Filed Date: April 29, 2009
Closed Date: 2017
Clearinghouse coding complete
On April 29, 2009, ten former foster children with special needs sued the City of New York and four private foster care agencies in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York. The plaintiffs asserted a § 1983 claim for violation of their substantive due process rights and asserted a state law claim for negligence for allowing a foster parent family to fraudulently obtain foster care custody of children, adopt them, and subject them to abuse, neglect, torture, imprisonment, and deprivation of educational opportunities and medical care over course of more than 15 years.
From 1986 to 1994, the plaintiffs were classified as special needs children by the agency, removed from their homes, and placed in the custody of the City. The agency defendants were private child care agencies that contracted with the City to provide foster care placement and other services for children in its custody. During this time, the private individual defendant, using at least four false identities, obtained foster care custody of plaintiffs and numerous other special needs children from the City and the agency defendants. She subsequently adopted each plaintiff. The defendant launched this scheme in order to collect subsidies provided by the City for the fostering and adoption of special needs children, which she used for her own purposes while neglecting to care for the plaintiffs. In 1998, the defendant transported the plaintiffs from New York to Florida, where she relocated them in various houses over the following years.
With the exception of one child who left the house in which they lived sometime between May 2004 and May 2005, the plaintiffs remained with the defendant until July 2007, when Florida authorities searched the house in which they were then residing, discovered and removed the plaintiffs, and arrested the defendant. From the point when the defendant obtained custody of the plaintiffs until they were released, the defendant abused, tortured, neglected, and held the plaintiffs in captivity, first in New York and then in Florida.
On December 19, 2012, the Court approved a settlement ("2012 Settlement") between the plaintiffs and the City in which the City agreed to pay the plaintiffs $9.7 million. Per the settlement, the City denied all allegation of wrongful conduct or liability and the plaintiffs agreed to fully and forever release any causes of action on claims arising from the action. Payment of the settlement was arranged to be made monthly for life, guaranteed for 30 years, beginning on March 1, 2013, with the last guaranteed payment on February 1, 2043.
Following extensive litigation, the remaining defendants moved for summary judgment. On January 17, 2014, the Court dismissed the claims against the foster agencies brought by plaintiffs L.J. and J.G., but the Court denied the motion as to the claims of all other plaintiffs. 46 F. Supp. 3d 176 (2014).
On June 25, 2014, those eight plaintiffs and the private foster care agencies reached a settlement ("2014 Settlement") through mediation that awarded a total of $17.5 million to the plaintiffs. On September 19, 2014, the Court found that the June 2014 settlement was fair and was of the best interest of the plaintiffs. In particular, it approved allocating one-third of the settlement to attorneys' fees following New York custom. However, the Court referred the issue of costs to Magistrate Judge Go for a recommendation because the 2012 settlement called for reconsideration of costs in the event of another settlement. Plaintiffs subsequently reduced their cost request by 13.6%.
On February 6, 2016, Judge Go recommended allowing $1.6 million in total costs along with a formula to equalize the costs across plaintiffs. After considering plaintiffs' objections, Judge Go issued minor updates to the February 6 report. The Court adopted Judge Go's modified report on July 17, 2017.
Despite settlement of plaintiffs' original claims, litigation continued relating to defendants' cross-claims, including breach of contract, and third-party claims. On May 13, 2015, the City moved for a stay to avoid prejudice in National Union v. Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, a related state court suit involving defendants' insurance providers. The Court agreed to avoid actions that might affect the outcome of the state court suit but declined to stay the proceedings on February 7, 2017.
Finally, the Court dismissed the remaining cross-claims and third-party claims on July 21, 2017. The case is now closed.
In addition, the court in National Union found that payments by defendants' insurers must be allocated pro rata over the period of abuse subject to "self-insured retention" payments. 2017 NY Slip Op 30368(U).
