In a shocking conclusion to a heartrending case, Catholic Charities Corp. has been mandated by an Ohio jury to pay $960,000 to Michelle Rodriguez, who levied accusations of reckless negligence against the organization. The case spotlighted the alleged failures in monitoring an employee implicated in severe dereliction of duty leading to a child’s death.
Details of the Negligence
The legal battle, which captured widespread attention, centered around the lack of supervision over Nancy Caraballo, an employee of Catholic Charities. According to allegations, Caraballo deceitfully skipped mandated checks on five-year-old Jordan Rodriguez over several months. Jordan, who suffered from multiple developmental disabilities, was tragically found deceased in a shallow grave in his parents’ backyard—a gruesome end that underscored the claimed oversight failures.
Michelle Rodriguez contended that Caraballo never conducted the necessary visits and instead engaged in transactions to buy food stamps from Jordan’s mother at reduced prices. These serious accusations were compounded by Caraballo’s admitted guilt in charges related to food stamps misuse and record tampering.
$960K Ohio Child Death Case: Judicial Outcomes and Responsibilities
The jury’s verdict was part of a broader decision, where Catholic Charities was found responsible for 8% of a staggering $12 million total verdict, translating to the $960K penalty. The remainder of the financial judgment was attributed to other non-parties, details of which remain under wraps due to ongoing legal restrictions.
