El Paso County’s Department of Human Services ignored so many warning signs about the foster home where they placed Alizé Vick that they created “a special zone of danger” from which the 2-year-old could not escape alive.
That’s the allegation leveled in a lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Denver by Alizé’s parents against the county and several DHS administrators and employees.
The suit — which seeks unspecified damages — contends that by their negligence, county officials violated the youngster’s constitutional rights in the months leading up to her Oct. 10, 2007, death, allegedly at the hands of her foster mother.
DHS officials declined comment Monday.
Jules Lynn Cuneo, who had been approved to be the foster mother, is being held in the El Paso County jail while awaiting trial in November on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in Alizé’s death.
County human services workers took custody of the girl after both her parents had been jailed. They placed her and her brother, Anthoni, in Cuneo’s care.
But in doing so, according to the lawsuit, county officials and a private child-placement agency ignored numerous warnings.
Read about the warnings that were ignored at .