Summary Authors
Soojin Cha (4/10/2016)
Timothy Leake (11/22/2018)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4319754/parties/sw-v-city-of-new-york/
Abaray, Janet G. (New York)
Adams, Martin Ellis (New York)
Abeysekera, Samantha (New York)
Abt, Uriel Benjamin (New York)
Adams, Daniel L (New York)
Go, Marilyn D. (New York)
Vitaliano, Eric Nicholas (New York)
Adams, Martin Ellis (New York)
Adams, Samuel James (New York)
Alexander, Nathan Thomas (New York)
ANASTASIA, DANIEL J. (New York)
Batchelder, Richard D. (New York)
Batchelor, Jeffrey M. (New York)
Bella, Christine L. (New York)
CAMPBELL, ROBERT J. (New York)
Cardinale, Richard J. (New York)
Cummins, Scott Curtis (New York)
Davis, Mawuli Melvyn (New York)
Dietz, Matthew Wilson (New York)
DiGiorgio, G. Richard (New York)
Dunn, Christopher Thomas (New York)
Eisenberg, Arthur N. (New York)
Faiella, Matthew J. (New York)
Garcia, Izabel Olszowa (New York)
Gardner, Debra Lynn (New York)
Golden, Eliza Emerson (New York)
Gonzalez-Pagan, Omar Gonzalez-Pagan (New York)
Gordon, Demoya Gordon (New York)
GUINAN, AMY KATHERINE (New York)
Henrichsen, Neil L. (New York)
Hines, Philip Michael (New York)
Hofmeister, Beth Christine (New York)
Ingelhart, Kara Nicole (New York)
Jones, Sara Perkins (New York)
JONES, CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL (New York)
Karakatsanis, Alec George (New York)
Karalis, Lauren Elizabeth (New York)
Langhoff, Marissa Christina (New York)
Larsen-Bright, Shawn J (New York)
Le Clainche, Stephan A. (Florida)
LENTZ, KRISTEN COOLEY (New York)
Lo, Tzu-Huan Augustine (New York)
Lowry, Marcia Robinson (New York)
McCormack-Herbert, Erin (New York)
McKittrick, Peter C. (New York)
Migliori, Donald A. (New York)
Moore, Sidney Leighton (New York)
Moser, Theresa Beth (New York)
Myers, Michael David (New York)
Nematzadeh, Justin Solomon (New York)
Nonnenmacher, John Joseph (New York)
O'Connor, Brian Patrick (New York)
O'Connor, R. Daniel (New York)
POMPELIO, NICHOLAS F. (New York)
Roehm, Stephen Scott (New York)
Roffi, Alison Kathleen (New York)
Romany-Siaca, Celina (New York)
Rosenberg, Neal Howard (New York)
Rosenfeld, David Avi (New York)
Rudman, Samuel Howard (New York)
Sanders, Jeffrey M. (New York)
Schleicher, Tara J. (New York)
Schwartz, Andrew Louis (New York)
Siegel, Michelle Lee (New York)
Sirkin, Henry Louis (New York)
SLEASMAN, PETER PRESCOTT (New York)
Stephens, Rebecca Hilary (New York)
Stoughton, Corey L. (New York)
Talenfeld, Howard M. (Florida)
Wiley, Stephanie Doria (New York)
Abeysekera, Samantha (New York)
Abt, Uriel Benjamin (New York)
Ahmuty, Steven J. Jr. (New York)
Akina, William Keaupuni (New York)
Alfaro, Elida Maria (New York)
Alibey, Fayola Naila (New York)
Allen-Knecht, MaryBeth Catherine (New York)
Alvarez-Calderon, Aurora Andrea (New York)
Anakhu, Joy Tolulope (New York)
Anderson, Robert James (New York)
Aribakan, Suzanne Emily (New York)
Arko, Christopher G. (New York)
Auletta, Steven Joseph (New York)
Bahrenburg, Richard (New York)
Balog, Aliza Jordana (New York)
Bardauskis, Elizabeth Barrett (New York)
Barnett, Camille Danielle (New York)
Bartlett, Caroline Firth (New York)
Bauman, Wesley Eugene (New York)
Beath, Patrick Neil (New York)
Bergman, Zachary Russell (New York)
Bienstock, Craig Garrett (New York)
