Overview

• The notices seek permission from the state claims commissioner to sue for $60 million on behalf of 6-year-old Jathan Escobar’s estate and $40 million for his brother’s estate.
• The claims target the Department of Children and Families and Adult Probation, alleging missed welfare checks, case closure without notifying the father, permission for the boys to remain in a home with a violent offender, and lax probation supervision.
• Attorney Kelly Reardon says her team will pursue depositions and agency records while the claims commissioner reviews whether a lawsuit may proceed.
• DCF’s interim commissioner said the agency has no comment, and Adult Probation declined to comment, as legal experts note discretionary-judgment protections could make the case difficult to advance.
• Police say Abdulrahim Sulaiman beat the boys and their mother with a metal bat in September 2024; he remains jailed on more than $10 million in bonds after pleading not guilty to murder and related charges.