ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY – A family is fighting for justice after they said their four-month-old sister's death could have been prevented.
A 10-month investigation found that a child protective supervisor in Rockbridge County shredded child abuse reports and actively ignored complaints of neglect and abuse.
Now, after the conclusion of that investigation, the family of 4-month old Charlee Marie Faith Ford of the Alone Mill area of Rockbridge County is suing on her behalf, saying Charlee's was tragically one of those cases ignored by the department.
Charlee's half-brother Corey McDonough, and half-sister Ashley Ford said Charlee would still be alive if Rockbridge Area Social Services would have looked into her case.
Now, Charlee's half-siblings are running a Facebook page, fighting to get her story out. Among many photos of the baby girl is one where she can be seen in a bunny costume. It was taken on her first and only Easter.
Her half-siblings say the little girl never got a chance, and was overlooked by the system that was supposed to protect her.
“Her mother was abusing drugs while she was pregnant,” Ford said, referring to her mother Nicole Diane Hazelwood.
“They should've never let her go home, considering she has brain damage, she was born addicted,” said McDonough.
Charlee was born with serious health complications, having seizures every day and possibly cerbral palsy, Ford said. But what the half-siblings didn't know is their sister was born addicted.
The Rockbridge Area Social Services Department, however, did.
Despite Charlee testing positive for drugs at birth, Charlee was allowed to live with her parents in a home that the department classified as "high-risk."
Workers noted at the time that the home was dirty and drug abuse was present.
An internal review by the regional office of social services noted that the child protective services supervisor refused to assign an investigator to the case.
“I mean, it's been really hard because we were led to believe for a year that this was all just a tragedy, and all of a sudden, we are finding out that it could've been prevented,” Ford said.
Living out of state, both siblings are parents of their own, and said they would have provided Charlee a home if they only would have known.
“Just makes me sad. I mean how could anybody leave kids in that kind of environment when they are supposed to be the ones that are being protected” Ford said.
They said they knew their half-sister was born with serious health complications, but had no idea she was born addict. It wasn't until a year after her death they discovered the truth. Ford said Hazelwood, whom she considers a friend admitted to her that she was taking pills while pregnant with Charlee. Ford said it’s a hard reality to face that Charlee would still be alive if she would not have been sent home with her addicted mother.
Both siblings said their father loved Charlee, and never struggled with drug abuse.
The infant's parents, 42-year-old Charles Ford and 29-year-old Diana “Nicole” Hazelwood, are charged with felony murder in Charlee's death.
Her half-siblings said that's not enough, they want the agency that they say overlooked their little sister held accountable for her death.
A letter by Ford was read aloud Wednesday night by advocate Susan Lawrence who first reported abuse in the Rockbridge Area Social Services Department.
“Charlee didn't have to go through the neglect that led to her death. Charlee didn't have to suffer in pain; and go without medication for her seizures. Charlee could be here now, only she was assessed as "low risk" by Wade Cress, of the Rockbridge Area Social Services, despite being born addicted to drugs, despite all known protocols saying addicted babies should be classified high risk,” Ford’s letter read.
Despite accusations of ignoring child abuse cases, the Virginia Department of Social Services voted Wednesday night, not to remove any board members of the Rockbridge Area Social Services.
Ford said she strongly disagrees with that decision.
“I feel like there is not going to be a change until the board, the staff members that were involved while little Charlie was dying, are removed,” Ford said.
Charlee's parents, along with the local, regional and state social services department, the former director who shredded child abuse and neglect documents and the Rockbridge County board of supervisors are named in a $17 million wrongful death lawsuit.
Members of Charlee's family said they hope to use the money to begin a foundation for drug-addicted children in Charlee's name.