The father of the two siblings killed in February, allegedly by their New Cassel mother, moved forward with a lawsuit against Nassau County, its executive and several agencies. Innocent Demesyeux announced April 1 that he is suing Nassau County alleging that a "failed system" and the county's "9-5 attitude" are to blame in the deaths of his two children, 5-year-old Michael and 1-year-old Innocent Jr.

Demesyeux's Notice of Claim is against Executive Thomas Suozzi, Nassau County Commissioner of Social Services John E. Imhof, Ph.D., Nassau County Department of Child Protective Services (CPS) Director Maureen McLoughlin and Nassau County Police Commissioner Lawrence W. Mulvey as well as other departments and offices. Demesyeux, who is being represented by Westbury-based attorney Sanford L. Pirotin, alleges that the Nassau County agencies were "negligent, reckless and grossly negligent and in direct violation of their own internal procedures as well as federal, state and county rules, regulations and statutes in investigating child abuse and neglect allegations."

According to Demesyeux, he had, on numerous occasions, contacted county agencies regarding the children's safety and well-being and the danger Brewer posed. On Friday, Feb. 22 - two days prior to the murders - Demesyeux stated he contacted CPS to let them know that Brewer had allegedly threatened to harm and kill the children. After two caseworkers were unsuccessful in reaching Brewer that Friday afternoon, a follow-up visit was assigned for Sunday, Feb. 24 but it was too late, the children had already been killed.

"My client has suffered profound loss and has been searching for answers as to why this tragedy was allowed to occur. The county let these children down. This tragedy would have been prevented if people in the county just did their jobs," said Pirotin during a press conference in Mineola last week, adding that while the lawsuit will do nothing to bring the children back, it will "send a message to the county that the safety and well-being of our children has to be our top priority."

Demesyeux's lawsuit is the second filed since the death of the three New Cassel children. On Feb. 28, Rickey Ward, father of 6-year-old Jewell Ward, filed a Notice of Claim against Nassau County claiming it "negligently, carelessly and recklessly failed to protect Jewell and are therefore responsible for the pain and suffering and wrongful death."

In his $60 million notice, Ward, who is being represented by Parker Waichman Alonso LLP, argues that had the county, its child protective services agency and department of social services performed their required duties, the three slain children would have been safely removed from Brewer's home and alive today.

During a Feb. 26 press conference, Suozzi publicly stated CPS should have begun a more aggressive investigation within 24 hours of the complaint and that the decision to not send a caseworker to the home on Saturday, Feb. 23 was a "bad" one. As a result of not scheduling the follow-up within 24 hours, CPS night supervisor Edward Arredondo, 54, of Point Lookout, was suspended indefinitely without pay and the county announced it had launched an investigation into its 1,000-plus open CPS cases with a history of more than one allegation; as of press time then, the number of open CPS cases in Nassau was 1,043. Additionally, the county initiated a thorough review of all prior contact and involvement with the Brewer family.

According to police, Brewer had been in trouble with the law several times since 2001 and had even been convicted of harassment, unlawful possession of marijuana and driving-related misdemeanors and infractions. CPS visited Brewer's home six times over the last five years, including Feb. 22, and Nassau police responded to at least a dozen 911 calls to the Prospect Avenue apartment in the past year. Additionally, family members, including Demesyeux and Brewer's grandmother, had, to no avail, tried to obtain custody of the children through family court.

"I miss my boys and did everything I could to get someone to pay attention to the danger they were in," Demesyeux said during last week's press conference. "Parents should never have to bury their children."

Brewer, 27, a lifelong resident of Westbury, was arrested Feb. 24 after police responded to her 911 call and upon entering her Prospect Avenue home found Jewell, Michael and Innocent dead on the bed. According to police, Brewer herself made the 911 call and inadvertently admitted to the killings. Following her arrest Brewer spent several days at Nassau University Medical Center recovering from injuries sustained when she jumped out her second floor apartment window after calling police. She was arraigned and charged with three counts of murder - 2nd degree and one count of murder - 1st degree. Last month, however, Brewer pleaded not guilty to all counts.

A spokesperson for the county declined to comment for this article because it is "pending litigation."