Legislator says family 'failed by DHS' in adoption

Attorney Jennifer Wells looks on as state Rep. Justin Harris and his wife Marsha speak at a news conference about "re-homing" two daughters they adopted.
Attorney Jennifer Wells looks on as state Rep. Justin Harris and his wife Marsha speak at a news conference about "re-homing" two daughters they adopted.

State Rep. Justin Harris said on Friday he and his wife were not prepared to care for two adopted girls with severe mental issues and "were failed" by the Arkansas Department of Human Services.

"I want to clarify that the victims here are the children, not myself, my wife or my children," Harris said at a news conference. "We are heartbroken by this situation. We attempted to make the situation work for two years because we cared deeply for the girls."

Harris confirmed to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette this week that he let his two adopted daughters live with a man who later sexually assaulted the oldest child, a 6-year-old girl.

Harris and his wife Marsha adopted the sisters in March 2013 at the request of the children's mother. There was "anger and an instant behavior change" when the girls realized they would not be "going back to Mom's house," Harris said.

Harris said they reached out to DHS "numerous times" but were threatened with abandonment charges.

The family has been cleared of those charges, Harris said.

Harris said at the conference that one of the girls "bashed in a 2-year-old's head with a rock" and another "crushed a family pet to death" and abused two other pets.

Harris also said one of the girls "disclosed her plan to kill everyone in the family."

Harris said after seeking counseling for the siblings, and at the recommendation of the professionals, he sent them to live with Eric Cameron Francis, now 39, and his wife in October 2013.

No law currently prohibits parents from leaving their children in the care of others.

Money received from the state Department of Human Services for the girls' support was forwarded on to the Francis home, Harris said.

Francis was arrested in April 2014 and pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault in the second degree, involving the oldest of the Harris' adopted daughters and two other girls.

The Harris family employed Francis at their daycare, Growing God's Kingdom, for three months.

See Saturday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full coverage.

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