Birnbaum, Brooke Allyson (New York)
Birnbaum, Janice Louise (New York)
Bogart, Russell Lewis (New York)
Bogni, Jason Robert (New York)
Bonillas, Adria Jasmine (New York)
Booth, Amatullah Khaliha (New York)
Bouriat, Christopher Saleh (New York)
Braun, Daniel Michael (New York)
Breslow, Stephanie Marie (New York)
Brocker, Peter William (New York)
Brooks, Jeffrey Charles (New York)
Bruzzese, Sheryl Ann (New York)
Buckwalter, Ellen Lori (New York)
Burleson, Shana Lynn (New York)
Byrns, Katherine Abigail (New York)
Cahill, Kathleen J. (New York)
Calhoun, Martha Anne (New York)
Calistro, Phyllis Gail (New York)
Campbell-Priveterre, Joyce D. (New York)
Canfield, Donna Anne (New York)
Capowski, Timothy Robert (New York)
Carberry, Andrez Shumree (New York)
Cardozo, Michael A. (New York)
Carey, Charles Edward (New York)
Castro, Johana Vanessa (New York)
Catalano, Thomas A. (New York)
Cavalieri, Meghan Ann (New York)
Ceballo, Brian Paul (New York)
Chen, Caroline Ling-Yu (New York)
Ciappetta, Nicholas Robert (New York)
Clark, Shawn Matthew (New York)
Cohen, Jessica Talia (New York)
Collyer, Adam Edward (New York)
Concepcion, Roberto, Jr. (New York)
Conger, Megan Patricia (New York)
Connelly, Elizabeth Colette (New York)
Cooper, David Allen (New York)
Coyne, Christopher John (New York)
Coyne, Jennifer Angela (New York)
Crowe, Alicia Marie (New York)
Daitz, Elizabeth M. (New York)
D'Andrea, Theresa Jeanine (New York)
Dandrige, Danielle M. (New York)
Dantowitz, Jeffrey S. (New York)
Dawkins, Julinda A. (New York)
DeCastro, Maria Fernanda (New York)
Deconinck, Magda M. (New York)
Degori, Elizabeth Carolyn (New York)
Delmond, Robert Scott (New York)
DePaul, Philip Rudolph (New York)
Depoian, Carolyn Kay (New York)
Dervin, James Monroe (New York)
Desmond, James Finbar (New York)
Devlin, Austa Starr (New York)
DiSenso, Anthony M. (New York)
Dunn-Jones, Felicia (New York)
Eichenholtz, Seth D. (New York)
Eichenholtz, Eric Jay (New York)
Elfenbein, Randall Marc (New York)
Englert, Eviana Linnea (New York)
Eniclerico, Richard (New York)
Esposito, Anne Marie (New York)
Faddis, Hannah Victoria (New York)
Farmer, Gary Michael (New York)
Farrar, Brian Jeremy (New York)
Farrell, Odile Maun (New York)
Farrell, Peter Gerard (New York)
Fett, Baree Nichole (New York)
Fihma, Allison Naomi (New York)
Fitzgibbon, Kaitlin Elizabeth (New York)
Fleming, Michael Friel (New York)
Fogarty, Peter John (New York)
Fraenkel, William Solomon (New York)
Francolla, Brian Christopher (New York)
Friedman, Steven A. (New York)
Friedman, Joshua Mathew (New York)
Frommer, Hillary A. (New York)
Fudim, Elissa Paulette (New York)
Funes, Suzanne Emily (New York)
Gallagher, Margo O'Donnell (New York)
Garman, Ashley Rebecca (New York)
Gertzer, Michael Keith (New York)
Giovanatti, Neil Anthony (New York)
Goldberg-Cahn, Michelle L. (New York)
Gomez-Sanchez, Daniel Sergio (New York)
Graziadei, John Hopkins (New York)
Greenfield, Blanche Jayne (New York)
Gugel, Alison Elaine (New York)
Gutmann, Joseph Aaron (New York)
Haber, Erica Michelle (New York)
Hackworth, Thaddeus Jeremiah (New York)
Hagopian, Caleb Charles (New York)
Haider, Bilal Husain (New York)
Halbardier, Suzanne M. (New York)
Hall, Randolph Warren (New York)
Hallman, James Lamar (New York)
Harvis, Gabriel Paul (New York)
Heim, Douglas William (New York)
