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Alameda County reached a settlement with the family of an 8-year-old girl who died after child welfare allegedly failed to intervene in her neglect and abuse by her mother.
“Sophia Mason was an 8-year-old girl who deserved protection and a full life,” the Alameda County Board of Supervisors said in a statement on behalf of the entire board Tuesday. “We mourn with her grandmother and extended family for what could have been.”
Sophia died in her Merced home in 2022, a year after being taken into the custody of her mother. Throughout this time, Alameda County received seven emergency hotline referrals saying Sophia was suffering abuse at home, according to a legal claim filed by attorneys representing her grandmother.
In 2023, Sophia’s mother pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, child abuse and causing great bodily injury in connection with her death.
As part of the settlement, the county will pay $12 million to Sylvia Johnson, Sophia’s grandmother, and dedicate a park bench to Sophia. The county also commissioned an independent investigation into its failures handling Sophia’s case that led to 25 suggestions for reform.
Among the deficiencies found in the resulting report was that social workers did not respond to and investigate all allegations of suspected child abuse or neglect. Child welfare workers also failed to cross-report to law enforcement, despite being mandated reporters.
Miranda Counseling & Consulting, which was contracted for the investigation, proposed greater oversight, injury documentation and internal auditing.
Alameda County’s Social Services Agency will “undergo extensive new training, be held to new documentation standards, and new accountability for oversight and accuracy in safety and risk assessments,” supervisors wrote in the statement.
– Story by Kayla Chan, Bay City News Service
