The family of a pregnant Mountlake Terrace woman allegedly beaten to death in front of her toddler daughter by a mentally ill felon last year has filed a claim for $18 million against the state Department of Corrections, contending the agency failed to act on the man’s repeated probation violations before the attack, our online news partner The Seattle Times reported Friday.

Christopher Yacono, who had been deemed a “high violent” offender before he allegedly attacked Marta Haile in 2018, should have been incarcerated at the time for repeatedly violating the conditions of his release for felony cyberstalking and arson convictions, according to the tort claim filed this week on behalf of Haile’s spouse, her two children and her parents.

The claim contends that despite Yacono’s poor record of compliance with his probation and signs that his mental health was deteriorating, his probation officer failed to follow agency policies requiring Yacono be taken into custody and face a mandatory incarceration hearing.

You can read more about the lawsuit in The Times story here.