Jann Heffner has become a target since the Marcus Fiesel

Butler Co. official tied to Marcus case quits
Truong, Quan. Cincinnati Enquirer, Feb. 17, 2007, pg. B1.

HAMILTON - Jann Heffner, executive director of the Butler County Children Services Board since 2002, announced her resignation Friday night, claiming she had become a "target" in the agency since the Marcus Fiesel case.

"I'm a distraction to moving forward the agency. Frankly, life is too short," she said. "You can't afford to have distractions when you're trying to keep kids safe."

She said she would leave April 15.

Heffner blamed the media at times, but also said people in the community and some board members had singled her out after the death of 3-year-old Marcus in August. Her agency had removed Marcus from his Middletown birth mother and used the Lifeway for Youth agency to place him with Liz and David Carroll Jr. in Clermont County. Liz Carroll is now on trial for murder in Marcus' death, and David Carroll is set to stand trial in March.

She denied that her resignation had anything to do with Liz Carroll's trial, which started Monday.

She denied that she stepped down because of a controversial custody case involving agency contract coordinator Michelle Money and agency ombudsman Bill Morrison. Both Money and Morrison have been on paid leave since last month.

Morrison got into trouble after releasing a report accusing Money, Heffner and others of misusing their power in a custody battle between Joetta Street and her ex-husband, Vince Richardson. Money is now married to Richardson.

In the Marcus case, a report from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in November cast more blame on Lifeway for Youth than on Butler County officials. Lifeway shouldn't have allowed the Carrolls to be foster parents because they weren't qualified or trained, the report said.

"This report shows that we did our job," Heffner said at the time.

Lifeway has since agreed to cease operations in Ohio.

Board member Robert Jarvik praised Heffner.

"She's going to be greatly missed," he said.

"No one, least of all Jann, could have anticipated the obstacles she would face."

Heffner declined to comment on her future plans, except to say, "I will still work with kids. Kids are my life."