Ex-Family Department regional director sues Suzanne Roig for $1.35 million
Blanca R. García Sostre alleges workplace harassment, verbal abuse and retaliation by the agency secretary and three other officials from 2025 to June 2026.
File photoThe short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reported the $1.35 million is split as $150,000 against the government and Family Department plus $300,000 each against Roig Fuertes, Pérez Molinari, Benítez Rodríguez and Martínez Ruiz
- El Nuevo Día and Metro Puerto Rico reported the suit cites the Puerto Rico Constitution, Law 115-1991, Law 90-2020, Law 100-1959 and Civil Code Article 1536
- All three outlets agree on the pattern of insults including "bruta" and "mentirosa," exclusion from events, removal of duties, defamation and the May 14 2025 threat of dismissal
- Metro Puerto Rico and Telemundo Puerto Rico reported the May 7 2026 physical assault, unauthorized office entry and lock change during forced vacation in May 2026
Updates
Update, Oct 21, 3:35 PM AST
Metro Puerto Rico adds details on specific legal claims, breakdown of the $1.35M award, exact distribution among defendants and lack of response from Roig.
Metro Puerto Rico reported that the lawsuit, filed by Blanca García Sostre, seeks $1.35 million distributed as $150,000 against the government and Department of the Family, and $300,000 each against Suzanne Roig Fuertes, Lynette Pérez Molinari, Sofia Benítez Rodríguez and Vivian Martínez Ruiz. Metro Puerto Rico reported
The new report states the suit invokes the Constitution of Puerto Rico, Law 115 of 1991 on workplace retaliation, Law 90 of 2020 on workplace harassment, Law 100 of 1959 on employment discrimination and Article 1536 of the Civil Code. It also details that Pérez Molinari and Martínez Ruiz allegedly changed the office locks with Roig Fuertes' approval while García Sostre was on forced vacation, and that Benítez Rodríguez verbally removed her from the position on Roig's orders.
Metro Puerto Rico said it requested a reaction from Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes, but she was not available by publication time. This does not contradict the earlier account from El Nuevo Día and Telemundo Puerto Rico.
Lawsuit filed in Arecibo
Blanca R. García Sostre, former regional director for the Department of the Family in Arecibo, filed a civil lawsuit on Tuesday in the Court of First Instance in Arecibo against the government of Puerto Rico and four officials. El Nuevo Día reported the suit seeks $1.35 million for alleged workplace harassment, verbal and psychological abuse, retaliation and violations of civil rights that occurred from 2025 until June 2026.
The defendants are Family Department Secretary Suzanne Roig Fuertes, Lynette Pérez Molinari, Sofia Benítez Rodríguez, Vivian Martínez Ruiz and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, represented by Justice Secretary Lourdes Gómez Torres. Telemundo Puerto Rico reported that García Sostre claims she was subjected to intimidation, humiliation, exclusion from official activities and administrative actions that affected her professional performance and emotional well-being.
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Alleged pattern of conduct
According to the complaint cited by both outlets, Roig Fuertes allegedly directed insults at García Sostre, including calling her "bruta" and "mentirosa," made false accusations, excluded her from institutional events, removed her functions and delegated them arbitrarily to the subdirector, and conducted defamation campaigns. El Nuevo Día reported the plaintiff also alleged comments about her sexual orientation, retaliation after she filed a formal complaint against Pérez Molinari, and that her grievances were not properly addressed.
The outlets reported specific incidents. Days before a May 14 2025 official activity with the District 14 representative, Roig allegedly told García Sostre in an imposing manner that she did not want to see her there, to follow instructions and not to be insubordinate. After the event Roig allegedly went to the third floor of the Arecibo regional office and threatened to dismiss her. In June 2025 phone calls Roig allegedly questioned her in a hostile tone about administrative matters and accused her of lying about organizing employees to file a complaint at La Fortaleza.
Additional claims and response
Telemundo Puerto Rico reported that on May 7 2026 García Sostre alleged she was physically assaulted by another employee who grabbed her by the shirt, scratched her neck and shouted obscenities in front of witnesses. The complaint also states that between May 11 and 15 2026, while she was on forced vacation, two employees with alleged approval from the secretary entered her office without authorization, changed the locks and prevented her access even though she still held the director position.
García Sostre filed a formal complaint on July 1 2025 against Pérez Molinari for harassment, unauthorized photos and comments about her sexual orientation. El Nuevo Día reported the central office response received on Jan. 29 2026 blamed her for the harassment without interviewing her proposed witnesses or properly considering the evidence. The plaintiff stated the treatment affected her emotionally and led her to seek psychological help.
Where the sources differ
El Nuevo Día, Telemundo Puerto Rico and Metro Puerto Rico agree on the plaintiff, defendants, filing date and court, the $1.35 million amount, the time period 2025-June 2026, the insults "bruta" and "mentirosa," exclusion from activities, removal of functions, the May 14 2025 incident, the July 1 2025 internal complaint, the May 2026 physical assault and the forced-vacation office lockout. Metro Puerto Rico adds the precise monetary distribution among defendants, the specific statutes invoked and that Benítez Rodríguez verbally removed her on Roig's orders. El Nuevo Día provided more on the January 2026 internal response and García Sostre's prior political candidacy; Telemundo Puerto Rico first reported the physical assault and lock-change details.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether the Department of the Family or Secretary Roig have responded to the lawsuit. They do not indicate if any internal investigation beyond the January 2026 reply was conducted, whether disciplinary action was taken against any named official, the current employment status of García Sostre or when the case is scheduled for initial proceedings. Metro Puerto Rico notes a request for comment from Roig went unanswered.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published and last updated. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Desde tildarla de “bruta” hasta “mentirosa”: exdirectora regional de Familia demanda a Suzanne Roig
- Reporting Exempleada regional de Familia demanda a Suzanne Roig y funcionarias
- Reporting “Bruta y mentirosa”: Exdirectora regional de Familia demanda a Suzanne Roig
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día, Telemundo Puerto Rico and Metro Puerto Rico all base their reporting on the 14-page civil complaint filed in Arecibo. Metro Puerto Rico is the only outlet that details the exact monetary breakdown by defendant and the specific laws cited; its request for comment from Roig rests on that single source.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.