Revocation of agency certification upheld in case of foster child’s death

December 14, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

CINCINNATI (AP) — State regulators made the right move in pulling the operating certificate of a foster agency that placed a developmentally disabled 3-year-old boy with a couple later convicted of killing him, a judge said Friday.

Lifeway for Youth Inc., a private agency based in New Carlisle, came under scrutiny after it helped place Marcus Fiesel in the Cincinnati-area home of Liz and David Carroll Jr. The Carrolls left the boy bound in their home while they attended a family reunion in Kentucky over a weekend in August 2006 and found him dead when they returned.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services revoked Lifeway’s certificate in October 2007 and denied the agency’s application for renewal.

On Friday, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Sheward in Columbus rejected Lifeway’s motion to overturn the state’s refusal to recertify the agency.

Sheward said Lifeway demonstrated a critical lack of foster parent screenings, insufficient record keeping, failure to obtain background checks and inadequate training for foster parents.

“The safety and well-being of Ohio’s children is at the heart of this issue,” said Assistant Attorney General Tracy Greuel. “We have a responsibility to protect those most vulnerable from physical or mental harm and make certain those who are caring for them are vigorously screened and are offered the most thorough education.

“We cannot allow agencies that fail on these fronts to continue to operate and put Ohio’s children in danger.”

The agency has until early January to file an appeal with the Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals. A message seeking comment was left for the agency’s attorney, Lisa Pierce Reisz of Columbus.

Liz Carroll, 32, was convicted of murder in February 2007 and sentenced to life in prison with no chance for parole for 54 years. David Carroll, 31, accepted a plea arrangement in which he pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison, with an additional year for his guilty plea to gross abuse of a corpse.