Senator Diamond expressed appreciation for justice in the sentencing of Jessica Trefethen who was sentenced to 47 years in prison after being found guilty of depraved indifference murder of her 3-year-old son, Maddox Williams. Diamond expressed frustration knowing Maddox’s death could have been prevented if DHHS had been more diligent and not placed him with a known and unfit child abuser.
“Having attended this and other child homicide trials, this is another sad case of poor decision making by DHHS. A little child was abruptly removed from a safe and loving home with his grandmother and placed in a known dangerous and abusive environment with his biological mother and OCFS totally ignored the objections and pleadings of the grandmother and family members,” Diamond said.
The trial revealed that Maddox suffered horrible torture and abuse by Trefethen until he finally died. The Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) supported and encouraged the unexpected removal of Maddox from the care of his grandmother and placed him with Trefethen to the surprise and anguish of many.
In 2021 Maine experienced a record number child deaths including homicides, most of whom had association with DHHS prior to their death. The Maine Child Welfare Ombudsman has repeatedly reported that OCFS continues to make inappropriate decisions when placing children in households.
“Once again OCFS refused to listen to credible warnings and made a nonsensical, inexcusable and fatal decision to place Maddox in a household that everyone knew was unsafe. The question they need to answer is …why did they place a little child with someone who they knew very well had a history of child abuse and dangerous behavior,” Diamond said.