Girl in dragging case sent back to foster home

BELLEVUE -- A 5-year-old girl who witnesses say was intentionally dragged alongside a car driven by her foster mother has been returned to her other foster parent.

Returning the girl to the Eastside home appears to be in her best interest as officials continue to investigate, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Social and Health Services said yesterday.

"There don't seem to be any serious injuries to the girl, although I'm sure it was very traumatic for her," said Kathy Spears. "We still do not know what actually happened -- we are still investigating -- but it seems to have been amazingly poor judgment."

A committee of child-placement experts, including a professional therapist, was involved in the decision to return the girl to the home, Spears said.

Julie Dawn Dubravetz, 31, of Redmond is under investigation of third-degree domestic violence assault. She was being held in the King County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Seattle District Court Judge Park Eng, who set bail yesterday, also ordered her to have no contact with her foster child and suspended her driving privileges.

Charges were expected to be filed today or Monday, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecutor's Office.

Dubravetz shares the home with her female partner. The women were jointly licensed as foster parents last October, and have been caring for the girl since January, said Rebecca Heartz, executive director of Medina Children's Services. The private, Seattle-based agency arranged the girl's placement.

Melissa Wolfe, a spokeswoman for Medina Children Services said, "Obviously, we certainly are saddened by the allegations, but we really just hope to support the child, and all we can do is just cooperate fully with the investigation until it's completed."

The other foster parent could not be reached for comment yesterday. The girl was the only foster child in the home. DSHS officials said the foster parents had a clean record, and that the girl made "significant progress" under their care.

Bellevue police investigators believe Dubravetz dragged the girl in a misguided attempt to discipline her.

"The woman apparently was angry at the child misbehaving and wanted to teach her a lesson," said police spokeswoman Marcia Harnden.

In the incident in the parking lot of Bellevue Orthopedic, a physicians' office just east of Overlake Medical Center, Dubravetz is accused of driving at slow speed as the girl held onto the door handle on the passenger side of the car.

Witnesses told police the girl was dragged about 10 feet before losing her grip and falling on the pavement. Witnesses, several of whom work in a nearby office, told police the woman continued to drive for about 50 feet after the girl fell.

When they confronted her, according to investigators, she drove off with the child, telling them the matter was none of their business.

Harnden said one witness took the license plate number and called police.

King County sheriff's deputies arrested the woman in her home later that evening. The girl was taken into the custody of Child Protective Services.

"There is no evidence or pattern of ongoing child abuse or neglect," said Harnden. "It appears to be an isolated incident."

But at yesterday's bail hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Sam Chapin urged the judge to set a high bail.

"The child had scrapes on her feet, which indicates she was being dragged, not just stumbling along" the car, Chapin said..

Defense attorneys George Bianchi and Scott Wonder argued that $10,000 bail was appropriate, noting their client has no criminal record.

"All children are different, and each parent deals with their child in different ways," Wonder said afterward. "This is still under investigation, and the public is getting incomplete facts and in some cases incorrect information."

Wonder refused to comment further.

By late yesterday afternoon, two "No Trespassing" signs had been staked into the ground near a gravel path leading to the foster parents' home, shielded by tall trees.

Barbara Mar, 47, a neighbor, said the two women "kind of keep to themselves. It's kind of shocking to have this in your own neighborhood."

Mar remembered seeing a little blond girl with shoulder-length hair riding a bicycle in front of the home or waiting at the corner for a morning school bus.

Neighbors said the women have lived in the home since 1999 or 2000.

"They're the nicest neighbors you could have," said one man, who asked not to be identified. "They have a big heart."

The man, who has house-sat for them, said the women have adopted a number of stray and injured animals, including dogs and cats.

P-I reporter Debera Carlton Harrell can be reached at 206-448-8326 or deberaharrell@seattlepi.com

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