Louisiana Seeks 51 Foster Children Unaccounted For Since Storm [View All]

[Maddy McCall]

By AMY WOLD
[e-mail]
Advocate staff writer

More than six weeks after Hurricane Katrina, state officials continue to search for 51 foster children.


Marketa Garner Gautreau, assistant secretary of the Office of Community Services, said Monday that about 2,000 foster children were living in the areas affected by Katrina. About 75 percent of those children were located within the first two weeks after the storm.

Of the 51 foster children still unaccounted for, Gautreau said, 28 are from Orleans Parish, 17 are from Jefferson Parish and the rest are from a scattering of other parishes.

"Of course we've been fearful, but we've had no evidence that there's something sinister," Gautreau said. "We've just had no indication of that at all."

Gautreau said she believes the 51 children are living with families who lost everything and are dealing with life issues. "Getting to us just hasn't been the most important thing," she said.


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http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/101105/new_children001.shtml