Sad news from our colleagues in WV

8-2-08, 12:58 am

Dear Leaders in NASW West Virginia,

Social worker Brenda Lee Yeager, 51, of Lincoln County, a Child Protective Service (CPS) Worker, was tragically killed in the line of duty on Wednesday. Her body was found today and the circumstances of her murder are beginning to surface.

The members and leaders of the National Association of Social Workers, West Virginia Chapter mourn the loss of our valued colleague and share in the grief of her family and loved ones. We also mourn for the innocent children whose lives have been irrevocably altered by this tragedy.

Below are two news media reports on the murder. This event will receive much news coverage in the coming days, so we wanted you to be aware and prepared in case you are asked for comment. The media reports we have seen have shown a great respect for Brenda as a social worker, and noted that CPS workers are not adequately compensated for the important work they do. Even an accomplice, who was not involved in the murder, bemoaned the fact that such a terrible thing had happened to a social worker who was trying to help.

We do not know why Brenda was visiting this family alone. To comment on this would be pure speculation. Although policies on field visits vary with the situation, Brenda would probably be alive today if she had not called on this family alone. Not only has the life of a dedicated social worker been senselessly lost, but the lives of the children she was trying to protect and adults in their sphere have been irrevocably changed for the worse.

This tragedy will increase the National Association of Social Worker's commitment to implement better policies, procedures, staffing, training and salaries to prevent it from happening again.

Last year, the State of Kentucky passed social worker safety legislation in the wake of a similar tragedy. During its 2008 Regular Session, the West Virginia Legislature considered, but did not pass, an important bill designed to improve social worker safety. SB 286/HB 4103 would have increased criminal penalties for those who commit felony or misdemeanor assault and battery on CPS or APS (Adult Protective Service) social workers operating in the performance of their duties. If passed, social workers would have been included with law enforcement and other public safety officers, and recognized as often being put in dangerous situations in the course of the work.

The threat of increased criminal penalties may well avert some violent crimes against social workers, but more can be done:

- Policies and staffing levels should insure that social workers never go alone into potentially violent situations in the field.

- Social workers should be equipped with self-defense skills and technology to insure their personal safety.

- State and federal funds should be applied to insure that social workers in protective services are well trained and competitively paid for the important work they do.

For several years, NASW West Virginia has sponsored social worker safety courses to increase awareness, offer safety tips, and improve self-defense skills. We will continue to do so, and we will work to insure that employers provide social workers with the tools needed to do their jobs safely and effectively.

THANK YOU for your leadership and service to NASW WV!
Please let me know if you have questions concerning this message.

Take care,Sam

Sam Hickman, ACSW, LCSW
Executive Director
NASW West Virginia Chapter


WVMETRONEWS.com

08/01/2008 Three Arrests Made In Murder of Social Worker StaffHuntington
Huntington State Police made three arrests in connection with a missing persons case. The following is the State Police release.
ON THURSDAY JULY 31, 2008 THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE RECEIVED A COMPLAINT OF A MISSING ADULT, BRENDA YEAGER OF 8128 DINGESS AVENUE IN HAMLIN WV. SHE IS A SOCIAL WORKER AND WAS CONDUCTING HOME VISITS ON WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2008. THE STATE POLICE WAS ADVISED SHE HAD NOT BEEN SEEN OR HEARD FROM SINCE WEDNESDAY WHILE SHE WAS MAKING THESE VISITS. THE STATE POLICE BEGAN A MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATION AND ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE BODY OF A FEMALE AND A VEHICLE OF THE SAME MAKE AS THE VICTIM’S WAS LOCATED IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV. THE STATE POLICE BEGAN INVESTIGATING THIS DEATH AS A MURDER INVESTIGATION AND WAS OF THE BELIEF THAT THE BODY DISCOVERED WAS THAT OF BRENDA YEAGER. AS A RESULT OF THIS FINDING THE STATE POLICE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SEVERAL POTENTIAL WITNESSES AND SUSPECTS. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE BRENDA LEE YEAGER, THE VICTIM, HAD GONE TO THE RESIDENCE OF ROSEMARY FORNEY AND STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR. ON WEDNESDAY JULY 30, 2008 FOR A HOME VISIT. THE VICTIM WAS THEN ATTACKED AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY STEVEN FOSTER JR. AND ROSEMARY FORNEY. THE TWO THEN KILLED THE VICTIM. THE VICTIM’S BODY AND HER VEHICLE WERE MOVED TO A WOODED REMOTE AREA A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE RESIDENCE. IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE BODY AND THE VEHICLE WERE BURNT IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO DESTROY EVIDENCE OF THE CRIME. ON FRIDAY AUGUST 1, 2008 THE STATE POLICE ARRESTED THE FOLLOWING PERSONS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS MURDER: 1) STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR., AGE 23 (4293 MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV) CHARGE: MURDER2) ROSEMARY FORNEY, AGE 22 (4293 MOUNT UNION ROAD, HUNTINGTON, WV) CHARGE: MURDER3) STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER SR, AGE 51 (427 ½ 28TH AVENUE, HUNTINGTON, WV)HE IS THE FATHER OF STEVEN ANTHONY FOSTER JR.CHARGE:3RD DEGREE ARSON, CONSPIRACY, DISPOSAL OF A BODY UPON COMPLETION OF A CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION THE VICTIM’S BODY WAS SENT TO THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINERS OFFICE IN CHARLESTON FOR AN AUTOPSY AND FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ON GOING BY THE WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE.

WCHSTV.com

Three people are arrested for allegedly beating, sexual assaulting and burning the body of a missing social worker, Brenda Lee Yeager.

State police say the 51-year-old was last seen on Wednesday, her last scheduled stop was to be on Mount Union Road in Huntington, West Virginia.

Friday, a woman's body was found in a burned out car, the same make and model of Yeager's car, in a remote wooded area a short distance from her last stop.

Yeager's family members started to arrive at the crime scene after they read the local newspaper.

Jamie Jones, Yeager's son-in- law, says, "I got a call from my wife, saying the Herald Dispatch website says that they have found a burned vehicle with a females body in the Mount Union Ridge area."

Troopers say as they were interviewing potential witnesses and suspects lead them to the house that the victim had visited.

The residence turns out to be the home of 22 year old Rosemary Forney and 23 year old Steven Anthony Foster Jr. located on 4293 Mount Union Road in Huntington.

Foster, Forney and Foster's Father 51 year old Steven Anthony Foster Sr., were arrested in connection with Yeager's Murder.

Troopers say the victim was attacked, sexually assaulted and killed by Steven Foster, Jr. and Rosemary Forney.

Foster Sr., is charged with 3rd degree arson, conspiracy, and disposal of a body.