DCF Worker Charged In Foster Child's Death

Hilda Munoz

The Hartford Courant

A state child-welfare worker and licensed foster parent who had been investigated twice since 2006 on allegations of child abuse was arraigned today in Superior Court on criminal charges including manslaughter in the death of an infant boy who had been in her care just a week.

Suzanne Listro, 42, of Mansfield, who was arrested by state police at her home Wednesday night, is also charged with risk of injury to a minor in the death of 7-month-old Michael Brown Jr. She was in custody today with bail set at $1 million by Judge Patricia Harleston.

Listro is on leave from the state Department of Children and Families, where she has worked most recently as a children's services consultant. DCF announced Thursday that Listro had twice been investigated on allegations of child abuse, once in 2006 and again in 2007, and that an internal review of how Listro's case was handled by DCF found serious deficiencies in the agency's procedures and its staff's performance.

DCF Commissioner Susan I. Hamilton felt compelled to comment personally about the matter and called a news conference Thursday in Hartford. Hamilton announced that the investigator who handled the complaints against Listro has been fired and that person's supervisor has received a 20-day suspension. Steps are also being taken to terminate Listro's employment at DCF.

On May 19, state police said, the infant was reported to be unresponsive and was taken by ambulance from Listro's home to Windham Memorial Hospital in Willimantic. He was then flown by Life Star helicopter to Hartford Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Listro told investigators that the infant went limp and stopped breathing after falling off a bed onto the floor.

But the state medical examiner's office in Farmington concluded that the child's injuries were inconsistent with Listro's account of what happened. The medical examiner determined that his death was the result of blunt-force trauma to his head and ruled the death a homicide.

"The defendant's explanation for the victim's injuries are inconsistent with that determination and somewhat unbelievable," State's Attorney Matthew C. Gedansky told the court.

According to DCF, Listro was licensed as a foster parent in 2008. The licensing office was never made aware apparently unaware of the previous complaints against Listro relating to her 3-year-old adopted child.

Michael Brown Jr., who was in DCF custody, went home with Listro on May 12. He died of his injuries on May 19 at Hartford Hospital.

Staff Writer Matt Burgard contributed to this report.