To the editor: The accidental death of Justin Bulley is a terrible tragedy. For me, as a court-appointed special advocate for children in the Los Angeles County foster care system, his death is especially hard. I became a volunteer for the CASA program after learning of Gabriel Fernandez's death many years ago. I felt that the system had failed him and I wanted to help.
What I have seen firsthand in my seven years of work is a system overwhelmed by more children than social workers can comfortably handle. Many situations are unclear. Workers are condemned for removing children from their homes too quickly and vilified for not removing children from homes that turn out to be deadly.
I'm not defending what happened here, it's deeply tragic. But at no point does this article blame negligent parents and family members. Justin's family failed him as surely as any system.
If you want real change, step up. Get involved, be present in the life of a foster child, and advocate for someone who only has an overburdened system in place to keep them safe.
Kelli Nicholas, Simi Valley
