DHS employee faces criminal charges<br/><span class='hl2'>Case worker didn't believe claims of abuse</span>

A young girl was sexually abused after a Department of Human Services case worker chose not to believe a 5-year-old's allegations against her foster brother, police say.

Online at NewsOK.com: Continuing coverage of DHS, including previous stories and related documents. Keyword: DHS

Timeline

According to an affadavit written by Detective Tony Foreman:

â€¢November 2006: Cannady, who was the case worker for Frazier and the 5-year-old he allegedly abused, placed them in the same south Oklahoma City foster home. The girl was placed in the home in November 2006 and removed six months later because of her violent behavior.

â€¢June 9: 5-year-old told her new foster mother she had been sexually abused by Frazier. The foster mother and a therapist reported the girl's claims to Cannady.

â€¢Aug. 8: Oklahoma City police learned about allegations against Frazier, when his foster mother reported her daughter had been raped. Foreman learned of the other girl's allegations about a week later when he talked to her former foster mother.

â€¢Sept. 6: Frazier admitted to sexually assaulting both girls after he was arrested.

â€¢Sept. 14: Frazier was charged with eight counts of rape, sodomy and lewd acts with a child.

Nancy Cannady, 63, was charged in Oklahoma County District Court on Friday with a misdemeanor count of failing to report the 5-year-old's claim she had been sexually abused in foster care.

Cecil Frazier, 17, is accused of raping another girl in his foster home before the first allegations came to light.

Cannady, a child welfare specialist, told Oklahoma City police she did not believe the 5-year-old's claim because she lies, according to court papers, but the teen subsequently admitted to sexually assaulting both girls.

Work history and future

The misdemeanor charge against Cannady has not jeopardized her job with the Department of Human Services.

Spokesman George Johnson declined to comment on the case because he was not familiar with the allegations.

Cannady has worked for DHS since April 2006, but Johnson said she has prior experience as a child welfare worker. He said the Guthrie resident recently transferred to the Logan County office, and the change was not a result of the allegations against her.

Cannady could be assigned to administrative duties until the criminal case is resolved, but the agency is not required to fire her unless she is convicted of a felony, Johnson said.