Head of embattled Texas child abuse investigations resigns

Sign up for The Brief, our every day publication that retains readers on top of things on probably the most important Texas news.

Texas’ affiliate commissioner for Child Protective Investigations has resigned after lower than a 12 months on the job. Robert “Rich” Richman’s transient tenure on the embattled company was marked by two main headlines — a botched investigation into alleged intercourse trafficking at a foster care facility and Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to analyze mother and father of trans youngsters.

According to his resignation letter, Richman is leaving the Department of Family and Protective Services to “pursue an opportunity to continue my law enforcement career.” He thanked DFPS Commissioner Jaime Masters for the “opportunity to make positive changes throughout CPI during my time with the agency.”

Richman joined the company on the finish of September 2021, incomes $150,000 a 12 months. His final day is Sunday, based on the letter. He didn’t instantly return a request for remark. DFPS spokesperson Marissa Gonzales stated the company had no remark.

As affiliate commissioner for Child Protective Investigations, Richman oversaw the arm of the company chargeable for investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect, child care licensing investigations, particular investigations and human trafficking.

His division got here underneath fireplace in March when it got here to gentle that staff of a licensed foster care facility had allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with the residents. The Refuge in Bastrop particularly catered to younger women and girls who had been intercourse trafficked.

DFPS didn’t take away all of the kids from the power for greater than a month after the primary documented report of sexual abuse, based on courtroom data. Richman told the judge that the kids weren’t instantly eliminated as a result of investigators believed the individual chargeable for the misconduct had been fired.

In a listening to earlier than the Texas Senate, Masters and Richman blamed poor communication from low-level workers. Justin Lewis, who labored underneath Richman as director of child care investigations, resigned after that listening to, telling The Texas Tribune he was “scapegoated” for systemic limitations to communication throughout the company. Investigations into The Refuge are ongoing.

At nearly the identical time that Child Protective Investigations was being criticized for its dealing with of the investigation into The Refuge, Richman’s company was put in cost of investigating mother and father of transgender youngsters who obtain gender-affirming care.

The full program is now LIVE for the 2022 The Texas Tribune Festival, taking place Sept. 22-24 in Austin. Explore the schedule of 100+ mind-expanding conversations coming to TribFest, together with the within observe on the 2022 elections and the 2023 legislative session, the state of public and better ed at this stage within the pandemic, why Texas suburbs are booming, why broadband entry issues, the legacy of slavery, what actually occurred in Uvalde and a lot extra. See the program.