REPORT CITES BLUNDERS IN GIRL'S DEATH SOCIAL WORKERS IGNORED SIGNS FOSTER CHILD, 5, WAS IN DANGER.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

Los Angeles County social workers made a series of errors in the case of 5-year-old foster child Desarie Saravia, who was raped and beaten to death shortly after being returned to her mother's care, an internal report obtained Monday says.

In addition, social workers inappropriately referred the family to a Department of Children and Family Services program that links families to services in the community while the girl and her brother remained at home, despite a finding that the children were at a ``very high'' risk of abuse, the report said.

The report said the girl's death may have been prevented had social workers followed policies requiring them to make frequent home visits, investigate prior allegations of abuse and neglect and assess the mother's substance-abuse problem.

``On at least two occasions, DCFS was presented with clear information that these children were in danger,'' wrote Michael D. Watrobski, deputy inspector general of the department. ``However, the (social workers) did not follow established policy and procedures, as well as common social work practice.

``Investigation into the performance of these social workers revealed a long-standing history of failing to adequately do their job.''

As a result of the case, DCFS Director David Sanders said policies have been changed to never close cases in which children are deemed at high or very high risk of abuse, unless a manager approves it.

``If it's high risk - meaning this family is at a high likelihood of re-abusing their children - then we need to offer services,'' Sanders said. ``We have to open a child protection case. In the past, our pattern was to put every child into foster care.

``There are things we can do to reduce the risk without putting the child into foster care. But we can't just say we are going to close the case. We have to open a case and provide a plan that reduces the risk.''

In January, the girl's mother, Debby Saravia, 26, pleaded not guilty to murder and other felonies stemming from the beating death of her daughter in November in Castaic.

Saravia's boyfriend, Antonio Rodriguez, 23, pleaded not guilty in December to multiple felony counts, including first-degree murder with special circumstances, torture, assault on a child causing death and forcible lewd acts on a child.

A court hearing to set a preliminary hearing in their case will be held Sept. 12.

The examination of the girl revealed cigarette burns on her legs and arms, marks on her back, chest and arms consistent with being beaten with an extension cord; old and new injuries in various stages of healing and an overall appearance of being malnourished, Watrobski wrote.

The case first came to the attention of the DCFS in September 2002, when a report was made that Desarie and her 7-year-old brother had been abandoned in the home of their grandparents while the mother was incarcerated for possession of a controlled substance, Watrobski wrote.

A second suspected child abuse referral was made in April 2003 alleging that the children had been abused by their mother and her boyfriend and that she was the victim of domestic violence, Watrobski wrote.

``Allegations that the children were victims of physical abuse as well as the nature and extent of the mother's drug problems were not fully investigated,'' Watrobski wrote.

In August 2004, the social worker was asked to investigate allegations that Rodriguez had hit the boy with his belt, but the social worker did not investigate, Watrobski wrote.

``Obviously, this is a tragedy beyond words,'' said Tony Bell, spokesman for Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. ``And Supervisor Antonovich's request for an investigation and remedial action was to ensure that the protocols used for placement were sound and that no child is put in the dangerous situation this girl was.''

Troy Anderson, [phone]

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com