Mother, state agency sued by surviving son

? Jerry Bass was 8 years old when his mother fatally abused his triplet brothers in what authorities called one of the worst cases they had ever seen.

A lawsuit filed on the boy’s behalf claims that Jerry, now 11, is entitled to compensation from the Missouri Division of Family Services for the loss of his brothers, Gary and Larry.

The lawsuit, filed last month in Jackson County Circuit court, also names as defendants the boys’ mother, Mary Bass; her boyfriend, Tony Dixon; and two former workers with the Division of Family Services, Kimberly L. Rosa and Melissa Johnson.

It claims that the defendants’ actions contributed to the deaths and deprived the three brothers of constitutional rights.

The Bass brothers were victims of abuse that included being starved and beaten with a belt. Gary and Larry died in October 1999 of malnutrition and infections caused by severe burns from being placed in hot bath water.

A jury in October 2000 convicted Mary Bass of murder and other charges. She is serving eight life sentences in prison. Dixon pleaded guilty to charges of child abuse and endangering a child and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.