At Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A., we believe every child in state custody deserves a safe environment, proper medical care, and basic human dignity. Tragically, a systemic failure within the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) and its private group homes has stripped vulnerable children of these fundamental rights.
On April 21, 2026, attorney Robert E. Pastor sent a formal letter to the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. The letter demands an independent federal investigation into a horrific pattern of discrimination and medical neglect that led to the preventable deaths of two young boys with Type 1 diabetes: 9-year-old Jakob Blodgett and 15-year-old Christian Williams.
The Legal Duty & Shocking Failures
Type 1 diabetes is a federally recognized disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Arizona DCS and its foster care contractors are legally required to make reasonable accommodations to care for these children. Instead, a staggering lack of training and accountability resulted in catastrophe:
Jakob Blodgett (Age 9): Placed with Sunshine Residential Homes, Inc., Jakob was left in the care of daily staff who had zero training in diabetes management. The home’s manager repeatedly confused his medications, leaving Jakob completely without his life-saving, long-lasting nighttime insulin on consecutive nights. Despite his blood glucose levels spiking past 500 mg/dL and staff sending texts about his severe headaches, the crisis was ignored. Jakob suffered severe brain swelling from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and died on December 23, 2022.
Christian Williams (Age 15): Placed with Catalyst Community Corp., state investigators later revealed that not a single direct care worker interviewed possessed basic knowledge or training in Type 1 diabetes. On July 7, 2024, Christian began vomiting extensively and entered a severely confused mental state. Staff refused his roommate’s pleas to call an ambulance, claiming Christian was "faking it". While Christian lay unconscious on the bathroom floor, a worker mocked him and threatened to pour water on his head. Christian suffered cardiac arrest from advanced DKA and was pronounced dead on July 10, 2024.
A Systemic Crisis: "DCS: State of Failure"
These deaths point to a broader, deeply disturbing crisis within Arizona’s foster care system. This ongoing failure is the subject of an investigative series by ABC 15 News titled DCS: State of Failure.
Compounding the tragedy, DCS Director Kathryn Ptak publicly stated that DCS and its group homes cannot "force" children to take necessary medication. Medical experts argue that this stance is a complete abdication of a legal guardian's duty. When a child exhibits non-adherent behaviors, a capable guardian must immediately coordinate with medical and mental health specialists—not watch the child slide into a fatal diabetic coma. On behalf of these grieving families, we are demanding independent investigations and urgent regulatory overhauls.
Has Your Child Suffered Neglect in Arizona Foster Care?
No child should enter the state's protection only to face severe medical neglect or a fatal lack of accommodation. If your child or a loved one has suffered injuries, a worsening medical condition, or a denial of rights while in an Arizona DCS group home or foster placement, you have the right to demand accountability.
The civil rights and personal injury attorneys at Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A. are actively investigating these systemic failures. Contact us today at (602) 483-6869 to discuss your situation in a confidential consultation, and let us fight to protect Arizona's most vulnerable children.