MADERA — The Madera County Sheriff’s Office has issued a brief update regarding allegations that surfaced earlier this year regarding a former employee at the Department of Social Services who had not been properly forwarding “hotline” reports of potential child abuse for follow up investigation.
“On the morning of November 7, 2019, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received a telephonic report from the Madera County Department of Social Services (DSS) regarding allegations of former DSS employee Sierra Lindman’s alleged failure to process hotline referrals,” stated Wednesday’s press release from MCSO.
“Investigators from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office met with officials at the DSS on the day of the report,” the release also said. “A criminal investigation was opened, with the two departments coordinating efforts over the following months. That investigation was forwarded to the Madera County District Attorney’s Office for review on June 15th with a recommendation of misdemeanor charges for violation of California Penal Code section 135, Destruction of Evidence, against Sierra Lindman.”
MCSO’s press release also stated that the District Attorney’s Office “returned the case to the Sheriff’s Office for further investigation” last month.
