Young man with autism suffered ‘years of suffering and pain’ in family’s care, lawsuit alleges

A young man with autism and developmental delays suffered abuse and neglect and almost died in his family’s care in Tacoma, a lawsuit against the state alleges.

The Department of Social and Health Services had warnings that 22-year-old Dustyn Wilson wasn’t safe with his family, both as a child and as an adult, according to the lawsuit filed on his behalf.

“Over the course of nearly 19 years, DSHS was repeatedly warned, in graphic detail, of Dustyn’s dire situation,” Wilson’s attorney, David P. Moody, said in a statement. “DSHS ignored the warnings, accepted the myriad excuses offered by his abusers, gave his abusers countless ‘second chances,’ and casually dismissed pleas for help from relatives, teachers, and medical professionals.”