He couldn't be a coach, but they trusted him to foster a child

Officials pushing bills in legislative session legislature
Butler County lawmakers plan to focus their efforts on improvements in foster care, tax relief for senior citizens.
Brooks-Higgins, Candice. Middletown Journal, May 17, 2007.

Before another state legislative session comes to an end this summer, Butler County lawmakers are trying to push their bills through.

So what high-profile bills are coming out of Butler County?

Two bills focused on reforming Ohio's foster care system appear to be on the fast track after the killing of foster child Marcus Fiesel, Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester Twp., said Wednesday after presenting the legislation.

"The legislature feels that whatever holes we need to close, they are ready to step up and do that," Cates said.

Marcus' foster father, David Carroll Jr., failed a background check two years ago when trying to become an assistant youth baseball coach in Clermont County.

The following year, he and his wife, Liz — both later convicted of murdering the developmentally disabled 3-year-old — were approved to care for Marcus. Just six weeks before the Middletown boy's death, his foster father was arrested on a domestic violence charge.

Cates and Sen. Tom Neihaus, R-New Richmond, plan to patch those cracks with better foster parent screening, training and information sharing through Senate bills 163 and 164.