Politics
Arizona group home operator faced no state penalties following child's 2022 death
Sunshine Residential Homes later received a state rate increase after political donations, sparking ongoing investigations and campaign scrutiny.
The short version
- Sunshine Residential Homes faced no fines or license suspensions after 9-year-old foster child Jakob Blodgett died from Type 1 diabetes complications in 2022.
- The Department of Child Safety issued a licensing violation against the company two weeks before granting it a 30% rate increase in May 2023.
- The state attorney general found no evidence of bribery regarding political donations tied to Gov. Katie Hobbs, concluding the provider held significant leverage due to congregate-care capacity needs.
- Separate reviews by the state auditor general, the county attorney, and the sheriff's office remain ongoing.
Key facts
- Nine-year-old Jakob Blodgett died in 2022 from Type 1 diabetes complications after missing two doses of long-lasting insulin while placed at a Sunshine Residential Homes facility.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- The Arizona Department of Child Safety cited Sunshine with a licensing violation in May 2023 but did not issue fines, suspend, or revoke its operating license.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Two weeks after the citation, the state approved a 30% rate increase for Sunshine's group home beds.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Sunshine contributed $550,000 to political entities, including $100,000 to Gov. Katie Hobbs' inaugural fund and $150,000 to her legal defense fund.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes closed a bribery probe without charges, finding the rate adjustments were driven by the company's leverage as the largest state provider rather than political influence.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- A licensing official testified that direct care staff lacked training to identify symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis, with training limited to the facility house manager.[Associated Press · ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- The findings and eventual outcomes of ongoing probes by the Arizona Auditor General, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office remain undetermined.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Sunshine staff claimed the child refused to take his medicine, a point disputed by the family's attorney in ongoing civil litigation.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- State child welfare officials declined to publicly disclose the specific regulation violated or the detailed compliance measures required of the provider.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.