Error leaves mom without food stamps for 3 months

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - After calling and waiting for three months and getting no answer, a Lafayette area single mom dialed up our newsroom.

Samantha Gott is not happy she is on food stamps.

"It is kind of embarrassing," Gott said.

But they are a way of life for Gott and her 18-month-old son Kayden. Three months ago, without warning, Gott's stamps ran out. No matter how many times she called she could not get anyone to tell her why.

Finally, an employee at the Division of Family and Children in Lafayette told Gott her caseworker quit and no one picked up that caseworker's cases.

"I still need food for my son, but because of my caseworker quitting three months ago I still have no food stamps or insurance for either of us,” Gott said. “It is expensive."

Gott called Newchannel 18 asking us to help her out. We went down to the office in downtown Lafayette and were told no one could speak to us locally. We made one call to Indianapolis and Gott got her stamps back.

"They refilled it with all the money that they owed me and I got to go grocery shopping," Gott said.

Cabinets that were once bare are now full, but what about the next time this happens, and what about the other people on that lengthy caseworker list?

Marcus Barlow in the office of Family and Social Services Administration said the mistake in Gott's case was nothing more than human error.

"We have quality control things that pick up on this sort of thing,” Barlow said. “This had not gone on long enough for it to catch."

Gott said she is worried she could be forgotten again, but for now she said she will enjoy seeing her full cabinet, and Kayden's full stomach.

Marcus Barlow said the best thing to do if you have problems getting assistance is just to simply keep calling.