WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., June 4 (UPI) -- Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed into law a $9.5 million claims bill for the adoptive family of three boys raped and abused while in government foster care.
The boys, now ages 17, 16 and 14, will each receive $256,666.66 a year for the next 10 years. The parents will receive annual payments of $90,000.
The money will go to pay for the boys' education and treatment, The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post reported the parents, identified only as Debbie and Jorge, as saying.
The brothers were found to have been raped, caged and starved in foster care and the Palm Beach County couple who adopted them were unaware of their horrific abuse, even after telling state Department of Children and Families officials they did not want to adopt children with sexual problems, the newspaper said.
The boys later molested other children, killed the family's pets and tried to poison Debbie, the newspaper said. They also were expelled from school and got in trouble with the law.
They have been receiving treatment out of state for about 18 months, Debbie told Crist.
The family's story separately led to legal changes that let prospective foster and adoptive parents see the case files of children they consider for care.
