Dominic James Memorial Foster Care Reform Act of 2003
Dominic James died of ill-treatment on August 21, 2002, while in foster care.
Two year old Dominic James was ill-treated to death in a Springfield, Missouri foster home. His foster father was charged and convicted for his death. The little boy was removed from the care of his parents and placed in the foster home between June 18, 2002 and August 21, 2002, where he died of severe ill-treatment.
Following the death of little Dominic James, the General Assembly of the state of Missouri has enacted a law to reform foster care making officers or employees of the division of family services who intentionally or through gross negligence violate any stated or written policy of the division, any rule promulgated by the division, or any state law relating to the activities of the division to be personally held civilly and criminally liable for any damages resulting from such violation.
In Sweden, on April 24, 1992, 14 year old Daniel Sigström died of a grand mal in his foster home far away from his mother because of lack of care. No officer or employee of the social services in Uppsala nor judges in the administrative courts have been prosecuted or even held responsible for Daniel Sigström's death. His mother, Marianne Sigström, sued the municipality of Gottsunda and she lost. The court in Uppsala decided that she should pay the municipality of Gottsunda's legal fees of 880 000 Swedish Crowns. Marianne Sigström appealed to the Svea Court of Appeal, that also delivered a negative verdict. In that case Marianne Sigström was held liable to reimburse municipality of Gottsunda's legal fees of 550 000 Swedish Crowns. The Supreme Court refused her leave to appeal. The European Court of Human Rights declared Marianne Sigström's complaint inadmissible. And we have yet to see a Daniel Sigström Memorial Foster Care Reform Act.
Dominic James Memorial Foster Care Reform Act of 2003, with penalty provisions
The Dominic James Case. Two year old boy ill-treated to death in foster home
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