Former DCFS employee turns self in, accused of falsifying reports on mandatory foster-home visits

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - A now former Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services employee has turned herself in after a warrant was issued for her arrest on charges of falsifying reports about mandatory monthly in-home visits with children in foster care.

Kimberly D. Lee, of Calhoun, LA, was required to conduct monthly in-home visits with each child in foster care in the Monroe area. She was assigned to handle a caseload of children who were in foster care after having been placed, by court order, in the care, supervision and custody of the State, according to the warrant.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) received a complaint from DCFS on Dec. 5, 2014.

On March 15, 2015, investigators with the OIG received a completed administrative report from DCFS showing Kimberly Lee falsified the documents.

Investigators identified 20 reports which purported to document in-home visits that did not take place. All 20 falsified reports took place between July 31, 2013 to August 15, 2014.

Lee was interviewed by OIG investigators in Monroe, LA on June 25, 2015. During the interview, Lee told investigators she created the false reports in an attempt to "get things done no matter what." Lee said her work load and the pressures placed on her by supervisors required her to use "buzz words."

Lee is charged with 20 counts of filing or maintaining false public records and two counts of malfeasance in office.

The warrant for Lee's arrest was issued Feb. 8, 2016.

Lee became a Child Welfare Specialist 1 on Dec. 10, 2012.

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