DENVER, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The parents of a 7-year-old boy whose stepfather allegedly starved him to death are planning to sue child welfare agencies in Colorado over the tragedy.
As part of their planned lawsuits against the state and county agencies, Christina Grafner and Josh Norris are accusing child welfare officials of not taking action to protect their son, Chandler Grafner, the Rocky Mountain News said Wednesday.
The child died in his stepfather's home in Denver on May 7, after allegedly being forced to live inside a closet until he weighed little more than 30 pounds.
The stepfather, Jon Phillips, along with his common-law wife, Sarah Berry, have been accused of not feeding the young boy for extended periods while in he was in their care.
They both have pleaded not guilty to homicide charges and their trial will likely begin next March, the newspaper said.
Meanwhile, Grafner and Norris have filed a letter of intent regarding their impending lawsuits, in which they are seeking $150,000 each.
"The complete failure of (the state agencies) to do their jobs on multiple occasions directly led to the premature and horrific death of 7-year-old Chandler Ashton Grafner," that letter said.
