Steven T. Hartford

In 1994 I asked Mr. Hartford to file a victims Indemnity case for me on behalf of my three year old daughter, a victim of violent crime. He agreed despite the fact that I couldn't afford the filing fees. A few years later and after a second conviction, I asked him to file another one on behalf of m...y son who was a year old at the time of crime. I offered to pay the filing fees at that point but he declined my offer telling me they could be paid from the settlement. I checked in periodically and he repeatedly told me it would be years before my case was heard. The center where my children recieved therapy contacted his office and he told them to send all the bills to hiim and they would be paid once my case was heard. Accordingly, for years, the center sent all bills to him. He never filed my cases. I found out when the center called me to collect the debt saying he wouldn't return their calls. He wouldn't return my calls or answer my letters at that point either. I was a single mother of a very distrubed and demanding child, I'd sold everything we owned, left my family and moved 3000 miles away to keep my children safe. I was working three minimum wage jobs that allowed me to take my son with me since his issues prevented my being able to find day care for him. I was making about $8,000/yr and his lies left me with $14,000 worth of therapy bills that I wouldn't have incurred if I'd known he'd never filed. I had to file bankruptcy. I found out from the treasurer's office in RI that no case had ever been filed. He wouldn't even extend me the courtesy of an apology or explanation. He just ignored me and financially destroyed me. He has never responded to me. How he could do that to my children and me, knowing how badly they'd been victimized already is beyond my comprehension.