E. Oregon drug bust leaves 38 kids in foster care

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) – A large drug bust by the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team put 65 adults in four eastern Oregon counties behind bars, but also sent 38 children into the foster care system overnight.

The East Oregonian reported Friday that the sudden influx of children needing foster care in January sent caseworkers scrambling and courtrooms working overtime.

The families impacted were in Umatilla, Morrow, Union and Gilliam counties.

Jesus Rome, the director of Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, says he’s never seen that many children enter the foster care system in a single month in his seven years on the job.

Some of the children impacted by the drug sting still haven’t been paired with special court advocates.