Aurora Councilwoman Plans $1 Million Lawsuit Against Arapahoe County Human Services
(CBS4) - Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky on Friday filed a $1 million notice of claim, putting Arapahoe County Human Services on notice that she intends to file a formal lawsuit against the agency over the conduct of one of their social workers, Robin Niceta. Niceta is charged with filing a false sexual assault claim against Jurinsky.
"This should have never happened," Jurinsky told CBS4 on Friday. "It is time to send a message to make sure this never happens again."
In January, Jurinsky appeared on the Steffan Tubbs radio show and criticized then-Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson saying, "Chief Vanessa Wilson is trash."
Jurinsky called for Wilson's firing, which occurred months later, in April.'
Robin Niceta, Wilson's intimate partner, worked for Arapahoe County Human Services in January, and the day after the radio interview, an anonymous caller phoned in a complaint alleging Jurinsky had sexually molested her 2-year-old son.
"And it was truly awful," said Jurinsky. "The next 15 days I didn't know if there was going to be a knock on the door coming to take my son."
The complaint was eventually judged to be unfounded and investigators with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office zeroed in on Niceta and determined she had made the anonymous complaint. She was charged with retaliating against an elected official- a felony- and making a false report, a misdemeanor. Niceta stepped down from her job in May.
Jurinsky has said she believes the complaint was filed in retaliation for her harsh criticism of Wilson.
"I had the feeling this was a solid effort to take my son from me to punish me," said Jurinsky.
In her intent to sue notice, Jurinsky said after the initial complaint was filed, Niceta was "requesting assignment of the case for investigation."
The case was assigned to a different investigator.
"What it tells me is her intent was to take a healthy, happy, loved little boy away from his mother because she didn't agree with my opinion. Arapahoe County Human Services did nothing to determine the source of the false complaint," wrote Jurinsky. "This pattern of conduct has gone unchecked by Arapahoe County."
Arapahoe County tells CBS4 they've received the Jurinsky claim but haven't reviewed it yet, and "Department of Human Services has asked the Colorado Department of Human Services and Attorney General's office to do a review of any complaints regarding Robin Niceta's casework, and they've agreed to assist. The timeline and scope of the review is unknown, and this is all the information we can share at this time."
In a previous statement, the agency said, "We have zero tolerance for this type of behavior, which undermines the critical work of our team."
Niceta's attorney was not available for comment on the notice of claim but previously said, "We trust the judicial system to give Ms. Niceta her day in court and we will leave politics to the politicians."
Jurinsky said beyond her lawsuit against Arapahoe County Human Services, she is asking for the agency to review all of Niceta's cases.
