy people. Some it was meant to be, others no way!
Comment by startingover — July 4, 2007 @ 8:21 pm
i hope she wins im so glad to hear that she is sueing there asses
Comment by dyani marez — July 5, 2007 @ 7:47 pm
My son and myself are in the fight of our lifes or should I say my granddaughters life. Children services kidnapped my grandchild and lied that they had a court order to do it. Now the ARA is trying to cover his tracks saying he never said there was a court order. My son is the non offending parent and was brought into the systen because the mother of his daughter had another child by another man and was on drugs. DCFS took that child and that is what brought my son into the system. He and this girl had been broken up for the past 2 years when he found that the mother was using drugs. He has been raising his daughter by his self for the past 2 years. DCFS has harrassed him until he was thrown out of nurses school. My granddaughter is now having emotional problems, such as wetting her pants, won’t sleep alone, and she is having nightmares. This is all new since the kidnapping from DCFS. I am currently looking for a Lawyer to press charges against DCFS perhaps some one who has had some of these problems with the department. I am an X social worker for DCFS and I do have some insight to these issues. Can anyone point me to a good lawyer who will fight these people?
Comment by Christina Simmons — July 7, 2007 @ 11:48 am
hey
just a note for you from another parent in the same boat for over two years now .
good luck with that - they all stick together and protect each other - they wont bite the hand that feeds them - they will make more money off dcfs than they will you and they know it
Comment by vince kelty — July 7, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
Thanks Vince, I know your are right about sticking together I was a social worker for protective children services (DCFS)and could not find another job fast enough. I will keep on looking because Kidnapping is a felony and my granddaughter is suffering because of it. I won’t stop! Any information that can be passed on will be of great help. I to will pass on information I learn.
Comment by Christina Simmons — July 8, 2007 @ 9:29 am
This whole thing started with DCFS looking after my best interests. Is that what they are concerned with now? Was that what they were concerned with on my eighteenth birthday, when I was told not to bother looking for my mother. And then telling me, “Your mother didn’t want you. She gave you away the day we took you away.”. Was it in my best interests to keep my mother and I apart? Was it also in my best interests to lie to me and tell me I was an only child? The mother they chose for me was very cruel and my childhood was very lonely and painful. The only one who treated me like a person and not a burden was Harold Barlow. I know that he truly loved me and wanted nothing but the best for me. He was always coming to my defense. But after he died I had no one. Was it in my best interest to take me from my mothers love, even with all of her problems, and place me with a woman who did nothing but loath my presence? Looking back I can honestly say that there was only one time growing up that she held me in her arms to comfort me. All I wanted was her to love me. No matter what I did it was never good enough. But it was in my best interest to take me from the love I had with my mother and place me with a woman who had nothing but ridicule and contempt in her heart for me. My mother was ripped away from me thirty-two years ago. She is now a missing person. All I was trying to do was to find my missing mom. I will probably never see her again. I cannot tell you the pain I live through every day because of this. They punched a hole through my soul back then and it is still there today. The only thing that is different is that all of those years that I spent hating myself and wondering what kind of horrible monster I was. One who’s own mother was unable to love. But today I know who the real monster is. And I’ll be damned if they think I’m just going to go away! There isn’t a mountain in this World I won’t climb to make sure that they are held accountable for what they did to me. If they did it to me I know there are thousands out there just like me that have no idea. I have a little mission in life, and I think we all know what it is. I promise i’ll try not to let any of you down. I hope I have become their worst nightmare. Like they have been to all of us for way to long. Thank you all for your support! Let’s keep our fingers crossed! Elizabeth
Comment by Elizabeth Bruce — July 11, 2007 @ 9:43 am
Hello,
My name is Ashley I am 20 years old I have a sister that is 22 years old. When i was 2 years old my sister and i was taken into foster care where we remained for 18 years. They terminated rights in 94 but we were never adopted. We were in foster homes where we were abused physically, sexually, and emotionally. The state also LOST our files for the majority of our life. My sister and I have wanted to sue the state of Tennessee but we dont know if we have enough grounds or where to even begin if someone could please help us e-mail me at lillyash05@yahoo.com
Thank you,
Ashley
Comment by Ashley — July 17, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
it is way past due time to form an agency against these people. plead for all victims of dss to come forward and tell the truth of what they have done to their lives. its time to fight for our children and to protect them from these kidnappers.and murders.they are indeed through our courts allowed to steal kill and destory.lets call for a gathering at the whitehouse and have them destroyed.we can form a new way to help truly abused children.they formed theirselfs many years ago and literally killed children they claimed to help.and are clearly not interested in a childs best interest. their practices are proof of our goverment giving them permission to kidnap steal and sexually abuse and destroy their mental and physical beings. if one person can have prayer taken out of our schools then we can have dss taken out of our goverment agencies.they should be paying a price for every child they harm whether it be from misplacement causing death or suffuring a child from the natural affections of his-her parents.they should be put in prison the same as a murderer rapist kidnapper thief.and alienation of affection caused directly by their inability to do what they claim to be there purpose to begin with. lets stand together and instead of talking about this lets actually do something about THEM!
Comment by debra — July 21, 2007 @ 2:53 am
DCFS on 7/12/07 has taken my 7 mo. old baby away from my home. I did nothing , but people are accusing me of things that I have proven that I have not done. It looks very bad for me. I have been alloud to see her 2x’a once at a dr. apt and once in an agency for 1 hr. only. I need to have my baby back!! She is 7 mo. old and i dont see them giving her back to me anytime soon… i donot know what i will or am going to do….
Comment by Anne Bruni — July 26, 2007 @ 4:49 pm
People, about suing DCS—you truly need to consult an attorney who will research the statutes on sex abuse in your state.
Because of clergy abuse, there is pressure on the GVT. to allow this to take place.
Get a free initial consult from an atty.
This law is fluid and is changing.
After all, attorneys have to EAT, too
Remember, to find an attorney who handles these cases go to a librarian at a law library who can help you find active attorneys in cases v. DCS.
Also, those attorneys ( who have recently litigated v. DCS will have more recent experience with statutes and can evaluate your case quicker.)
Comment by fern — July 27, 2007 @ 6:25 am
DSS or McCarthyism?
I truly believe that when a family is accused by an accuser a “POLYGRAPH” should be given to the accuser to see if in fact they are lying. Also, many caseworkers are very cold and mean streaked. Once a year they should be given psychological evaluations to see if they are doing their job or trying to reach a quota to get promotions.
Comment by Mordka — August 17, 2007 @ 7:59 am
I have been doing my own research on my case, and so far I have found a lot of wrong doing. My children were taken on 6-29-07 and so far no one includng CSW, LAPD, My Attorney, etc. have been able to give me a clear answer to Why my babies are in a foster home? I am considered of Very High Risk Level of Abuse and Neglect, BUT 7 days before that PER: DCFS; ” Mother appears to utilize proper discipline techniques towards her children” and “She has ben able to maintain her family with very little social support”. Does that make sense?
Comment by Liz — September 17, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
whats crazy is iam trying to sue in my state oklahoma.iam told that you can not sue them as a whole but your allowed to sue the case workers.I mean what good does that do these people come in destroy familes lie in cort break laws an nothing is done but as a whole there safe in cort when they mess up.what ever happened to justice?
Comment by shawno — October 8, 2007 @ 4:19 pm