(Ripley County, IN) – A Rushville man is accused of failing to properly investigate reports of child abuse and forging signatures in his role as an Indiana Department of Child Services (DSC) case worker in Ripley County.
According to court documents, the Indiana Inspector General’s Office received a complaint on April 11, 2024 from DCS that 51-year-old Todd Click submitted reports that contained false information on family visits, and agency documents containing forged signatures of parents and caregivers.
An Inspector General investigator alleges Click falsified 10 reports and forged at least seven signatures between December 21, 2023 and February 15, 2024.
Investigators say they spoke with at least five families who alleged that Click lied in his reports about coming to their homes or speaking to them over the phone.
He’s also accused of forging parents’ signatures on important forms, including ones that can determine if a child will be removed from their home.
Click is charged with felony counts of Official Misconduct and Forgery (both Level 6) and a misdemeanor count of Obstruction of a Child Abuse Assessment (Class A).
He worked in the DCS’ Ripley County office from July 9, 2023 until he resigned on March 2, 2024.
Investigators say Click’s alleged crimes put at least five Ripley County families and 11 children in danger because he failed to perform his duties as he was trained.
Ripley County Prosecutor Ric Hertel says Click is currently listed as a defense witness in the Delphi double murder case in which Richard Allen is accused of killing Abby Williams and Libby German in 2017, and that he’s employed as a parole officer.
Click’s initial hearing took place in Ripley Superior Court Monday morning.
He is free on his own recognizance until a pre-trial hearing in November.
His jury trial has been scheduled for February 18, 2025 at 9 a.m.
