Update: St. Mary’s Home for Children “scathing” investigative report released by RI Child Advocate

Following up on the joint statement of two Rhode Island representatives and one senator in response to a report called “scathing” about the conditions at St. Mary’s Home for Children, Thursday, a joint statement was released by the RI Office of Child Advocate (RIOCA) and the RI Department of Children, Youth and Families (RIDCYF).

The statement is printed here – and a link to the report immediately after that – as well as our original story on St. Mary’s.

“Pursuant to statutory mandate, the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) has concluded an eight (8) month investigation into St. Mary’s Home for Children (St. Mary’s). Throughout the course of this investigation, the OCA conducted a comprehensive review of policies, procedures, documentation, and video footage, as well as a thorough review of systemic issues impacting our child well-being system. The OCA provided detailed findings and recommendations to the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) and St. Mary’s.

Beginning in May 2023, DCYF began actively working with St. Mary’s to address ongoing concerns they had also identified, as well as address internal systemic areas of improvement that were immediately brought to the attention of the Department. This included pausing admissions. Upon completion of the investigation, the priority of the OCA, DCYF, and the St. Mary’s Board of Directors and staff was to develop and implement immediate and long-term solutions and work with colleagues in state government, RI Family Court, and community partners to address the problems presented within the report. The public report is available on the OCA website. 

In collaboration with the St. Mary’s team, the OCA and DCYF are committed to our work to ensure the health and safety of children, strengthen the services and supports provided to youth in out-of-home placement, and improve the lives of our most vulnerable children experiencing the child well-being system in Rhode Island.

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Link to the report: http://www.child-advocate.ri.gov/documents/reports/St.%20Mary’s%20Report%20with%20Appendix.pdf

Submitted by Rep. Julie A. Casimiro, Sen. Louis P. DiPalma and Rep. Thomas E. Noret – and printed in its entirety:

After reading the Child Advocate’s report on abuse and unsafe conditions at St. Mary’s Home for Children, our hearts sank. These at-risk children, perhaps one of the most vulnerable populations in the state, have already endured through so much in their lives and for them to face further trauma and abuse at an institution that is responsible for their safety, support and care is unfathomable and beyond unacceptable.  

Sexual and physical abuse, drug overdoses, unprofessional and potentially criminal behavior by staff and unsafe living conditions – all these transgressions and more were experienced by the children at St. Mary’s and it is obvious that these at-risk children have been failed by those entrusted to care for their wellbeing. 

We have seen a lot of horror stories revolving around children in state care over the past few years, but what was transpiring at St. Mary’s Home for Children may be one of the most heartbreaking and maddening instances of child abuse and neglect that we have come across in quite some time.

One line in the report truly encapsulated the horrendous conditions at St. Mary’s. Spoken by their executive director, she stated that she would not have let her dog stay there. Let that sink in.

Anger is an appropriate reaction to this report and those responsible must be held accountable.

But it also could have been so much worse.

Without the Child Advocate’s dedicated perseverance to help at-risk children, we would not know what these poor children were experiencing on a daily basis.  And due to their investigation and report on conditions at St. Mary’s, the state quickly responded and ceased to put any more children in danger by placing them at St. Mary’s Home for Children.

It’s easy to blame the government when stories like this arise but to do so also ignores the immediate and appropriate actions that were taken by DCYF and the governor’s office in order to ensure the safety and support of the children involved in this horrific situation.  Without their quick responses, we are certain more children would have been further hurt and traumatized under the roof of St. Mary’s Home for Children, and for their efforts we are thankful.

The multiple instances of abuse and neglect at St. Mary’s should have never happened and those responsible for creating these conditions will answer for their failures, but the responses to this sickening report are an example of our state’s child protective services working as they should, to protect and care for our most vulnerable and at-risk children and we look forward to continue working with the administration so that another St. Mary’s will never happen again.

Representative Casimiro, a Democrat, represents District 31 in North Kingstown and Exeter.  She serves as the Chair of the House Oversight Children and Families Subcommittee.  Senator DiPalma, a Democrat, represents District 12 in Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton.  He serves as the Senate Finance Committee Chairman.  Representative Noret, a Democrat, represents District 25 in Coventry and West Warwick. 

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Editor’s Note: RINewsToday had requested the report from the RI Office of Child Advocate and were told it would be considered an APRA request and we would hear back within 2 weeks. At least 2 media outlets have the full report, seemingly unredacted, and some legislative committee members were provided with the report as a “professional courtesy” by the department. Episcopal Bishop Knisley, who chairs the board of directors, refused to release the report, directing RINewsToday to the Office of Child Advocate. The report is over 119-pages with addendums bringing it to nearly 400 pages, written after an 8-month investigation, stemming first from an incident reported in the spring of 2023, details chaos and violence at the facility, and since its publication the CEO has resigned after a 30 year career. Things became so unhinged that a national motorcycle group called “Bikers Against Child Abuse” came to patrol the grounds and protect the children – at the invitation of St. Mary’s staffers. BACA is an international bikers association dedicated to the issue of child abuse, with chapters in most states, including one based in Smithfield, RI. BACA has not responded to our requests for more information. The board of St. Mary’s has said it has brought in a national expert at turning facilities around.

On January 11th, the Child Advocate’s office released the redacted report. There has been a pause placed on a planned expansion of St Mary’s Home.