A powerful new broadcast by ABC 15 investigative journalist Nicole Grigg has shined a national spotlight on a horrifying crisis within the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS).
Attorney Robert Pastor, representing Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A., is formally calling on the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate whether Arizona DCS has a systemic pattern of discriminating against children with disabilities. This demand follows the tragic, preventable deaths of two young boys with Type 1 diabetes—9-year-old Jakob Blodgett and 15-year-old Christian Williams—who died of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) while in state custody.
Shocking Under-Oath Admissions from DCS
Recent deposition testimony obtained by Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A. has pulled back the curtain on the agency's severe lack of accountability. In a sworn deposition on March 31, 2026, a DCS licensing manager made several stunning admissions:
• Awareness of the Law: DCS officially acknowledged that Type 1 diabetes is a protected disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that the state is legally required to accommodate it.
• Zero Training Provided: Despite knowing the high-stakes nature of the disease, DCS confirmed that no specific training on the care and management of Type 1 diabetes was given to group homes prior to Christian Williams’ death in July 2024.
• No "Right to Refuse" Policy: Both group homes originally claimed they could not "force" the boys to take medication. However, the deposition revealed there is absolutely no written DCS policy, rule, or directive stating that children are permitted to refuse life-saving medical care.
"The Department of Child Safety put both children in group homes that were poorly trained and had zero knowledge or understanding of the disease," Pastor told ABC 15. "We need someone to come in who is not within the Department of Child Safety, because under the current administration, they're unwilling to be critical of themselves."
A History of Federal Scrutiny
This is not the first time Arizona DCS has faced federal intervention for civil rights violations. In 2024, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division found that DCS discriminated against parents and children with hearing disabilities, forcing the agency to implement changes. Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A. believes a similar, deep-dive federal investigation is urgently needed to uncover how many other disabled children are currently being ignored or denied proper accommodations.
While DCS claims it has recently partnered with Creighton University to introduce mandatory medical training and diabetes field guides for certain caregivers, these changes come far too late for Jakob and Christian.
Protect Your Child. Hold the State Accountable.
No child should face a life-threatening medical crisis because the state placed them with untrained, indifferent caretakers. If your child or a loved one has suffered medical neglect, a lack of disability accommodation, or injury while in an Arizona foster home or group home, you do not have to fight the system alone.
The legal team at Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A. is actively investigating these systemic failures and fighting for the civil rights of Arizona's most vulnerable children. Contact us today at (602) 483-6869 for a confidential, compassionate consultation, or visit our website to learn more about your rights.
👉 Read the full investigative report on ABC 15: Calls for Department of Justice to Investigate DCS Treatment of Children with Type 1 Diabetes