Settlement paid in lawsuit over baby's death

The parents of an infant who suffocated in an Indianapolis foster home in which she was placed by the Indiana Department of Child Services recently collected a $210,000 settlement from the state.

The money was paid to Michael Carter Love and Randi Linden of Indianapolis a little more than a month ago, according to a settlement agreement obtained this week by The Indianapolis Star through a public records request.

The agreement resolved a lawsuit filed in connection with the 2008 death of Destiny Linden. The suit alleged negligence in the child's care by DCS, including Destiny's placement in a foster home that had been the subject of ongoing complaints from a child advocate.

A clause in the agreement notes the settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing "and is solely for the purpose of avoiding the expense and time involved in defending (a) lawsuit." It also bars all parties from speaking about the settlement.

Hush money.

Destiny died just days after she was removed from her mother following an alleged domestic incident involving Linden and Love, who were not in a relationship at the time. The state issued separate checks for $105,000 each to attorneys for Love and Linden.

For more information, including settlement documents, see: blogs.indystar.com/starwatch.