Ohio Agency Critical Of Group-Home Placements After Park Slaying

A new report said child welfare workers should have known more about the violent background of a group home resident who has been charged in the slaying of a jogger in a central Ohio park. The report released Wednesday by Franklin County Children Services said it needs to better assess youths who end up in group homes. The agency also said it plans a review of all its group-home placements. The 16-year-old boy is accused of the fatal stabbing of 55-year-old Jane Juergens, who was attacked on Oct. 20 as she went for a run in a park in Blendon Township near Columbus. In the report of the 125 cases studied, about 15 percent of the group-home teens had violent, aggressive or self-harming behavior. ---