Report: System failed Ricky; workers didn't always follow law

Report: System failed Ricky; workers didn't always follow law | Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com

The actions taken by child welfare workers in Jackson and Ingham counties failed to protect 7-year-old Ricky Holland, who was murdered by his parents, according to a report released Friday.

Workers from Child Protective Services and Department of Human Services did not follow certain laws and policies, contends a report from the Office of Children's Ombudsman.

That also left the remaining children in the Holland household "extremely vulnerable," the report states.

To release the findings of her department's investigation, DHS Director Marianne Udow held a news conference Friday.

"Some policies were not followed," she said, later adding: "I cannot tell you if we do everything right, we can prevent every tragedy from occurring."

Lisa Holland, found guilty of first-degree murder in October, has been sentenced to life in prison.

Her husband, Tim Holland, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and will spend at least 30 years in prison.

The Hollands, who lived in Jackson before moving to Williamston in May 2005, were Ricky's foster parents for about three years before they adopted him in October 2003.

They also adopted Ricky's three siblings and have a biological child. Those children are living with Tim Holland's relatives.

Detailed report

The ombudsman's office, established by the state Legislature in 1994, monitors children's welfare in the state. A detailed but often-redacted report released Friday morning found:

• Child Protective Services failed to interview all the pertinent people who could have shed light on complaints of Ricky's abuse.

• CPS did not interview Tim Holland during investigations of alleged abuse against some or all of the Holland children.

• A Jackson County DHS adoption worker did not follow policy as the Hollands went through the adoption process with Ricky. The worker failed to meet with the Hollands in their home, and the report states there is no evidence the worker ever met with Tim Holland.

The report's numerous recommendations include:

• Increased training for CPS workers.

• Establishing policy that CPS workers must collect and document evidence that sufficiently discredits a child's claim of abuse/neglect before discounting that claim.

• Developing policy so CPS workers investigate the scenes where abuse/neglect are alleged to have occurred.

The report also asked Ingham County DHS to explain why it did not take action to protect Ricky's four siblings after becoming aware one of them suffered injuries more than three months after Ricky was reported missing and the Hollands were being investigated by police.

Children's Ombudsman Verlie Ruffin said her agency's recommendations are not binding. But she said the DHS has been "compliant and receptive."

"We're in this field to improve the child-welfare system," she said, adding her office will follow up on the recommendations, as they do in all cases, to make sure the system is improved.

Investigating employees

Friday also was the first time DHS has issued a public report into any child welfare case, Udow said.

Her department has begun disciplinary investigations of 10 of the 23 employees who worked on the Holland case over five years in both Jackson and Ingham counties, she said. Nine of the 10 have been reassigned to positions that have little or no connection to child welfare. Two of the 23 have resigned; one has died.

Udow admitted the agency did not do everything it could have in the Holland case.

Jackson County Child Protective Services received four complaints regarding Ricky, she said, but none resulted in any action. In part, she blamed Lisa Holland's lies and deceptions.

"They trusted Lisa Holland's word," she said.

One complaint dealt with marks on Ricky's wrist, which he claimed were from being tied to his bed. Lisa Holland gave another explanation, Udow said, and caseworkers erred by only focusing on the cause of the marks - not the conflicting statements.

Udow also described the overwhelming caseloads faced by DHS caseworkers.

Annually, about 1,600 child welfare workers statewide handle more than 70,000 investigations, she said. They also oversee about 18,000 children in foster care.

"Our employees have some of the most difficult jobs imaginable," she said, handling "an overwhelming volume of work, where vulnerable lives hang in the balance every day."

As part of recent reforms, she said the agency has added 51 caseworkers.

What went wrong

In July 2005, Tim Holland reported Ricky missing. However, by that time, the boy already had been killed and dumped in a marshlike field near Dansville. Tim and Lisa Holland's subsequent court appearances revealed the torture and abuse inflicted upon Ricky during his life.

State Rep. David Law, R-Commerce Township, has played a key role in trying to find out what went wrong. On Friday, he said he will seek an unredacted version of the ombudsman's report.

If denied, he plans to hold a closed session of his subcommittee Wednesday, where lawmakers would analyze the unredacted report.

"We need to see what went wrong and what we can do to fix the problem," Law said.

"The quicker the Legislature can act, the quicker we can help children from being caught up in this quagmire. We have to do what we can to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Contact Kevin Grasha at 267-1347 or kgrasha@lsj.com.