Letters to the Editor: A tragedy in the L.A. County welfare system

To the editor: The accidental death of Justin Bulley is a horrific tragedy. For me as a court-appointed special advocate for children in the L.A. County foster care system, his death hits particularly hard. I became a volunteer for the CASA program after learning of the death of Gabriel Fernandez many years ago. It felt like the system failed him and I wanted to help.

What I have seen firsthand in my seven years is a system overwhelmed with more children than social workers can comfortably handle. Many situations are not clear cut. Workers are condemned for taking children away from their homes too quickly and vilified for not removing children from homes that prove deadly.

I am not defending what happened here, it’s profoundly tragic. But nowhere does this article place blame with negligent parents and relatives. Justin’s family failed him as surely as any system.

If you want real change, step up. Get involved, be present in a foster kid’s life and advocate for one who has only an overburdened system to keep them safe.

Kelli Nicholas, Simi Valley