Foster Care Agency Hit with $5M Verdict over Sex Abuse

By Max Mitchell
Legal Intelligencer
October 27, 2016

http://www.thelegalintelligencer.com/id=1202770971323/Foster-Care-Agency-Hit-With-5M-Verdict-Over-Sex-Abuse?cmp=share_facebook&slreturn=20160929153545

Presbyterian Children's Village has been hit with a more than $5 million verdict for placing a child in a foster home where she was sexually abused, despite allegedly knowing that the foster home was being investigated for abuse allegations.

A jury on Thursday awarded the family of the abuse victim $5 million in compensatory damages, and an additional $350,000 in punitive damages. The award came down after two weeks of trial in front of Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Victor DiNubile, and about five hours of deliberation.

Kline & Specter attorney Nadeem A. Bezar, who tried the case with Emily B. Marks, said the verdict reflected that the jury was both horrified by what the child endured and disappointed that nothing was done sooner to prevent the abuse.

"I think it's sending a clear message that any time there's a suspicion of abuse and it involves a child people need to do everything they can to ensure that those children aren't harmed," Bezar said.