Foster Care Child Abuse Case Headed to Grand Jury
By Tanya Eiserer
Graphic pictures show black and blue bruises that covered Justin Cook's body. The 14-year-old teenager says he received those bruises at the hands of an 18-year-old who beat him, choked him and sexually assaulted him. He says the abuse happened at the Waxahachie foster home run by Texas Baptist Home for Children in 2013. "They called me a liar and I was punished," Cook said. "When I tried to report it, they wouldn't believe me." For more than a year, Justin and his mother have been fighting to bring someone to justice for the abuse he says he suffered at the hands of another foster child. On Wednesday, the family was notified via email that the Waxahachie Police Department was making a grand jury referral for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and injury to a child in the case. Police officials confirmed the cases were sent Thursday to the Ellis County District Attorney's Office. He and his mother felt vindicated by the news. "He's had nightmares and he told me yesterday [...] he can sleep without having to worry," said Angel Cook, who has been leading a public crusade against Child Protective Services, the agency she says failed to protect her children while they were in the state's custody. The Texas Baptist Home for Children is affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. News 8 does not typically name victims of sexual assault. But in this case, Justin, who has been publicly vocal about the abuse he suffered, agreed to let his name be used. The Cooks' long nightmare began in March 2013 when their four-year-old adoptive son, Buddy, died at their Cleburne home. The Cooks were charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony punishable by up to life in prison. They were eventually cleared after the medical examiner who performed the autopsy came forward saying he believed that Buddy died of natural causes, not from something the Cooks did or did not do. But in the meantime, their seven children – including then-14-month-old Wesley – were living in four different homes run by Texas Baptist.
Angel Cook said each of her children suffered abuse, neglect or both. Not long after being put in foster care, Justin says he only complained to his foster mother about the physical abuse. "They would hit me on a daily basis," said Justin Cook, who speaks with a slight stutter. "I was tired of them touching me and doing stuff to me." CPS documents obtained by News 8 show that his foster mother, Sandi St. Clair, indicated to caseworkers in May 2013 that she thought Justin was trying to get attention by making comments about wanting to get in fights, drinking deer blood and going to jail. "He also makes statements like he wants to be tortured and wants people to abuse him," the records say. "He is constantly asking kids in the cottage to 'hit him in the stomach…' Ms. St. Clair stated she thinks he is trying to build up his pain tolerance." The following month, in June 2013, Justin complained to his mother about the abuse during a visit. He told his mother that the 18-year-old boy was sexually abusing him and "forcing him down on the ground and punching him in the back." He showed his mother bruises on his stomach, and told her he planned to run away. Worried, Angel Cook notified officials about her son's complaints. At another visit a few weeks later, she says her son had new bruises on his arms and legs. She says her son didn't' want to talk about it, saying that he had gotten grounded as a result of telling her about the abuse at the prior meeting. By October, the situation had worsened. She says Justin came to a visit with a family and he was visibly upset. He told his parents that the abuse had worsened. He again wanted to run away. Angel Cook says she called his caseworker begging for Justin to be removed from that foster home. "They basically made us feel like liars," Angel Cook said. Patrick Barkman, the family's attorney, then got involved notifying CPS and its lawyers about Justin's accusations that same month. He says his complaints fell on deaf ears and Justin remained in the home foster home. In December 2013, the criminal charges against the Cooks were dropped. Their children went to live with a family friend for several months. They returned home one year ago Thursday. But Angel Cook has kept up a very public crusade against CPS, demanding investigations. She, Justin and another of her sons testified twice before legislative committees about the failings of CPS and the foster care system. Last year, an investigation by the Texas Department of Department of Family and Protective Services "ruled out" a finding of "neglectful supervision of the children." Barkman calls the investigation conducted by a state regulators "a joke" and a "whitewash." "They talked to the Cook children who told them what happened," Barkman said. "They talked to the caseworker and the foster placement and they both said nothing happened there so CPS reaction here was 'Well, we're done.'" Barkman credits Angel Cook's tenacity with ensuring that Justin Cook's case got investigated by police. "Somebody is finally listening to these kids and somebody is finally listening especially to Justin who I think is the real hero in this," Barkman said. "Not a lot of adults could do or would do what he has done let alone young people. He's a really big young man so we tend to forget he's still a kid. But he was willing to step up and talk about things that aren't pleasant because he wanted to protect other kids in his situation." Texas Baptist Homes did not respond to a request for comment. Justin's former foster father, Christopher St. Clair, also declined to comment. "I cannot say anything about it," he told News 8. "I have been asked by my head office not to say a word." Justin and his mother still worry about the children who still live in the foster homes. This is why he's speaking publicly. "I can help the other kids so they won't be abused in foster care or in the state's care," Justin Cook said. Angel Cook isn't done. She's working with the Texas Civil Rights Project to file a lawsuit against Texas Baptist Homes, CPS and the foster families. "I feel completely failed by this agency. Enough is enough," Angel Cook said. "Child abuse is wrong no matter who has custody, even the state of Texas."
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