Workers can’t be sued

Child welfare workers can’t be sued in the death of a Centreville teen who perished in a fire, even if they knew she was routinely tied to her bed by her parents.

According to the Associated Press, Michigan’s federal appeals court has affirmed a decision by a judge in Grand Rapids. The court says the 2008 death of Calista Springer is “undeniably tragic,” but the state didn’t increase the danger.

The lawsuit was filed by the 17-year-old’s grandmother.

Springer died during an accidental fire while being restrained to her bed. Her father and stepmother were cleared of murder but convicted of torture and child abuse. According to the AP’s report, there was no dispute that the Department of Human Services had visited the home, but the last contact was nearly three years earlier.