State child care investigations director resigns after 'insulting' texts about judge

The director who oversees child care investigations for the state's Family and Protective Services abruptly resigned Sunday after inflammatory texts from him were shared with the federal district judge who raised concerns about an ongoing investigation of a Bastrop County foster care facility.

After saying that the judge had politicized the investigation, former Director of Child Care Investigations Justin Lewis used an anti-female slur against the judge and added "she needs to get hit by a bus," according to screenshots of the texts in court documents.

U.S. District Judge Janis Jack called an emergency court hearing earlier this month to discuss allegations of criminal conduct by staff members at the Refuge Ranch as Jack continues to oversee a decade-old lawsuit against Texas officials over its foster care system. The recent development resulted in multiple state legislative hearings to scrutinize the state Department of Family and Protective Services, the agency from which Lewis resigned.

A current Refuge employee alleged neglectful supervision and sexual abuse of two girls by a former employee. While employed at the facility, the former employee obtained nude photos of the two girls and planned to use proceeds from the photos to buy illegal drugs and alcohol to be supplied to the youths, according to the current employee's report.

Read more: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/2022/03/21/texas-department-family-protective-services-investigations-director-resigns-refuge-ranch-bastrop/9457562002/