Image of Baltimore City Department of Social Services building courtesy of LoopNet
Every child placed in a foster home deserves safety, stability, and the chance to heal.
Yet newly filed court documents allege that, for some Baltimore youth in the 1970s, the very system designed to protect them became the source of their deepest trauma.
A Decade of Neglect and Harm
Andreozzi + Foote has filed a civil suit in the Baltimore City Circuit Court against the State of Maryland, acting through its agencies, the Baltimore City Department of Social Services (DSS) for placing two children in the foster home of John and Evelyn Brown. The suit alleges that the DSS failed to protect the child from sexual abuse that occurred approximately from from 1970 and 1979.
Allegations Against the Defendants
The perpetrators identified in the complaint are:
- John Brown (deceased), the foster parent
- John Brown’s brother
- A friend of John Brown’s brother
DSS’s Alleged Failures
The alleged failures of Baltimore City Department of Social Services include:
- Constitutional violation of bodily autonomy: The suit alleges that Baltimore City DSS, deprived the victims’ substantive due‑process right to bodily autonomy under Article 24 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights by not protecting them from abuse.
- Negligent supervision: DSS allegedly ignored warning signs, lacked effective oversight, and cultivated a culture where reports of abuse were not properly investigated.
- Policy and training failures: DSS allegedly failed to implement and enforce adequate child‑abuse prevention policies, procedures, and training, leaving children unprotected in the foster home environment.
These breaches enabled nearly a decade of unchecked abuse.
Under Maryland law, once the State places a child in foster care it stands in loco parentis—in the role of a parent—and must exercise the same duty of care a reasonable parent would provide. The suit contends that by failing to act as a vigilant guardian, Baltimore City DSS violated this obligation.
Allegations Point to Broader Systemic Failures
While the lawsuit is brought on behalf of two courageous survivors, the underlying failures have likely harmed many more foster children of the era.
Your voice matters.
If you lived in the Brown foster home—or suffered abuse in any Maryland foster care placement—sharing your story can be a powerful step toward your own healing.
How Andreozzi + Foote Can Help
Our team has many years of experience holding institutions accountable for foster care negligence.
We are committed to helping survivors seek accountability and move forward with confidence in a safe and supportive environment. Consultations are free and confidential. Call (866) 899-8753 to share your experience or email us at info@vca.law to explore your legal options.
