Lawsuit: 15-year-old in Missouri foster care dies from ear infection which developed into sepsis

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A newly filed federal lawsuit claims a 15-year-old Kansas City, Missouri, boy died from sepsis stemming from an ear infection.

The wrongful death lawsuit targets the foster parent, respite provider, case worker, and organizations in charge of Marcus Haynes’ care.

The filing says Haynes was diagnosed with an ear infection on September 8, 2021. He died on November 29, 2021.

The lawsuit says caretakers were instructed to return him the ER if his condition worsened.

Attorneys claim medics were called to the foster home but were unable to find a pulse. They attempted CPR for 30 minutes before transporting the teenager to Research Hospital.

The lawsuit states Marcus was found lying on the floor. It argues negligence surrounding his care.

Medics found Marcus lying on the floor and discovered he had soiled his bed and himself. Medics noted that the soiling of Marcus’s bed and body was not recent because there was no odor, and the sheets were dry.

The lawsuit argues that the Missouri Department of Social Services, Children’s Division and Missouri Alliance for Children and Families placed Marcus with unfit foster parents who failed to provide adequate medical care.

The filing also argues there is a lack of training and supervision with both organizations.

The lawsuit is brought on behalf of Marcus’s surviving siblings.

It asks for the foster parents to be held responsible for Marcus’s death, too.

KCTV5 attempted to connect with the foster parents and did not hear back.

The Department of Social Services told us they do not comment on pending litigation.

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