The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled today that Pope County child protection workers can be held responsible for the death of 4-year-old Eric Dean, who was murdered by his stepmother despite numerous reports that the boy was being abused.

A lawsuit filed by a trustee representing Dean’s heirs accused Pope County and its child protection workers of negligence in failing to respond to the abuse reports before he died in March 2013. 

Both a district court judge and the state appeals court ruled that the defendants were immune to litigation under state common law, which states that government employees are not liable unless their actions were intentionally or maliciously wrong.

The Pope County Health and Human Services office in Glenwood, Minn. Photo: KARE 11

Peterson said the court ruling today could have significant ramifications for child protection workers, in that they can be held responsible if they negligently fail to follow-through on abuse reports.

Dean’s case sparked statewide outrage and reforms following separate investigations by the Star Tribune and KARE 11 that detailed how 15 abuse reports were made to Pope County child protection about Dean before he died.

Child protection workers failed to cross-report nearly all of that information to police, despite requirements to do so under state law.

Then Gov. Mark Dayton appointed a child protection task force, which recommended numerous reforms to better protect abused children that were ultimately passed by the legislature.

To see the original report and read related stories, follow this link to the KARE 11 News website. https://www.kare11.com/article/news/investigations/mn-supreme-court-says-child-protection-can-be-hel...