A lawsuit has been filed against the West Virginia Department of Human Services, three of its employees, and the Kanawha County Board of Education following the death of a 10-year-old boy.
The child, Richie Hancock, was allegedly stabbed to death in late 2023 by Nicholas Hanshaw. Hanshaw is also accused of killing the boy’s mother and custodian, 62-year-old Sherry Russell.
According to the lawsuit, the child’s mother,Chelsey Hancock,, said the DoHS became aware as early as 2018 of “extensive domestic violence by Nicholas Hanshaw occurring in front of three young children.” The filing states Hancock contacted police multiple times to report violence while children were present in the home.
Nicholas Hanshaw has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. (WCHS)
Court records show several petitions for protective orders were dismissed despite reports of injuries, including a broken hand and multiple black eyes. Documents said Hanshaw was charged with domestic battery but was never convicted.
The lawsuit said DoHS filed a petition in 2019 to remove the three children from Hanshaw’s care, citing domestic violence and substance abuse. The petition claimed three cases were open due to ongoing dangers, including lack of supervision, domestic violence, and substance abuse, and noted Hanshaw’s “extensive” criminal history, which included multiple felonies spanning more than a decade.
The filing described a 2018 incident in which Hanshaw was accused of repeatedly punching Hancock in the face and attempting to run her over with a pickup truck. Hanshaw was also accused of forcing social workers off the road and trying to fight a Child Protective Services employee.
Later in 2019, the lawsuit said the children were removed from parental care, and Hanshaw requested placement with his mother. The DoHS did not object, and the Kanawha County Circuit Court approved the request, ordering that Hanshaw have no unsupervised contact with the children.
Ten-year-old Richie Hancock was killed in 2023. (WCHS)
Months later, the suit said the DoHS knew Hanshaw continued living in the same home with his mother and the children. Records show that in 2020, the DoHS filed another petition alleging the children faced “extreme maltreatment and negligent treatment . . . which harm and threaten the life, health and welfare of the children.”
From 2020 to 2023, records indicate the DoHS investigated multiple allegations of abuse and neglect involving Hanshaw, including claims of drug use and physical abuse toward Hancock and the children.
The lawsuit said a 2022 CPS report from a relative alleged Hanshaw used methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and steroids. Court documents stated Hanshaw was arrested that year for domestic assault, but no action was taken by the DoHS, even after a school counselor reported the complaint.
The filing also said a crisis response worksheet completed in 2023 identified no risk factors in the home.
In late 2023, Hanshaw allegedly signed his children out of school, despite having his custodial rights revoked, took them home, and fatally stabbed his mother and stepson.
The lawsuit is seeking compensation, along with attorney fees and related expenses.