Former Caseworker Pleads Guilty In False Reporting Of Child Abuse Cases
DENVER (CBS4) — A former caseworker pleaded guilty to two felony counts in relation to false reporting interviews with victims, family members or witnesses in cases of alleged child abuse or neglect.
Richelle Schultz, a former employee at the Jefferson County Department of Human Services, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to attempt to influence a public servant and forgery.
Schultz, 63, was employed by Jeffco between Dec. 1, 2015 and July 31, 2016 and was trained to investigate complaints alleging child abuse and neglect.
After she terminated her employment, a review of her cases was conducted. It was determined that she entered false information into a state database that acts as "a significant source of information" for supervisors deciding how to follow up on reports of abuse or neglect.
In the 12 cases at issue, she reported that she had interviewed the victim, family and/or witnesses in person and/or on the telephone, which she had not.
After a review by the Jefferson County Department of Human Services, supervisors confirmed that there were no unresolved safety issues in those cases and all cases were closed.
