Mom who lost custody kills kids’ services worker

Sobel, who had a daughter of her own, died on the scene.

Lara Sobel, who belongs to the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF) office, was shot at by Jody Herring as she was leaving her office.

“This is someone simply doing a very, very hard job”, Mayor Thom Lauzon said.

Gov. Peter Shumlin said in a statement that the DCF workers have to deal with challenging family situations.

Tim Bombardier, the chief of police, was quoted by WCAX as saying of the suspect: “She was apprehended by people outside and people inside the building that saw what was going on”. She had lost custody of her 9-year-old child in July, and authorities believe that led to the shooting, according to WCAX.

“As best as I can tell there were no Family Court hearings today”, said Grearson, who had also talked with a court worker.

Barre is a city of about 10,000 residents less than 10 miles from the state capital of Montpelier.

The shooting was a few hundred yards from the courthouse in Barre. According to state officials, the incident is in connection with the employee’s work for DCF.

After the deaths last year of two toddlers who had been involved with the agency, a special legislative committee was set up to investigate the state’s child welfare system.

Sheldon’s stepfather and Geraw’s mother are now facing murder charges, and both have pleaded not guilty to the crimes.

Investigators are looking into whether Sobel and Herring knew each other outside of the custody case.

“My heart and prayers go out to the victim’s family”, said Rep. Paul Poirier, an independent from Barre.

Following the attack, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin directed staff of the DFC who go out on emergency calls this weekend to have police accompaniment.

The new child safety law shifts the state’s priority in protecting children, focusing on their well-being instead of on an imperative to reunite them with their families.

‘To lose one of our own in the course of that duty, ‘ he said, ‘is shocking and heartbreaking.’.