SUNBURY - The mother of a 16-year-old boy who died in January 2012 while in foster care has filed a writ of summons in Northumberland County Court, indicating she plans to file a lawsuit against Children and Youth Services and the father of the teen relating to the boy's death.
The writ was filed Thursday in the county prothonotary's office by Kristina Chelborg, of Coal Township, against Children and Youth and Lamont Everett Williams, of Milton.
According to the writ, the teen died Jan. 20, 2012, during a visit with his father while in the custody of Northumberland County through its foster care program. The writ states that Children and Youth Services officials were aware of Williams' lack of fitness as a parent and may have acted with deliberate indifference with respect to the boy's safety.
Union County Coroner Wanda Walters ruled in September that the teen's death, which occurred in Union County, was accidental. Walters said the cause of death was mixed drug toxicity.
Chelborg, who is seeking monetary damages outside arbitration limits, is requesting production of all correspondence, materials, pleadings, photographs, court filings and/or all other documents that are related, in any manner, to any investigation, interaction with and/or contact with herself, her son, Williams, and foster parents Ron and Irene Geiswite.
She's also requesting all documentation with respect to complaints or concerns by her son, Ron and Irene Geiswite or herself to Children and Youth Services regarding Williams, and any and all witnesses' statements or testimony which may have been taken in relation to the teen prior to his death.
Chelborg wants a copy of any and all police or incident reports and all reports, pleadings, discovery, motions and/or other documents filed with any court pertaining to her son.
She is seeking any and all documents pertaining to the decision to require her son to visit his father and all documents from permanency hearings, permanency plans and family safety plans relative to her son.
Lastly, the writ also requests any and all written reports regarding the teen's death and a complete family case record relative to Chelborg's son.
Chelborg is being represented by Attorney Eric H. Weitz of Messa & Associates, Philadelphia.
Funeral expenses
In August 2012, Northumberland County Coroner James Kelley was cleared of any wrongdoing for accepting payment from Children and Youth Services for funeral services provided to the 16-year-old male.
During an April 30, 2012, impromptu news conference called by Northumberland County Commissioner Stephen Bridy, the commissioner accused Kelley of a possible conflict of interest for submitting a bill to the county for funeral expenses for the teen.
According to the county code, no public official or public employee or his or her spouse or child, or any business in which the person or his or her spouse or child is associated, shall enter into any contract valued at $500 or more with the governmental body with which the public official or public employee is associated.
At the news conference, Bridy, who said the teen committed suicide, said Kelley could be guilty of committing a misdemeanor under the county code that would require him to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or face imprisonment for not more than one year.
In a press release issued at the time, Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini, who referred the investigation involving Kelley to the state Attorney General's Office because of his long standing relationship with the coroner, stated, "I find myself in the awkward position of announcing that a criminal investigation has cleared Coroner James Kelley of any wrongdoing in his receipt of payment from Children and Youth Services for funeral services."
The district attorney said normally such an investigation would be conducted privately so the party's reputation would not be damaged in the event allegations were determined to be unfounded.
Kelley, who has served as coroner since January 2002 and has worked in the coroner's office since 1990, said he requested the payment on behalf of James Kelley Funeral Home, Coal Township, of which he is director. Kelley maintained he did nothing wrong and was instructed by Children and Youth Services Director Jennifer Willard to submit the $5,755.50 bill. Submitted Jan. 30, 2012, and paid by the county Feb. 8, 2012, it included funeral services and cremation.
While Northumberland County agencies worked with the teen, his death actually occurred in Union County, Kelley previously said.
"In no way was I performing my duties as county coroner in this case. It had nothing to do with the coroner's office," he previously said.
Kelley said the teen's family members asked him to handle the arrangements because his funeral home had done so for other members of that family.
"Children and Youth told me to submit a bill, so I did," Kelley previously said. "If the county didn't want to pay it, they shouldn't have paid it. But they didn't need to create a big issue about it after the fact."