Homes for Troubled Boys Closed by County
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has approved the closure of a chain of four homes for troubled boys after allegations that the facilities were providing substandard care, misspending public funds and failing to submit to an audit.
About 40 boys from Fred’s Group Homes were already transferred to new homes last week, after operator Fred Baker refused to submit to a financial review by the county auditor controller’s office.
Tuesday’s board action completes the closure by canceling the contract for Baker, who was paid about $53,000 per year for each of the foster children placed in his homes, which are located in Compton, Lancaster and South-Central Los Angeles.
Baker has called the allegations against his homes lies and said he was targeted because he is one of the few black group home providers in the county who receives a high level of compensation for his work.
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