Federal Judges Reject Aurora Councilwoman’s Lawsuit Against Arapahoe County Department of Human Services
This week, federal judges dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed by Aurora City Council member Danielle Jurinsky against the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services. The lawsuit stemmed from a social worker’s attempt to falsely accuse Jurinsky of child sexual abuse.
Jurinsky alleged that the department and former employee Robin Niceta violated her Constitutional rights to due process and equal protection when Niceta made a fraudulent report to a child abuse hotline in 2022, claiming that Jurinsky had molested her own son.
Niceta was convicted of felony attempting to influence a public servant and misdemeanor false reporting of child abuse. She recently pleaded guilty to additional charges related to faking a brain cancer diagnosis to evade accountability in the initial case.
The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals judges, Scott Matheson Jr., Carolyn McHugh, and Timothy Tymkovich, upheld a previous ruling by federal district court judge Philip Brimmer on Oct. 7. They determined that Jurinsky’s case lacked sufficient evidence to proceed, as she failed to prove that Niceta acted under the color of state law or that the county interfered with her parental rights.
Jurinsky expressed gratitude for the opportunity to raise awareness about the unjust separation of families by child welfare agencies. She stated that she would not appeal the ruling but hoped her advocacy would give a voice to others facing similar challenges.
Arapahoe County declined to comment on the court’s decision. Jurinsky’s lawsuit, filed in 2022 and initially dismissed in 2023, shed light on systemic issues within the child welfare system.
