State launches investigation following death of foster child

Associated Press

WAUPUN, Wis. (AP) - State officials are investigating whether child welfare workers were thorough enough in their background check of a couple whose two foster sons suffered abdominal injuries that killed one.

Dodge County child welfare officials placed the boys in the Waupun home of Shane and Jessica Marquardt in October 2005, according to Sandy Arneson, the aunt of the children's birth mother, Ashley Mundt.

The state Department of Health and Family Services will investigate that placement as it reviews the circumstances of the death of 3-year-old Camron Gardner.

Camron and his 2-year-old brother, Ethan Schwartz, suffered blunt trauma to their abdomens May 5, causing Camron to die of internal bleeding several hours later, authorities said.

Shane Marquardt was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree reckless injury after he told investigators he flew into a rage after finding vomit in Camron's bed and punched both boys hard in the stomach, according to the criminal complaint.

The Department of Health and Family Services is responsible for reviewing whether Dodge County officials followed federal and state guidelines in placing the boys with the Marquardts, said Mark Campbell, director of the department's Bureau of Programs and Policies.

If the review concludes the county was negligent, the department will issue a written recommendation detailing needed improvements, Campbell said.

"In that case, we would work with the county in developing a corrective plan along with monitoring them over the next year to see if improvements have been made," Campbell said.

A neighboring county is also performing an independent review of Dodge County's practices, said David Titus, director of Dodge County's Health and Human Services Department. He declined to identify the county.

Before the county places children, it performs extensive checks on prospective parents, including studying their criminal and employment backgrounds and performing reference checks, Titus said. Anyone with a criminal history, who's been shown to be a danger to oneself or others or who has a history of questionable treatment of children will not be licensed as a foster parent, he said.