Arizona’s Department of Child Safety confirms the agency has removed 40 foster kids from their group homes.
The homes are run by P.O.W.E.R. House Youth Facility. The agency’s website says it serves at-risk males ages 12-21 and provides 24 hour residential supervision. Website photos show teens on camping and horseback riding trips.
DCS officials would not comment on the reason for the removal of the children citing an ongoing investigation. DCS spokesman Doug Nick says the children have been moved to “appropriate placements.”
P.O.W.E.R. House CEO Glen Mayberry tells ABC15 there was a case of sex abuse in June between two of his foster kids. He says the children were 7 and 10 years old. He says employees reported the suspected abuse to authorities within a day, and they have improved safety precautions since the incident.
Mayberry says DCS allowed both the alleged perpetrator and victim to continue living at the home. He says those two kids were suddenly removed with dozens of others last week. He claims 47, not 40, children were taken out of his foster homes.
"The way they handled this was not about the kids," said Mayberry. "They have again made a rush to judgment, and it caused more trauma to the kids we're taking care of."
Mayberry says P.O.W.E.R. House has been a licensed foster care provider for 12 years and had a good record of protecting those kids. He said several children lived at his facilities for 3 to 4 years
