In second appeal, Baptiste Group claims state was prejudiced in its punishment

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Baptiste Group is again appealing its license suspension, saying the state has treated their business unfairly after two reports of sexual abuse at a Chattanooga facility that housed migrant children.

According to the more than 200-page appeal, the Baptiste Group (TBG) says the Tennessee Department of Children's Services (DCS) never required them to come up with an action plan or any new policies or procedures after the reports of alleged sexual abuse to children there.

Despite this, the Baptiste Group says they worked with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to take "self-imposed corrective measures in the wake of these events in attempts to improve its practices where it could."

The Baptiste Group says nonetheless, the administrative law judge decided to uphold the license suspension pending further proceedings, "none of which have been promptly instituted as required by law, demonstrating the Department's improper use of its summary powers in its desire to shut down TBG's operation without affording due process."

The Baptiste Group says other agencies in Tennessee who have had similar violations have not faced similar punishment.

The business says that the only difference between it and those other agencies is that the Baptiste Group is a minority-owned business that serves unaccompanied children who primarly come from Central America.

"In fact, Mr. Anderson testified during the informal hearing that the reason for the intense scrutiny on TBG is because of the (unaccompanied minor) population that TBG serves," the new appeal states, referring to Mark Anderson, Tennessee DCS' director of licensing.

The Baptiste Group says they in no way condone the alleged actions of Randi Duarte and Florencia Morales, their former employees accused of sexual battery by an authority figure, but that the immediate suspension of the business' operations based on the allegations "while not doing the same for other agencies with similar incidents demonstrates bias and prejudice towards TBG."

This is a developing story and will be updated as we learn more.