Helferich, Joanna R. (New York)
Hirschklau, Rebecca Rachel (New York)
Horowitz, Aviva Yocheved (New York)
Horton, James Fredrick (New York)
Houghton, Jonathan Morgan (New York)
Hueston, Michael O. (New York)
Jacob, Agnetha Elizabeth (New York)
Jacobs, Elissa Beth (New York)
Johnson, Porsha Requel (New York)
Johnson, Paul Hasan (New York)
Jones, Felicia Dunn (New York)
Joy, Daniel Lawrence (New York)
Julie, Richard Spencer (New York)
Kamen, Garrett Scott (New York)
Kantor, Scott Justin (New York)
Kasbohn, Madonna Marie (New York)
Kelly, Matthew James (New York)
Kirkpatrick, Steven Nelson (New York)
Kitzinger, Stephen Edward (New York)
Koduru, Jennifer Lilly (New York)
Kogel-Smucker, Sarah A. (New York)
Koster, Jeannette Arlin (New York)
Krasnow, Elizabeth N. (New York)
Krueger, Jenna Lynn (New York)
Kruk, Carolyn Elizabeth (New York)
Lichterman, Ariel Shaun (New York)
Lipkin, Andrew Gary (New York)
Lippin, Louise Hari (New York)
Lively, Lauren Almquist (New York)
Lockinger, Joseph D. (New York)
Longley, Serena Mabel (New York)
Lucas, Andrew Joseph (New York)
MacFarlane, Katherine Alice (New York)
MacLeod, Shawna Currie (New York)
Magsino, Teresita Villaseca (New York)
Mahon, Pamela Lynam (New York)
Manningham, Nicholas Daniel (New York)
Mansoor, Dustin Peter (New York)
Markos, Dimitrios T. (New York)
Marks, Paul Frederick (New York)
Marutollo, Joseph Anthony (New York)
Maxey, Brian Guenther (New York)
Mbabazi, Deborah L. (New York)
Mbaye, Lesley Berson (New York)
McGoldrick, John F. (New York)
McIntosh, Kristen Monet (New York)
McKinney, Morgan Chmiel (New York)
Mechmann, John Raymond (New York)
Melissinos, Nicholas (New York)
Meltzer, Hilary Michele (New York)
Mettham, Suzanna Publicker (New York)
Meyer, Deborah Ilene (New York)
Mindrutiu, Linda Margareta (New York)
Minnah-Donkoh, Kuuku Angate (New York)
Mirabile, Catherine Mary (New York)
Mitchell, Alison Sue (New York)
Modafferi, Matthew J. (New York)
Moe, Alison Gainfort (New York)
Molfetta, Michele Ann (New York)
Molloy, Anthony Molloy (New York)
Montaque, Tristan George (New York)
Montoya, Concepcion A. (New York)
Morales, Ralph Vincent (New York)
Moran, Domenique Camacho (New York)
Mouton, Gregory Paul (New York)
Muschenheim, Mark W. (New York)
Mustokoff, Michael M. (New York)
Myerberg, Andrew Thomas (New York)
Nagassar/Asman, Ishmattie (New York)
Nandan, Kathleen Anne (New York)
Naughton, Kathleen Erin (New York)
Neufeld, Sheryl Rebecca (New York)
Nimick, Virginia Jackson (New York)
Noble, Alexander Macrae (New York)
Noteboom, Carrie Elizabeth (New York)
Nunez-Figueroa, Bridgette Marie (New York)
O'Brien, John Charles (New York)
O'Connor, Andrea Mary (New York)
O'Flynn, Mary Theresa (New York)
Okereke, Amy Nkemka (New York)
Owen, Andrew Galway (New York)
Passeser, Daniel Louis (New York)
Pasternack, Scott M. (New York)
Patrick, Bradford Collins (New York)
Perry, Devor Deland (New York)
Pollack, David Michael (New York)
Profeta, Lawrence John (New York)
Pullio, Robyn Nicole (New York)
Rabinowitz, Lisa Susan (New York)
Rauchberg, Andrew James (New York)
Ravenborg, Daron R. (New York)
Reddy, Prathyusha Bandi (New York)
Reilly, Kathleen Deborah (New York)
Renaghan, Sean Robert (New York)
Richards, Camiel S. (New York)
Richardson, Lisa Marie (New York)
