Opinion ID: 160810
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Sentell

Text: 62 Defendant Sentell's limited involvement in this matter came only after Vargas had been awarded both physical and legal custody. On January 10, 1994, a request for an investigation of possible physical abuse of Anthony was made to Sentell. Sentell reviewed the file on Doran's November investigation of abuse and then referred the request to Medina for further action. On March 16, 1994, Doran referred another allegation of abuse to Sentell. Sentell discovered bruises on both Latasha and Anthony but concluded the injuries were not the result of abuse. 63 Plaintiffs do not argue that Sentell was personally involved in creating the danger the children faced. Instead, Plaintiffs argue Sentell was constitutionally required to rescue the children because she was aware that her fellow co-workers had created the danger. 64 This court has stated that state officials may be liable for injuries caused by a private actor where those officials created the danger that led to the harm. Sutton, 173 F.3d at 1237 (emphasis added). In Sutton, this court refused to extend constitutional liability against one state defendant because he had not affirmatively created a dangerous situation, even though another state actor had created the dangerous situation. See id. at 1239. Plaintiffs distinguish Sutton by noting that Sentell, unlike the defendant in Sutton, was aware that other state actors had created the danger and was presented with a clear opportunity to rescue the children. Although this is perhaps a closer case than Sutton, Sentell nevertheless had no constitutional duty to rescue the children. The language of Sutton explaining that only officials who created the danger might have a duty to rescue, the principle that the Due Process Clauses generally confer no affirmative right to government aid, and the general need for restraint in evaluating substantive due process claims all dictate the conclusion that Sentell had no constitutional duty to rescue. DeShaney, 489 U.S. at 196; see also Uhlrig, 64 F.3d at 573 (recognizing the need for restraint in evaluating substantive due process claims). Thus, because Plaintiffs have not alleged a constitutional violation by Sentell, the district court's denial of Sentell's motion is reversed.