Lawsuit: New York foster care officials didn't protect kids or find them homes fast enough

New York state and city foster care officials have been sued over allegations they let children languish for years without finding them homes.

City Public Advocate Letitia James and child advocates filed the lawsuit Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan.

The suit claims the system is failing to protect the 11,000 children in foster care in the city from abuse. It also says the agencies fail to find the children permanent homes in a timely manner.

The suit says one of the plaintiffs is a 16-year-old who has spent most of her life in foster care. It says she was sexually abused in one of her foster homes.

Child welfare Commissioner Gladys Carrion tells The New York Times she's already working "very, very hard" to reform the system.