A former Clearfield County couple who served as foster parents have sued the county’s child welfare agency for placing a youth with a troubled past in their home, but, without informing them their new foster child was a “sexual abuser and predator of other children.”

According to the lawsuit filed last week with the federal District Court in Johnstown, the foster child, who was in his teens, began “abusing and corrupting” the couple’s own children who were much younger.

The foster child was described as being bigger and stronger than the other children in the home.

The couple and their four children no longer live in Pennsylvania, but, according to the lawsuit, the foster family was identified by Clearfield County’s Children, Youth and Family Services as a potential adoptive home for the teenager.

The lawsuit was filed by Clearfield attorney Ben Riehle.

For purposes of the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are using pseudonyms with the last name “Doe.”

The Doe family consists of a mother, father and four minor children, ages 10 to one.

The foster child, as related in the federal petition, was himself a victim of sexual and physical abuse, who became an abuser of other children.

Between March and July 2024, Clearfield CYS contacted the Doe family about taking in the teen, but noted that first it had to be determined if the couple “had any undisclosed matters which would make them inappropriate persons to care for the youth.”

The background investigation “confirmed the Doe home was appropriate to care for the potential foster child.”

The defendants in the case include two CYS supervisors, two agency caseworkers, a nonprofit agency known as Lifespan Family Services, which has several offices in Pennsylvania, and which supervises the agency’s foster care program.

An employee of Lifespan is also named as a defendant.

In the way of background, it was reported the teenager was subjected to sexual abuse and his parents were unable to provide proper care for him.

The federal petition reported that while the couple was approved to become foster parents for the teen, neither Clearfield CYS nor Lifespan reported to the potential foster parents that the child was a victim of sexual and physical abuse.

On April 12, 2025, the couple was “thrilled to have (the foster child) as part of their family,” the lawsuit stated.

The teen however soon began sexually abusing one of the younger children.

He would turn on “dirty Netflix shows” and began also teaching the children sexual acts, the story continued.

He threw rocks at the children and “threatened to kill everyone,” the lawsuit reported.

In August, the foster child punched one of the younger Doe children in the face.

“The Doe family children, stripped of their innocence and corrupted by sexual and physical abuse, suffered and continue to suffer severe mental and emotional damage, and also suffered physical harm,” the lawsuit concluded.

It stated, “All of the defendants knew (the foster child) was a sexual predator, having previously forced other children to engage in sexual activity. The defendants conspired among themselves and others not to disclose to (the Doe parents) the sexual acts (the youth) had engaged in with other children, or that (he) was a sexual predator.”

The lawsuit charged the defendants with conspiring to withhold that information from the foster parents.

It also accuses Lifespan of failing to disclose to parents in a new foster home the background of a child who represents a possible danger to other children.

The failure to disclose this information in the present case means the Doe family will “continue to suffer substantial injuries and damage.”

It asks for an award of money damages for the family, including punitive damages and attorney’s fee.

The amount of damages would exceed $75,000, it was stated.

Federal District Judge Stephanie L. Haines of Johns­­­­town will preside over the case.