California Kids in Fresno County Care Found Sleeping on Floors and Tables, Urinating Into Water Bottles
After a news report revealed that vulnerable California kids removed from their families lived in deplorable conditions inside a county care office building, a central county executive has pledged he would find a better place for them.
According to ABC News, Fresno County Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau on Thursday apologized to the California kids, who were forced to stay at the office building in inexcusable condition until social workers could find homes for them.
The said building also served as the central hub for Fresno County's Child Protective Services.
California Kids Sleep on Tables, Urinate on Water Bottles
Based on the report of The Fresno Bee, the California kids housed in the office building were sleeping on conference tables, eating fast food, and urinating in water bottles in the building.
Aside from the kids suffering while staying at the office building, Rousseau also apologized to the workers who oversaw them. Rousseau expressed his frustration and told The Bee that he was not informed regarding the situation sooner.
"This is unacceptable. I should have known earlier, and we're going to rectify it immediately," Rousseau noted.
Rousseau said that starting this weekend, the California kids would be housed at a different office building on a former medical center campus until they could be housed in a new location that should be finished after a month of construction.
The Situation at California County Care
According to The Fresno Bee report, social workers working in the county's child welfare system revealed that the place was understaffed and overwhelmed about the number of kids they would take care of.
The social workers also said that there's a lack of housing for children who have been removed from their homes for their own safety. It resulted in some children staying at the offices of Child Protective Services until foster homes could be found for them.
The report noted that the California kids were sleeping on conference tables or yoga mats on the floor in rooms with lights that do not turn off inside the building. The Bee added that the kids were sharing a single bathroom and could not use the shower.
The report also revealed that the kids used water bottles to relieve themselves. A veteran social worker with Fresno County Department of Social Services' child welfare agency, Lorraine Ramirez, told The Bee that the California kids were staying in the building for a few hours to several weeks.
Ramirez said there were no children in the building on some days, and on other days, there could be a dozen. The veteran social worker noted that the kids varied in terms of age and their medical needs.
Ramirez added that the conditions were not tolerable and inhumane.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Jess Smith
WATCH: San Diego Child Care Providers Seeking Help From California - From ABC10 News