Former CPS worker accused of having sex with girl he supervised
Teen says she had 2-year relationship with her CPS supervisor
11:57 PM CDT on Friday, July 6, 2007
By JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News
jtrahan@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/070707dnmetcpsarrest.39bfc88.html
Police say a 37-year-old veteran Child Protective Services caseworker
carried on a two-year sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl he was
supervising.
The girl, now 17, told Grand Prairie police in late May that from 2005
to just before he resigned in late April, Fredrick Shavers had sex with
her when he picked her up for visits with her infant son or for court
appearances.
Sometimes, the girl told police, her child was present during the
incidents, most of which took place in the caseworker's car.
Grand Prairie police, who are leading the investigation, have filed six
sexual assault cases against Mr. Shavers in Dallas and Tarrant counties,
involving one reported incident in Grand Prairie, one in Mansfield, two
at a southwest Arlington park, and two at an East Oak Cliff motel off
South Central Expressway.
"We have a mountain of evidence to prove this occurred," said Grand
Prairie police Sgt. Alan Patton.
He said police fear there could be more victims. "If there are others
he's violated, they should report it to the agency where they live," he
said.
Mr. Shavers, who was being held in the Lew Sterrett Justice Center on
$300,000 bail, declined an interview request Friday.
Shortly after police arrested him the morning of June 27 at the family's
house in the 3300 block of Hamlett Lane in Garland, his wife took their
two daughters, ages 2 and 8, and left, according to a neighbor. The
house is for sale.
Mr. Shavers resigned from CPS in late April after 13 years as a
caseworker based in Hunt County. The agency estimates that he supervised
approximately 600 children during his career, and a list has been turned
over to police.
"We hope that the criminal justice system will be able to determine
whether the allegations are true," said Marissa Gonzales, a CPS spokeswoman.
"These allegations describe behavior that will not be tolerated."
The girl, who is not being identified because she is a sex assault
victim, entered foster care in 2003 after she was molested and became
pregnant, police said. She has lived in several foster homes.
She told detectives that her first encounter with Mr. Shavers occurred
when she was 15 in January 2005, a month after he became her caseworker.
Mr. Shavers took her to a court appearance, and "they kissed prior to
going to court," the affidavits state. "After the court appearance, [Mr.
Shavers] took her to Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall County and they had
sexual intercourse in his vehicle for the first time."
Mr. Shavers does not to appear to have a criminal history, but has been
the subject of several prior CPS inquiries.
In 1994, according to CPS, a 12-year-old girl accused Mr. Shavers of
kissing her during horseplay at a pool in Greenville. He had taken her
and her siblings for a visit with their parents.
CPS officials said they could not corroborate the allegation, and a
supervisor gave Mr. Shavers a verbal warning.
In 2001, Mr. Shavers fought with a 20-year-old man he had allowed to
move into his home because he had no place to live. The man was in CPS
custody when he was a minor.
When Mr. Shavers found out that the man stole from his family and drove
his car without permission, wrecking it, he asked the man to leave. When
the man refused, a fight broke out.
The young man accused Mr. Shavers of assault, but the case was
dismissed, Ms. Gonzales said.
Since there were no criminal charges and the incident was not
work-related, CPS took no action.
A week before Mr. Shavers resigned in late April, the mother of a child
he was supervising alleged that between February and November 2006, Mr.
Shavers coached her about how to testify in a family court in Hunt
County. The purpose was to make it seem like he was doing his job more
thoroughly, Ms. Gonzales said. That complaint was still pending when he
resigned.
Ms. Gonzales said that CPS handled Mr. Shavers appropriately during his
career.
"I don't think that there's anything that you could put your finger on
now that would give anyone any indication that he was doing what he's
now accused of," she said. "I think each of those incidents was handled
appropriately."
In the most recent sexual allegations, an internal Department of Family
and Protective Services licensing standards investigation found this
week that Mr. Shavers failed "to adhere to the child's right to be free
from abuse, neglect or exploitation," and "demonstrate competency,
prudent judgment, self-control in presence of children," Ms. Gonzales said.
That investigation is in the appeals stage, but if "a ruling of
abuse/neglect is upheld, the perpetrator would be forever barred from
working with children," Ms. Gonzales said.
He could also face up to 20 years in prison per count if found guilty of
the criminal charges.
State lawmakers overhauled the troubled CPS in 2005 after several
children who had been visited by caseworkers died from abuse and neglect.
Since then, caseloads have remained high, and, in addition, the state is
now facing a crisis because there are too few foster families, forcing
state workers to keep children in CPS offices or in hotels.
CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NATIONAL
SECURITY AGENCY/CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WIRETAPPING PROGRAM....
CPS Does not protect children...
It is sickening how many children are subject to abuse, neglect and even
killed at the hands of Child Protective Services.
every parent should read this .pdf from
connecticut dcf watch...
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com/8x11.pdf
http://www.connecticutdcfwatch.com
Number of Cases per 100,000 children in the US
These numbers come from The National Center on
Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington. (NCCAN)
Recent numbers have increased significantly for CPS
*Perpetrators of Maltreatment*
Physical Abuse CPS 160, Parents 59
Sexual Abuse CPS 112, Parents 13
Neglect CPS 410, Parents 241
Medical Neglect CPS 14 Parents 12
Fatalities CPS 6.4, Parents 1.5
Imagine that, 6.4 children die at the hands of the very agencies that
are supposed to protect them and only 1.5 at the hands of parents per
100,000 children. CPS perpetrates more abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse
and kills more children then parents in the United States. If the
citizens of this country hold CPS to the same standards that they hold
parents too. No judge should ever put another child in the hands of ANY
government agency because CPS nationwide is guilty of more harm and
death than any human being combined. CPS nationwide is guilty of more
human rights violations and deaths of children then the homes from which
they were removed. When are the judges going to wake up and see that
they are sending children to their death and a life of abuse when
children are removed from safe homes based on the mere opinion of a
bunch of social workers.
BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEY
ARE "FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
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