Failures by Alameda County CPS and foster care system exposed in new report

(KRON) — State officials published a new report exposing flaws in Alameda County’s child protective services and foster systems.

Between 2019-2024, Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services received nearly 57,000 reports of alleged child abuse and neglect. The East Bay county is home to about 330,000 children.

Understaffing, burnout-among child welfare workers, and high staff turnover rates contributed to gaps between when the county was required to contact families in which child abuse was suspected, and when those families were in fact contacted to check on children’s welfare, according to the report by California State Auditor Grant Parks.

The state auditor’s findings were first reported in the Mercury News. ACDCFS is responsible for responding to child abuse and neglect reports, and providing services to vulnerable youth in the foster care system.

When ACDCFS receives a report of alleged child abuse and neglect, an intake worker may initiate a referral for investigation. If the child is in imminent danger or risk, the department is required to conduct an in‑person investigation within 24 hours. For non-imminent cases, state law requires an in‑person investigation within 10 days. A child welfare worker is supposed to perform an investigation to evaluate the risk of a child’s safety and assess whether the child should be removed for their family’s home.

Alameda County fails to meet these timelines at a higher rate compared to other California counties, the state report found.

Between 2019-2024, “the department did not consistently initiate or complete investigations of child abuse and neglect referrals within the required time frames, leaving youth in potentially unsafe situations,” the report states.

In one example, the report noted that between 2022–23, the department initiated investigations of 49 percent of the non‑immediate referrals after the 10-day deadline. Alameda County’s average number of days to initiate these late investigations was 187 days.

The Sophia Mason Tragedy

One of the most high-profile tragedies tied to Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services was the 2022 homicide of 8-year-old Sophia Mason. For most of the girl’s childhood, she lived happily in Hayward at her grandmother’s house, according to family members.

But in 2021, Sophia’s homeless mother showed up at the grandmother’s house demanding Sophia back, her family said. The girl began living with her mother, Samantha Johnson, and dropped out of school.

The girl’s family told KRON4 that they were suspicious about why Johnson, who previously showed little interest in her daughter, suddenly wanted Sophia back. At the time, the mother was dating a new boyfriend, Dhante Jackson.

Sophia’s family members said they tried in vain to get the department to intervene and warned that the girl was in grave danger with her mother. A hospital employee also called county workers reporting extensive bruising on Sophia that indicated she was sexually assaulted, an attorney said.

The grandmother’s attorney, Carly Sanchez, previously told KRON4, “She was abused and tortured and the county looked the other way. No one followed up — it could have saved her life.”

Sophia was reported missing on March 8, 2022, after her grandmother received a disturbing phone call from Johnson. When the grandmother asked about Sophia’s whereabouts, “Samantha said, ‘I got rid of her. I was tired of her,'” according family members.

Sophia was found deceased at Jackson’s house on March 11, 2022. Her body was decomposed in a bathtub. When investigators searched the home, they discovered that Sophia was forced to live in a backyard shed in the weeks leading up to her death.

Homicide investigators concluded that Jackson sexually and physically abused the young girl until she died. Jackson and Johnson were charged with murder.

Sophia’s family members expressed sorrow over the county’s failure to recognize that her grandmother provided a safe and nurturing home, and allegedly overlooked dangers her mother created.

The state’s report found that ACDCFS’ problem extended to how it handled youth who were removed from their parents and placed in foster homes. About 700 Alameda County children are in foster care.

“The department did not prioritize efforts to ensure that foster youth had ongoing connections with family members. When a court orders the removal of a youth from the custody of their caretaker for reasons necessary to protect the youth, the department should, within 30 days, conduct an investigation to identify, locate, and notify all relatives of their option to provide support or possible placement for the foster youth with the relative. In all five cases we reviewed, we found that the department’s report to the court did not include information about the efforts the department took, such as asking the youth about their relatives and contacting all identified relatives … to identify, locate, and notify all relatives who could serve as potential caretakers,” the report states.

Causes of ACDCFS’s delays between reports of child abuse and investigations

“The department attributed the delays to its child welfare worker vacancy rates and high caseloads. The department also noted that the intense and often traumatic nature of the work, with exposure to challenging situations involving youth and families, can lead to stress and burnout among child welfare workers,” the report writes.

Job vacancies have resulted in child welfare workers at the department’s Emergency Response Unit having caseloads higher than the guideline that recommends 15 new cases per month.

Under state law, children have the right to live in a safe and healthy home and free from abuse.

Sophia’s grandmother, Sylvia Johnson, is suing Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services for failing to protect her granddaughter.

“These cases do not happen in a vacuum, there is a grave concern that they are ignoring state regulations, and that needs to be fixed,” the grandmother’s attorney said.

Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services’ Response To Report

Michelle Love, the department’s assistant agency director, wrote a response to the state’s report, findings, and recommendations for improvements.

Love wrote, “The Department intends to take appropriate action in collaboration with its interagency partners and contractors to implement the recommendations. The Department appreciates that the Report notes that delays, both in investigations and in ensuring youth receive the services needed, are often not within the Department’s control. The Report also indicates that the Department is proactively making efforts to address its high vacancy rates and enhancing its family finding and engagement efforts. The Department is dedicated to continuous improvement and looks forward to sharing its implementation progress, including identifying any impediments and barriers, in the upcoming review.”