Wrongful medication cases

This archive contains cases of wrongful, unnecessary or experimental medication in the child placement system.

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Denis Manuel Maltez

12-year-old autistic boy who died while in the care of a psychiatrist at a group home died allegedly due to overmedication.

Reporting date: 2007-05-23

Authorities involved: Rainbow Ranch group home

6040 reads

Domico Presnell

Six-year-old boy in foster care died from an overdose of the anti-depressant drug Elavil that a doctor had prescribed for his emotional outbursts.

Domico's death lead to an investigation into the use of psychotropic drugs is the Washington foster care system, lead by the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

Reporting date: 1996-04-21

4271 reads

Gabriel Myers

7-year-old boy in foster care locked himself in a bathroom and hanged himself with a detachable shower head. He had been prescribed four psychiatric drugs, two or three of which he was taking at the time of his death.

Three of the psychotropic drugs carry U.S. Food and Drug Administration "black box" label warnings for children's safety, the strongest advisory the federal agency issues.

Reporting date: 2009-04-16

Authorities involved: Kids in Distress http://poundpuplegacy.org/node/52055

10056 reads

Overmedication cases Georgia

Various articles about overmedication in the Georgia foster care system.

Reporting date: 1989-01-01

4495 reads

Psychotropic drug case California

In February 2007 California congress woman Noreen Evans introduced a bill that would require the state to collect personal and medical data on foster children as a first step to determine if they are being overmedicated because they are misdiagnosed with mental illnesses.

Reporting date: 2007-02-23

Authorities involved: Department of Social Services

4916 reads

Psychotropic drug case Massachusetts

Archive of overmedication of psychotropic drugs cases in foster care in Massachusetts.

Reporting date: 2004-08-01

Authorities involved: Department of Social Services

4565 reads

Psychotropic drug case Monroe County, New York

Archive of overmedication of psychotropic drugs cases in foster care in Monroe County, New York.

Reporting date: 2007-12-01

5075 reads

Psychotropic drug cases Florida

Over-medication of children came to the light after a series of complaints. In 2005 a bill was signed that tightened rules on when foster children can be given psychotropic drugs. The law requires prior consent of a foster child's parents or a court order before such drugs can be used. The bill's approval followed a report concluding that mood-altering drugs were being prescribed to 25 percent of Florida's foster children.

After the death of Gabriel Meyers further investigations into over-medication in foster care started.

Reporting date: 2003-07-01

Authorities involved: Department of Children and Families

5698 reads

Psychotropic drug cases Oregon

Archive of overmedication of psychotropic drugs cases in foster care in Oregon.

Reporting date: 1993-01-05

5624 reads

Psychotropic drugs cases Washington

Archive of article about overmedication of psychotropic drugs cases in foster care in Washington.

Psychotropic overmedication New South Wales, Australia

Archive of overmedication of psychotropic drugs cases in foster care in New South Wales, Australia.

Reporting date: 2008-11-04

4151 reads

Pyschotropic drug case Texas

Initiated in 2004 by Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn in a report called "forgotten children" investigations started into the overmedication of foster children in Texas.

Reporting date: 2004-04-01

Authorities involved: Department of Family and Protective Services

6015 reads

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