Pete Kaufman and Wyatt Vespermann obtained a $4.5 million settlement for client C. B. who filed suit against the County of San Bernardino for sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl in foster care.
At six years old, C.B. was detained from her mother and placed into foster care by San Bernardino County Child Protective Services (CPS). A few months after she was placed into her foster home, a man named Richard Harris—the father of C.B.’s foster mother—began living in the home as well, even though he had not completed the required criminal background check and fingerprinting, which would have revealed Mr. Harris’ disturbing history of spousal and child abuse and disqualified him from living in the home.
Both the foster family agency that certified the home, A New Beginnings, and San Bernardino County CPS were aware of Mr. Harris’ presence in the foster home without having undergone the required background check. Yet, neither agency took any action. As a result, Mr. Harris sexually abused C.B. over the course of a year and a half on a regular and continuous basis. Mr. Harris has been convicted of felony sexual abuse of a child and sentenced to 6 years in prison.