4 Santa Clara County social workers to be fired over 2-year-old's death

Santa Clara County child welfare officials have recommended firing four employees after an investigation into the death of 2-year-old Jaxon Juarez at a foster home, according to a county memo obtained by the Chronicle.

In a June 30 memo to Department of Family and Children's Services staff, agency Director Wendy Kinnear-Rausch and Assistant Director Melissa Suarez said 12 employees had been placed on paid administrative leave while the county reviewed Jaxon's case.

Of those employees, four are now facing termination, four have been cleared to return to work, three have left county employment through retirement or resignation and one remains on paid leave while the inquiry continues, the officials wrote. The county has not publicly identified the employees.

Jaxon died April 9 after he had been placed in a relative's home. Authorities have charged a teenage relative in juvenile court in connection with his death.

Jaxon had been placed with a relative in San Jose after his mother died and his father became unable to care for him. Authorities say the relative's teenage son later allegedly sexually abused Jaxon before killing him. He has been charged in juvenile court.

County officials said the placement should not have happened because the caregiver had a prior child endangerment conviction that should have disqualified her from serving as a foster parent.

"Jaxon's death is a heartbreaking tragedy, and in any case where we could have done more to prevent the loss of a child, we must expeditiously conduct a thorough and complete investigation," Kinnear-Rausch said in a statement to the Chronicle.

The case has renewed scrutiny of Santa Clara County's child welfare system, which has faced criticism after multiple children died while under county supervision or after being placed with relatives in recent years.

In the memo, Kinnear-Rausch and Suarez said the department is reviewing its emergency relative placement process, including making sure dedicated staff approve every proposed emergency relative placement.

"While this work continues, we have instituted interim protocols to strengthen our processes and procedures," Kinnear-Rausch said. "We are committed to supporting our DFCS staff as they work every day to improve these systems and keep children across our County as safe as possible."

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