Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, has requested that Oklahoma's attorney general start a multicounty grand jury to investigate allegations of "gross negligence and failure to protect children from sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect" against the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. This request, made in a letter shared by the Oklahoma House of Representatives, follows similar calls by Adam Panter, the district attorney for Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties.
Humphrey, in his correspondence, accuses the Department of Human Services of overlooking and, at times, participating in "I believe a substantial portion of DHS employees and administration have intentionally ignored or participated in blatant abuse and abhorrent criminal acts." He also states that the Department of Human Services has refused to address its "dishonest and unlawful conduct," suggesting ongoing dysfunction within the department, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Representative Humphrey's letter to the attorney general outlines violations and alleged illegal acts by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services. He wrote, "I have personally exposed numerous violations and alleged illegal acts of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services," and stated that despite repeated efforts to hold Department of Human Services accountable, "government officials responsible for overseeing these agencies have shown little to no interest in investigating the innumerable reported offenses." Humphrey expressed concern that delays in addressing these issues pose a threat to vulnerable children and families and emphasized that "he personally cannot stand to see another child unnecessarily victimized," urging the attorney general to take immediate action, as stated by the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
