As the child-endangerment trial of Danieal Kelly’s father and two social workers continued Thursday, a retired DHS supervisor testified that the worker assigned to the case faced numerous reprimands and suspensions on the job.
Danieal Kelly’s father, Daniel, and two social workers, Mikal Kamuvaka and Dana Poindexter, are on trial for their alleged roles in the 14-year-old cerebral-palsy stricken girl’s gruesome, DHS-altering death.
Reading from her evaluations of Poindexter, Donna Grubbs, who retired from DHS in 2006, said it’s “obvious you care less and less about your responsibilities as a social worker.” She then spoke about another case that Poindexter “put on a back burner,” but when police responded, they “became nauseated when they entered the house.”
When Poindexter received a 10-day suspension, a memo from then DHS Commissioner Alba Martinez concluded, “I hope this is the last time we have to remind you of these issues.” It wasn’t.
When DHS case worker Catherine Mondi fielded a hotline call about Danieal in 2004 — that she could be heard screaming at times and didn’t receive necessary services — she deferred to Poindexter, who was already assigned. She would die two years later.
Daniel Kelly is expected to testify.
