Mother of slain girl sues state for one-and-a-half million dollars

August 22, 2003 6:23 PM


Portland-AP -- The mother of one of two girls whose bodies were found in the backyard of a neighbor filed a $1-point-5 million dollar lawsuit today against the Oregon Department of Human Services.

Michelle Duffey claims in the suit that mishandled abuse reports led to her daughter's death.

The body of her 13-year-old daughter, Miranda Gaddis, was found a year ago in neighbor Ward Weaver's backyard in Oregon City. The body of another girl, 12-year-old Ashley Pond, was found nearby.

Weaver is charged with aggravated murder in both deaths.

Duffey's lawsuit claims allegations that Weaver may have abused Pond were made to child welfare caseworkers but police were not notified and the Department of Human Services failed to take any action.

The complaints says that based on those reports, the agency should have recognized Weaver as a threat not only to Pond, but to other girls and her friends, including Miranda Gaddis.

Jean Thorne, who took over as director of the Department of Human Services following the deaths, says she had not yet seen the lawsuit and cannot comment pending a review by agency attorneys.


Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved.





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