Connecticut lacks safeguards to catch abuse of homeschooled children: report

The arrest of a Waterbury woman, accused of keeping her stepson captive for two decades, has some lawmakers thinking about adding protections for homeschooled kids.

Acting Child Advocate Christina Ghio early information about the arrest of Kimberly Sullivan, 56, invokes memories of the 2017 death of Matthew Tridado.

Specifically, that Sullivan and Katiria Tirado, Matthew’s mother, pulled their sons from school and homeschooled them after DCF inquiries into the wellbeing of their children.

“It does raise similar concerns and questions about how we can ensure the safety of children,” Ghio said.

She also said her investigation into Sullivan is in its preliminary stages, so it’s too early to determine whether DCF or other agencies deserve blame.

Tirado’s death prompted a 2018 report by then-Child Advocate Sarah Eagan that found a lack of monitoring when kids are removed from school, but lawmakers never enacted any of the report’s recommendations.

Some legislators said Sullivan’s arrest Wednesday shows the need to act.

“Connecticut is lacking the checks and balances within the homeschool system to require families to check-in,” said Rep. Liz Linehan (D-Cheshire).

Matthew Tirado was a severly autistic child who died at age 17, wieghing just 88 pounds. His mother is serving an 11-year sentence for abuse.

She decided to homeschool Tirado after DCF recevied complaints.

Police also said Sullivan homeschooled her stepson after receiving complaints but kept him locked up for 20 years. The 32-year-old man weighed only 68 pounds when he was found in February, police said.

A 2018 Office of the Child Advocate report looked at protections for homeschooled kids in Connecticut.

It surveyed six districts and found 36% of homeschooled children were removed from a local school amidst or after a DCF investigation.

The report also found Connecticut has no system for monitoring kids once a parent or guardian removes them from school.

“That’s our concern in situations like this is when children are really removed from public view,” Ghio said.

Gov. Ned Lamont proposed a bill in 2019 that would have required parents to bring their homeschooled children to a local school at least once a year. The proposal failed to get much traction amid parental opposition.

“Why now, Govemor?” attorney and advocate Deborah Stevenson said in written testimony. “When homeschoolers have a proven track record for thirly years of successfully educating their own children? When homechoolers have unlimated free curricula and materials available to tailor the education to the specific needs of their children?”

Stevenson couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.

Linehan said the legislature should revisit the 2018 report, which recommended a group of advocates, state officials, and parents find a system that provides oversight while respecting parental freedoms.

Rep. Joe Polleta (R-Watertown) agreed that the state should have some way to monitor, at least when DCF received a referal.

But he also has questions about whether DCF missed any red flags. A former school principal and the police cheif said their agencies both made referals to DCF when Sullivan’s stepson was in school.

“The key here is that there was a complaint made and we still know where that complaint is, whether or not it’s discarded,” Polleta said.

DCF said it no longer has records of any interactions with Sullivan or her family. State law requires DCF to destroy any records after five years if complaints are unsubtantiated and the agency receives no additional complaints.

Linehan said the legislature could consider whether it needs to change record retention laws, but Ghio said the issue is complicated.

She acknowedledged investigations would benefit from additional information but also said the state needs to consider family privacy, especially when investigations find no proof of wrongdoing.

Otherwise, Linehan said the state has enacted plenty of changes in 20 years to address flaws within DCF.

“The DCF of today is far different of the DCF of the last 20 years, or rather 20 years ago,” she said.

Lamont said he has tasked DCF with reviewing what happened and whether additional changes need to be made.

“We are looking into what occurred and plan to keep legislators informed on what more we learn as well as any recommendations for changes to state law or policy that may arise from this review,” DCF spokesperson Julia Bergman said Friday.

Senate Republicans sent a letter Friday urging the governor to ensure the investigation is thorough.

“As you proceed in your investigation, we feel it is imperative to learn and understand what the schools knew and did and shared regarding this case,” the letter said. “Is your administration gathering that information? What have you learned?”