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A Colorado judge ordered a disgraced social worker to pay $3 million in damages to an Aurora city councilwoman in a defamation case based on a false child abuse report leveled against the city leader.
"This award is made, in part, 'to send a message that this kind of conduct cannot and should not be tolerated by anybody,'" Arapahoe County Judge Elizabeth Beebe Volz wrote in her order, which was obtained by Fox News Digital.
Former Arapahoe County social worker Robin Niceta was arrested in May of last year and charged with a felony count of suspicion of attempting to influence a public servant and a misdemeanor count of making a false report about child abuse. The report claimed that Aurora Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky inappropriately touched her own toddler.
The tip was made on Jan. 28, one day after Jurinsky went on a radio show to speak out against then-Aurora Police Chief Vanessa Wilson. She described the city’s top police officer as "trash" who needed to be ousted over allegedly throwing "police officers under the bus," overseeing the city facing mounting shootings, as well as police staffing shortages.
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Booking photo of former Colorado social worker Robin Niceta. (Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office)
What Jurinsky did not know during the interview was that the police chief was dating Niceta at the time. Wilson was ultimately fired as Aurora’s police chief over unrelated matters to Niceta, and told Fox News Digital last year that the couple is no longer together, and she wants "nothing to do with [Niceta]."
An investigation was launched after Niceta allegedly filed the anonymous tip, which ultimately cleared Jurinsky of any wrongdoing, but left the councilwoman in a fearful limbo for two weeks that she might lose custody of her son.
Jurinsky added that "the most horrifying conversations I ever had to have in my life," included explaining the investigation to her child's doctor and teacher.
Niceta resigned from the Arapahoe County child protective services one day after she was questioned by authorities over the tip against Jurinsky.
The arrest affidavit stated the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department found the tip against Jurinsky was made from Niceta’s personal cell phone. Niceta has since been charged with filing a false report and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges last month.
The judge’s ruling in the civil case comes after Jurinsky filed a lawsuit against Niceta for slander, libel and outrageous conduct. Niceta failed to appear for any of the court dates in the case, pushing the judge to enter into a default judgment against Niceta. Of the $3 million awarded to Jurinsky, $1.5 million is allotted for actual damages and the other $1.5 million for punitive damages.
"In my lifetime I will not see $3 million from Robin Niceta," Jurinsky told CBS Colorado after the judge’s ruling was issued. She added that she was focused on holding "Robin accountable for her actions against me," and was not focused on the monetary award.
Jurinsky said she is focusing on Niceta’s upcoming trial in May for the criminal charges.
Official government photo of Aurora, Colorado, Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky. (City of Aurora)
"I hope for the maximum six years she is facing. I hope she is sitting behind bars for all six of those years and I have nothing to garnish- nothing. I want her in a prison cell for six years," Jurinsky told CBS Colorado.
"Our children are off the table. I hope to live rent-free in Robin Niceta's head for the rest of her life," Jurinsky added.
Niceta, as well as the Arapahoe County Department of Human, is also facing a class action suit over allegedly "baselessly" removing children from their parents.
Photo shows Arapahoe County CentrePoint Plaza where the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services is located. (Google Maps)
In that case, Niceta is accused of making sexual advances towards women she was actively investigating in her role as a social worker for the Arapahoe County Department of Human Services and trying to separate children from those women's families if her advances were spurned, according to the lawsuit. Other accusations include falsifying abuse or neglect complaints in a bid to separate children from their parents or caretakers; introducing false testimony into judicial proceedings; and introducing false and fabricated evidence into court proceedings.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Niceta’s attorney, but did not receive a response by time of publication.
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