Slaying costs county $600,000: Foster child's family wins wrongful death suit against Huron County

HEATHER CHAPIN-FOWLER

"I'm completely elated," said Jim Martin, the Willard attorney who represented Connre's estate.

"I think it sends a message to the Huron County commissioners and the Department of Job and Family Services that they need to completely revamp the system from the bottom to the top," he added.

The trial began Tuesday against the county in connection to the 11-year-old foster girl's death on Oct. 18, 2004. She was stabbed five times by her foster father Paul Efaw and bled to death in a barn at Efaw's Ridgefield Township home.

Efaw was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and is serving a three-year prison sentence. While testifying during trial, Efaw maintained he doesn't recall how Connre ended up being killed.

The Department of Job and Family Services placed Connre in the Efaw home in 2003 after it gained custody of Connre and her three siblings. The children were removed from their biological parents' home after her mother, Zandra Dixon, gave birth to a heroin-addicted baby boy, according to testimony during the trial.

Two of Connre's brothers live with a relative and the other is an adult.

During the trial, Job and Family Services officials testified they had several child abuse complaints involving sexual, physical and emotional allegations against Efaw in their files, but it didn't deter them from certifying him as a foster parent. No department employees were terminated or disciplined for the handling of Connre's case as a result, according to Director Erich Dumbeck's testimony during the trial.

Dumbeck, who sat through most of the proceedings this week, refused to comment about the verdict yesterday.

"I think the people of Huron County care more for our children than the department," Martin said, adding that he believes "an indictment" is appropriate for the way the Department of Job and Family Services handled Connre's case.

Deliberations began early yesterday morning and lasted until about 1:30 p.m.

The four women and four men on the jury unanimously signed the verdict.

Angela Shepherd, a juror from New London, said the deliberations lasted as long as they did because the jury questioned the recipients of the award.

Shepherd said the jury unanimously agreed from the beginning the system "failed tremendously" in handling Connre's case.

The jury was also disgusted with Connre's natural family and their abandonment of her, Shepherd said.

"We wanted to know if the family would get the money. We would have given more if we could have specified it went to the siblings instead of her heroin-addicted father," she said.

The jury also asked the court officials if they could designate an outside recipient such as a school or a park "in honor of the little girl, instead of the family who didn't want her. But, we weren't allowed," Shepherd said.

"One man on the jury said he would write zeros until his hand cramped instead," Shepherd added.

The jurors weren't aware the court had in 2005 sentenced Efaw to three years in prison.

"It sickened me. I didn't understand that at all," she said in regard to the sentence.

The county's attorney, Joan Szuberla, said, "We're going to take a look at it and see what our next step will be."

"It's obviously disappointing. The county may consider an appeal. It's up to the client," added Jim Jeffery, another attorney for the county.

The county could file an appeal with the 6th District Court of Appeals, according to Szuberla.

The jury found the county "violated Connre Dixon's constitutional rights by having a policy or custom which involved failure of department employees to exercise professional judgment in connection with the Efaw foster home."

It also found a county policy or custom "was a direct and proximate cause of (Connre's) injuries and damages."

Jurors also signed a form saying Connre "experienced pain and suffering before she died."