Kelsey Smith-Briggs' death lawsuit brings $625K deal
source: http://newsok.com/kelsey-smith-briggs-death-lawsuit-brings-625k-deal/article/3381788
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- regjoeschmo
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The state of Oklahoma paid $525,000 Monday to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit over the murder of Kelsey Smith-Briggs, and a private agency paid $100,000.
A federal judge Monday approved the $625,000 settlement but will decide later how to split the money.
The girl’s father filed the lawsuit and represents her estate, but her mother, who is in prison for enabling Kelsey’s abuse, wants half.
Kelsey, 2, died from abuse on Oct. 11, 2005, at her home near Meeker.
The slaying became a high-publicity case that exposed serious flaws in how the Department of Human Services protects abused children. An oversight agency found DHS made a series of mistakes in the abused child’s case, such as failing to contact police when she broke both legs. The case led to reforms.
Girl’s killer still is unknown
Who killed the girl remains a mystery. Her stepfather, Michael Lee Porter, 29, was charged with first-degree murder and child sexual abuse but pleaded guilty instead to enabling child abuse. He is serving a 30-year prison sentence. He blamed the girl’s mother for her death.
The mother, Raye Dawn Smith, 29, was never charged with murder. She was convicted at trial of enabling child abuse and is serving a 27-year prison sentence. "Kelsey was my best friend in the entire world and it hurts so bad for people to say the things they do. ... I didn’t hurt Kelsey and ... I didn’t sit back and let it happen,” she said after her trial.
Kelsey died even though DHS workers, a private child-welfare worker and a judge were overseeing her care because of evidence she had been repeatedly abused. Her death came four months after the judge returned Kelsey to her mother despite accusations the mother was the abuser.
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A federal judge Monday approved the $625,000 settlement but will decide later how to split the money.
The girl’s father filed the lawsuit and represents her estate, but her mother, who is in prison for enabling Kelsey’s abuse, wants half.
Kelsey, 2, died from abuse on Oct. 11, 2005, at her home near Meeker.
The slaying became a high-publicity case that exposed serious flaws in how the Department of Human Services protects abused children. An oversight agency found DHS made a series of mistakes in the abused child’s case, such as failing to contact police when she broke both legs. The case led to reforms.
Girl’s killer still is unknown
Who killed the girl remains a mystery. Her stepfather, Michael Lee Porter, 29, was charged with first-degree murder and child sexual abuse but pleaded guilty instead to enabling child abuse. He is serving a 30-year prison sentence. He blamed the girl’s mother for her death.
The mother, Raye Dawn Smith, 29, was never charged with murder. She was convicted at trial of enabling child abuse and is serving a 27-year prison sentence. "Kelsey was my best friend in the entire world and it hurts so bad for people to say the things they do. ... I didn’t hurt Kelsey and ... I didn’t sit back and let it happen,” she said after her trial.
Kelsey died even though DHS workers, a private child-welfare worker and a judge were overseeing her care because of evidence she had been repeatedly abused. Her death came four months after the judge returned Kelsey to her mother despite accusations the mother was the abuser.
MORE IN LINK
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soberwood
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How can anyone feel that there is any true justice in the cps system, when there is a hold on the judgement because one of the perpetrators is being considered a benefactor. For God's sake wake up America
- 2 years ago
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soberwood
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regjoeschmo
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Related video....
- 2 years ago
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regjoeschmo
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Incredulous
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Yikes...what a f'd up system.
- 2 years ago
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Incredulous
