Indiana DCS Worker Allegedly Lied About Visiting Families—A Stark Warning About Foster Care System Failures
Photo Credit: Vanderburgh County Jail
Case Manager Charged with Official Misconduct, Falsifying Abuse Records in Evansville
A disturbing case has emerged out of Indiana: Sara Diane Wood, a former Family Case Manager with the Indiana DCS (Department of Child Services), was arrested after authorities alleged she falsified abuse and neglect records for multiple families in Evansville. (WFIE, 14 News Investigates)
Between 2021 and 2024, Wood reportedly claimed to visit families and document abuse concerns, when multiple families interviewed by investigators said they had never met or even seen her, despite records showing otherwise. Supervisors flagged her database entries for three separate families, leading to a formal investigation.
She was arrested and charged with Official Misconduct and three counts of falsifying abuse records or obstructing child abuse assessments. She has since been released from jail on a $750 bond.
Wood’s legal team responded that she is being targeted—alleging retaliation for complaining about high caseloads, inadequate support, and being denied contract protections by DCS.
Why This Case Matters
This incident reveals deep vulnerabilities within child welfare systems:
Misuse of Trust and Authority: Case managers wield significant influence. Allegedly filing abuse claims without actual contact destroys credibility and can magnify trauma.
Lack of Oversight: Despite multiple red flag entries, supervisors reportedly did not act until independent families contradicted the reports.
Broad Impact: False allegations can cause long-lasting damage—families can face unnecessary investigations, trauma, legal fees, and loss of trust in DCS.
Systemic Crisis: Why Foster Care & DCS Fail Vulnerable Children and Families
This case is not just an isolated misconduct; it exposes systemic crisis in foster care systems:
Dangerous Foster Care Realities
Children in foster care are 4x more likely to be abused than those who remain with their biological families, according to multiple studies.
A significant number of harm cases stem from in-home placements by state agencies without sufficient vetting or oversight.
Many state family divisions dismiss whistleblowers or fail to act on internal complaints.
Financial Incentives That Perpetuate Harm
Foster care systems are funded per child placement, incentivizing removal over preservation.
Agencies earn more federal reimbursements and state funds the longer children remain in care—not when families reunify.
That dynamic encourages case inertia, discourages critical review, and de-emphasizes prevention or reconciliation.
What the Evansville Case Should Teach Us
Evidence must be verified—no agency claim should be accepted without proof of actual contact.
Families deserve due process—notifications, hearings, appeals must rely on factual inmate records.
DFCS/DCS systems need independent oversight—especially when internal reporting is ignored or punished.
Whistleblower protections are essential—employees like Wood claim retaliation for speaking up.
Final Thought: A System Demands Accountability
Sara Wood’s case is a cautionary example of what happens when unchecked authority meets minimal oversight. If a case manager can allegedly fabricate abuse records without immediate consequences, then countless families—especially those who rely on DCS for help—could lose trust in the system entirely.
This must not be swept under the carpet.