Rivera, Suzette Corinne (New York)
Rodriguez, Wilda J. (New York)
Rosen, Seth Mitchell (New York)
Rosencrantz, Caryn A. (New York)
Rosenkilde, Kiran Hans (New York)
Rosenthal, Chad Isaac (New York)
Rosinus, David Alan (New York)
Rossan, Jennifer Amy (New York)
Rubin, Jennifer Lindsay (New York)
Saavedra, Daniel G. (New York)
Sampale, Suvarna S. (New York)
Santiago, Leticia Joy (New York)
Sarpong, Nana Kwame (New York)
Savino, Kimberly Marie (New York)
Schaerf, Carl Judah (New York)
Scharfstein, Susan P. (New York)
Schemitsch, John Edmund (New York)
Schlesinger, Alan Maer (New York)
Schultz, David Harlan (New York)
Schuman, Jennifer Helen (New York)
Schwarz, Frederick A. (New York)
Seacord, Christopher Aaron (New York)
Seemen, Karen Jayne (New York)
Seligman, Rachel Amy (New York)
Serrano, Leah Sharon (New York)
Shaffer, Ryan Glenn (New York)
Shammas, Cheryl Leah (New York)
Shtelmakher, Milena (New York)
Siaw, Stephanie Ahyemah (New York)
Sibley, Mara Jeanne (New York)
Siddiqi, Omar Javed (New York)
Silverberg, Janice Casey (New York)
Silverberg, Steven Mark (New York)
Singleton, Gerald E. (New York)
Siskind, Shira Rachel (New York)
Sitaras, Basil Constantine (New York)
Smilowitz, Alyssa Mattingly (New York)
Smith, Qiana Charmaine (New York)
Smith, Katherine Elizabeth (New York)
Smith, Valerie Elizabeth (New York)
Smith, Jordan Michael (New York)
Smith-Valentine, Sonya A. (Maryland)
Smith-Williams, Qiana Charmaine (New York)
Speight, Melanie Mary (New York)
Stackhouse, Noreen M. (New York)
Stannard, Geoffrey M. (New York)
Stockman, Benjamin E. (New York)
Stodola, Damion Kenneth (New York)
Stolorow, Adam Michael (New York)
Strikowsky, Bruce Michael (New York)
Sullivan, Donald Christopher (New York)
Sweeting, J. Machelle (New York)
Telfort, Pernell Michael (New York)
Thadani, Kavin Suresh (New York)
Traverse, Benjamin John (New York)
Waldauer, Jonathan Max (New York)
Weall, Katherine Jane (New York)
Weber, Steven Douglas (New York)
Weiler, Fred Michael (New York)
Weiner, Joshua Alan (New York)
Weingarten, Richard Keith (New York)
Weir, Matthew Charles (New York)
Welch, Alicia Hayley (New York)
Wells, Elizabeth A. (New York)
Wenzel, Andrew Patrick (New York)
Wertheimer, Joshua Chanan (New York)
Winslow, Lamar Devaughn (New York)
Wise, Desiree Adams (New York)
Wolf, Joshua Matthew (New York)
Zangrilli, Joseph Peter (New York)
Zgodny, Vicki Becker (New York)
Zimmerman, Tobias Eli (New York)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4319754/sw-v-city-of-new-york/
Last updated April 13, 2024, 3:13 a.m.
State / Territory: New York
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 29, 2009
Closing Date: 2017
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Nine former foster children with special needs.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
St. Joseph Services for Children, Inc. (New York), Private Entity/Person
Heartshare Human Services (New York), Private Entity/Person
SCO Family of Services (New York), Private Entity/Person
City of New York (New York), City
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Amount Defendant Pays: 27,200,000
Order Duration: 2012 - 2043
Issues
General:
Foster care (benefits, training)
Disability and Disability Rights:
Intellectual/developmental disability, unspecified
Discrimination-basis: