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Why Did He Die? Teenager’s Lonely Journey Through 10 Institutions (PDF)
Published February 12, 1980
On Jan. 17, Michael James Ervin died at age 17. But his hanging death in an Orangevale group home has raised questions about the subsequent investigation and about California’s system of institutional and foster care. This is the first of a two-part report.
Ugly Death of California Boy, 6, Prompts Closer Look at Foster (PDF)
Published November 14, 1979
Foster care for abused and neglected children has been described as a national bureaucratic nightmare. Reform of the foster care system is expected to be a major focus of a state Master Plan for Services to Children and Youth. A public hearing on the progress of the plan is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday in Room 6031 of the Capitol. The following is the first of a two-part Bee investigation into the death of a California foster child.
