JUN 19, 2022
The maternal grandfather of Orrin and Orson West — the California City brothers whose adoptive parents now face murder charges in their deaths — has filed a claim against the
www.bakersfield.com
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Leif Dean, the maternal grandfather, seeks upward of $25,000 in a civil case against Child Protective Services, an agency under the Department of Human Services. He maintains the agency ignored his requests to gain custody of Orrin, 4, and Orson West, 3, after they were adopted by Trezell and Jacqueline West. The claim is filed under the Kern County Board of Supervisors Tuesday agenda.
“His rights … were taken away and divested when CPS did what they did and handled everything inappropriately,” said Antonio Castillo, Dean’s attorney. The biological family “begged and pleaded with CPS to put the boys” in their custody, Castillo added.
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Castillo is also representing the toddlers’ biological father, Charles Pettus, and paternal grandmother, Brenda Pettus, who have filed a lawsuit against CPS making similar allegations. He said he hopes to add Dean to the lawsuit. Kern County has rejected the claim, the attorney added.
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Castillo said the standard procedure dictates asking the biological family to take care of the children before removing parental rights, and CPS didn’t do that.
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Graham, the assistant county counsel, said Kern County will have 45 days to review the claim.