Closer Look A Dept. Human Resources' Policies

Way 31 I-Team's Breken Terry pushes for answers after four abuse victims sued Alabama's Department of Human Resources for failing to protect them.

The waay 31 i-team is pushing for answers after four abuse victims sued alabama's department of human resources for failing to protect them.

In the last hour, a spokesperson sent us the policies and procedures the agency is accused of failing to follow.

Daniel spurgeon is already spending 25 years in prison for sexually and physically abusing his foster and adopted children for about a decade.

His wife, jenise goes on trial in less than two months.

I'm dan shaffer.

And i'm najahe sherman.

In a lawsuit filed yesterday, an attorney for some of the victims say if the state followed its own procedure.

The abuse inside the couple's home in florence would've been noticed years earlier.

Waay 31's breken terry is live in the shoals after spending more than 24 hours trying to get answers from dhr.

I spent the past three years following this case since the spurgeon's arrest.

And all this time later, the agency in charge of keeping at risk children safe, can't answer some of my questions.

But this is some of what i learned in the last 90 minutes.

Quote, "social workers are supposed to see foster children at their home at least once a month."

End quote.

Homes are visited at least every six months and are approved every two years.

Agents are supposed to talk with each foster child at least once a month.

Supervisors are supposed to review and oversee the process with managers in the county office.

Quote, " standards call for workers to handle a caseload of 18 children."

End quote.

Dhr won't say if any of these policies were actually followed in the spurgeon case.

But daniel spurgeon already pleaded guilty to sexually abusing some of the children.

Court documents i obtained also show agents repeatedly talked to the spurgeons about corporal punishment which is illegal in foster homes.

Dhr also refuses to say if any changes to policies were made because of this case or what action may have been taken against agents involved with the spurgeons for eight years.

Asked to see a copy of the department's policies and procedures.

It's nowhere online.

I was told it's more than a thousand pages and will cost 25 cents per page if it's requested.

The spokesperson for dhr also couldn't tell me if, or how many times, the agency's been sued in the past five years.

With the state being sued for a total of 100 million dollars in this case alone, you can trust i'll keep on asking.

Live in the shoals, bt, waay 31 news.

Waay 31 spoke with the victims' attorney.

He told us they filed the lawsuit - because they want to protect others from