The Galveston County Daily News

TEXAS CITY — A Dickinson teen who was hit by a car as she was running away from Child Protective Services workers Wednesday night remained in critical condition at John Sealy Hospital on Thursday, officials said.

The state agency charged with her care said its initial review of procedures for transportation of a children were followed.

The 16-year-old girl was taken into the agency’s custody Wednesday after her family members were “unwilling or not able to provide care for her,” agency spokeswoman Gwen Carter said.

The teen, who has a history of behavioral problems, was to be placed into foster care and was escorted by a protective services case worker and a supervisor during the trip, Carter said.

The agency’s workers and the teen were traveling north on Interstate 45 in Texas City when the girl said she was feeling sick and needed to throw up.

The agency employee driving the car pulled over and let the girl get out, while the other worker stood with her. But the teen took off across a median and into a field near Holland Road, police said.

Minutes later, the teen was hit by a car on the northbound feeder road. She was taken by helicopter to the University of Texas Medical Branch’s John Sealy Hospital.

Carter said an initial review of agency guidelines found “that staff followed procedure.”

Agency guidelines state that, when a worker is concerned about a case, a “plan for safety for all relevant parties” should be developed.

In this case, because of concerns about the girl’s behavioral history, the caseworker asked for a supervisor to come along to help, Carter said.

The agency was reviewing its policies with staff members and also was providing help to members of the staff.

“I can’t tell you how devastated our staff is right now,” Carter said. “Our focus now is that (the teen) gets everything she needs.”

Texas City police Sgt. Joe Stanton said the driver of the car that hit the girl won’t be ticketed and was not injured in the accident.