Baxter foster home loses license after maltreatment, neglect investigation

BAXTER, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota's Department of Human Services (DHS) revoked the license of a foster home in Baxter, Minnesota, following an investigation into reports of neglect and maltreatment of seven children.

State investigation timeline

DHS issued an Order of Temporary Immediate Suspension on the foster home on Jan. 12, 2024, followed by an Order of Indefinite Suspension on May 24. 

The investigation determined the authorized agent of the facility was responsible for "recurring maltreatment" that "would cause him to be disqualified" from any position that would involve him having interactions with people receiving services from state programs.  

However, the authorized agent died in a vehicle crash on May 28. In response, DHS said, "No further action will be taken regarding the disqualification." 

On Aug. 29, DHS issued its Determination of Maltreatment and Order of License Revocation. 

State investigation findings

State investigators determined there were seven victims of maltreatment at Pinehaven Youth and Family Services.

One incident of maltreatment saw the authorized agent use "disparaging and/or derogatory language toward the youth".

The same authorized agent also reportedly "touched the youth in a manner that the youth did not like" after foster children told the agent to stop. The touching was described as "zingers" or "shocker cables" by poking foster children's sides as well as rubbing their shoulders and heads. Investigators found the agent "'didn't take it seriously'" or "'laughed it off'" when asked to stop. 

DHS officials said Pinehaven Youth and Family Services also violated licensing laws and rules by failing to ensure planned discharges for foster children, failing to ensure appropriate levels of staffing and failing to maintain records, including emergency contact information, for foster children in the program.

The discharge failure reportedly happened when Pinehaven closed the program without informing the foster children or their social workers and guardians. 

State regulations say there must be a ratio of one adult for every five children, but there were multiple times when a staff member worked with more than five foster children at a time, according to the investigation findings. They would also sometimes work for two or three days at a time without knowing when they would be relieved because they were not given a schedule. 

The lack of emergency contact information was discovered on Oct. 30, 2023, when law enforcement responded to a report at Pinehaven. Staff then told law enforcement they had no emergency information for at least two of the foster children.  

The investigation also found the home was in poor condition, with broken windows, feces smeared in the bathrooms, door frames kicked in, holes in the walls that were large enough for a child to crawl through into another child's room, mold, and a hazardous broken gazebo in the backyard. 

Investigators also found the authorized agent told four other foster children and two other staff members about a foster child's "bed-wetting" and added that the child's significant other "will have to wear a life jacket."

What comes next

The license holder has a right to appeal the license revocation. 

However, the license holder at Pinehaven died unexpectedly earlier this year. 

FOX 9 attempted to reach out to Pinehaven, but the number listed on the website was disconnected. The facility is also listed as "permanently closed" when searched on Google. 

No criminal charges have been announced in relation to this case.