The DCS AZ Scandal Continues to This Day

by | Mar 27, 2021 | Original Articles

The DCS AZ Scandal Continues to This Day

Twisted History – CPS to DCS AZ

In 2014, Arizona CPS’s internal Office of Child Welfare Investigations, led by Greg McKay, blew the whistle that there was over 6,500 child abuse reports the agency had never investigated. As a result, Governor Jan Brewer dissolved CPS and established DCS AZ to take its place. Then, in 2015, Governor Doug Ducey named Greg McKay its director. By that time, there were 13,000 backlogged cases.

McKay’s first order of business was dissolving the Office of Child Welfare Investigations. There would no longer be any internal oversight department for DCS AZ. During McKay’s first year as DCS Director, a high number of DCS employees quit, transferred, or were fired or demoted by McKay himself. As a result, DCS’s turnover rate quickly grew from 26% to 33%. According to many, McKay created a “culture of fear.” The number of children in the care of the state also jumped from 16,000 to 19,000. This was all in that first year.

Things Are Only Getting Worse

In 2018, a former foster child in the DCS AZ system reached the legal age of adulthood and filed a $15 million lawsuit against the agency that had scarred his childhood and adolescence. This John Doe was one of the foster children housed in just one of the DCS AZ foster homes later found to be sex trafficking children and making child pornography.

In that particular case, DCS AZ had ignored more than 30 police reports regarding that residence. They also ignored over 10 complaints of child abuse and neglect made directly to the agency. The worst part is that this isn’t as uncommon as we’d like to believe. In fact, the corruption and incompetence that ran unabated at CPS still runs rampant to this day.

Greg McKay Gets the Boot From DCS AZ

In 2019, DCS AZ Director Greg McKay resigned. He was named the COO of another child abuse and neglect prevention organization called Childhelp. McKay resigned from that seven months later, with no comment from the nonprofit or McKay.

Concurrently, Governor Ducey appointed Mike Faust to replace McKay as DCS AZ Director. Things are still incredibly bad. Parents are still claiming DCS took their children without cause. Children are still found abused and neglected by their foster parents, still disappear, and may never be found.

False Allegations – A Common Practice

In 2020, Arizona couple Honor Duvall and Donald Sankey filed a $12 million lawsuit against DCS AZ for allegedly removing their baby Swayde on fraudulent abuse claims. They believe Phoenix Children’s Hospital is in on it, as hospital doctors claimed baby Swayde had bleeding eyes, bruises, and even a fractured leg.

However, doctors outside Phoenix Children’s Hospital said none of those things were true at all. In fact, a juvenile court dismissed the abuse claims. The police department said there was no abuse, and filed no charges. DCS AZ disagreed and separated the family anyway, despite having no court order to do so. The internet is full of family testimonies of similar DCS AZ situations.

No Oversight and No Accountability

Remember how the DCS director dissolved their own oversight branch? Well, in 2021, the agency updated its computer system so that no other government agency could access its files. DCS has absolutely no oversight now.

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee amended a bill to grant “direct and remote” access to the AZ Ombudsman and foster care review boards, but it still has to pass in order to take effect. The Arizona Department of Child Safety is running completely unchecked. From what we know about them, that should scare all of us.

Help Us Fight the Good Fight

Costs to document this historical government tragedy have been excessive. However, they are far from over. Our personal expenses to fight the powers that continue to victimize our children and their families have exceeded over $1,000,000. They continue to grow by the day. In order to save face, the state of Arizona continues to blame the victims of corruption. They do so at great damage to their reputations and credibility.

Any contribution you can make to aid our cause is most appreciated. You can donate to Saving Grace Advocates using the link provided. Please help us fight Arizona CPS corruption and bring justice to the families and children who have suffered at their hands. Thank you for your continued support and contributions.

Sincerely,

Saving Grace Advocates

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