State pays $1.25M in death of teen foster child

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The state of Oregon has agreed to pay $1.25 million to the family of a teen who died under the watch of child welfare workers.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports terms of the settlement became public this week after attorneys filed settlement documents in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Gloria Joya of Albany died at age 15 while in foster care in 2016 from untreated gastrointestinal problems, a health condition that a 2017 lawsuit claimed was made worse because of the girl’s tumultuous life.

The lawsuit claimed her health had quickly deteriorated, but instead of taking her to the hospital, a caseworker sent her to her aunt’s house. Her aunt brought her to the hospital the next day, where she later died.

The lawsuit said Oregon Department of Human Services child welfare workers had been contacted 28 times with concerns about Joya.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com