Six siblings sued Riverside County, a foster agency and a child protective services agency July 19 for placing them with an abusive foster family.
The two complaints claim Riverside County and the agencies knew that the adoptive Olguin family were abusive, and ignored complaints against the foster parents. They claim foster family agency ChildNet, and their subsidiary Foster Family Network, ignored signs of abuse in order to maximize their profits.
ChildNet is not at liberty to disclose facts or discuss the complaint’s allegations, Brett Lewis, ChildNet Director of Development and Communications, said by email.
“Our agency has been serving California’s most vulnerable, traumatized youth for over 50 years. We have a strong track record of providing excellent care and continue to demonstrate our commitment to these children,” Lewis said.
Riverside County has not responded to requests for comment.
The Riverside District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the Olguin family on charges of sexual abuse, abuse, lewd acts, willful child cruelty, false imprisonment, inhuman corporal punishment and willfully injuring a child. A felony settlement conference is scheduled for Aug. 11. The Olguins have pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The children were previously abused and imprisoned by their biological parents, David and Louise Turpin. They were removed from their parents’ care in 2018, according to their complaint, and placed with Marcelino and Rosa Olguin, and their daughter, Lennys.
“Defendants knew that they were unfit to be foster parents, particularly for children as vulnerable as plaintiffs, because Mr. and Ms. O. had a prior history of physically and emotionally abusing children as well as severely neglecting children who had been placed in their care. Defendants were aware of credible reports of abuse and neglect committed by Mr. and Mrs. O and their adult daughter. However, defendants did not act upon that information,” the complaints say.
The suits list Riverside County, ChildNet Youth and Family Services and Foster Family Network as defendants.
Four of the siblings sued through their court-appointed guardians. The other two siblings, in their separate complaint, are not minors. None of the siblings is identified by name in the complaints.
Both complaints claim the Olguins made the siblings explicitly recount their trauma under their biological parents, cut off communication among the siblings, told them they were worthless and should commit suicide, caused eating disorders by forcing them to eat excessive amounts of food and forced them to eat their own vomit after they’d eaten too much.
The first complaint, from the younger siblings, claims Marcelino grabbed their buttocks and kissed them on the mouth. The Olguins would also hit them in the face with sandals, strike their heads and pull their hair, the complaint claims.
Both complaints bring claims of violation of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act, negligence, breach of mandatory duties and breach of duties arising under special relationship.
Case information
Roger Booth, Carly Sanchez and Hannah Nachef of Torrance’s Booth Law represent the younger siblings.
Riverside Superior Judge O. G. Magno is assigned.
Their case number is CVRI2202973.
Read their complaint here.
Elan Zektser, Raymond Zolekhian and Brennan Huelse of Los Angeles’ Oakwood Legal Group represent the older siblings.
Riverside Superior Judge Chad Firetag is assigned.
Their case number is CVRI2202989.
Read their complaint here.
Read coverage of the felony case against the Olguins here.
